My Granddaughter
Shes a bit of a messunkempt braids, a crumpled school uniform with a crooked collar and cuffs hastily stitched on. The girl looked dishevelled, withdrawn.
Rosemary Winthrop winced. Why had she remembered that scruffy child just now? She set aside the éclair shed been enjoying. Where was George? Hed promised to come earlytoday was the anniversary of Alexanders passing…
A knock at the door startled her.
«Whos there? George, is that you? Did you forget your keys?»
«Miss Winthrop, you left your keys on the chair.»
«What? What keys?»
Rosemary opened the door and saw… that same girl. What was this?
«Sedley? What keys? How did you know where I live? Have you been following me?»
The girl shook her head. She wore a worn-out hat, a shabby coat with a stain on the pocket, knee-high socks sagging at the knees, and shoes nearly falling apart.
Only now did Rosemary notice the girls striking eyesdeep blue, framed by thick black lashes.
Shed recently started teaching at the local school after retiring from the college. A year of sitting idle had been unbearable. Strange girl, this onenever mixing with the others. What was her name? Alice? Yes, Alice Sedley.
«Miss Winthrop, you left your keys on the chair. I called after you, but you didnt hear.»
«What keys? Oh! Goodness, thank you. Must be old age,» she joked, though she wasnt sure why.
«Youre not old,» the girl said seriously. «You were just in a hurry.»
«Thank you… Alice.»
«Youre welcome. Goodbye, Miss Winthrop.»
«Goodbye…»
Rosemary closed the door pensively, then hesitated. She opened it again, hearing soft footstepsthe girl was slowly descending the stairs.
«Alice,» Rosemary called, looking down as the girl glanced up. «How did you know where I live?»
«I live in the next building. I often see you walking to and from work. Sometimes I walk behind youtheres that dog at the corner, the stray one. I stay close so he wont growl at me. He doesnt like the smell of cats. I feed them, the ones in the basement… but Im not scared. I call him Rex.»
«As for your address… I asked the old ladies on the bench. I told them you worked at my school. We take the same bus sometimes…»
What a strange girl, Rosemary thought. Is she stalking me?
«Would you like some tea?» she asked abruptly, and the girl immediately agreed.
Odd and ill-manneredshe shouldve refused. Rosemary poured the tea.
«Are you… perhaps hungry?»
The girl shook her head, but Rosemary knew better. Why am I bothering with her?
«You know what? Lets eat together. I hate dining alone, and George is late. Sit down.»
She bustled about, pulling food from the fridge. The girl ate neatly but ravenously.
«Thank you,» Alice said, eyeing the leftovers. «Your cooking is lovely.»
Imagine thata child so hungry shed even praise my food…
Rosemary packed the restsausages, pasta, sweetsinto a container and handed it over.
«You dont have to thank me.» But Alice took it.
Later, Rosemary scolded herself. Unprofessional. What if the girl hugs me at school? Or thanks me loudly for the food?
George arrived in the morning, sheepish.
«What day was yesterday?» she asked sternly.
«Thursday, Mum. Todays Friday.»
«Dont be cheeky.»
«Oh, now were serious. Im a grown man, thirty years old…»
«Yesterday was your fathers memorial. He didnt deserve this.»
«Mum… he wouldnt care if we remembered him yesterday or today. Lets do it properly now. Im going back to bedday off.»
«So youre tired? What were you doing all night?»
«You really want to know?»
Rosemary left for work in a foul mood.
She waited… expecting the girl to acknowledge her. But Alice just walked past with a polite «Good morning,» as usual.
Cheeky little thing.
All day, Rosemary tried cornering her. Was the girl avoiding her?
After work, she walked slowly home, hoping to spot Aliceno luck.
Three days later, nearing her stop, Rosemary heard a scream.
It was the girl.
She hurried toward the sound. A huge dog had its teeth in Alices sleeve, snarling, trying to snatch something from her.
«Shoo! Get away!» Rosemary chased the dog off. «Alice, are you hurt?»
The girls terrified eyes made her heart ache.
«He… he wanted to hurt the kitten…»
Alice burst into tears.
«Its alright now. Lets get you home.»
«No.»
«Children your age usually…»
Rosemary stopped. Such a strange child.
«I cant. They wont let me. Ill hide him under the stairs if they dont chase him out again.»
«Who?»
«Them.»
«Right.»
Rosemary made inquiries at school. No one knew much about Alice except old Miss Pembroke, the maths teacher.
«Troubled household. Mothers a drinker, or maybe its the grandmother…»
«But how was she even enrolled?»
«No idea,» Miss Pembroke shrugged.
Rosemary waited. When Alice appeared in her patched coat, her heart sank.
She followed discreetly. The girl hurried past the spot where the big-eared dog usually lay, then paused by a bench outside her building.
To Rosemarys shock, Alice pulled out a textbook. Was she doing homework outside?
At home, she argued with George again.
Hed divorced Natalie two years agono children. A shame. Natalie had been lovely, but George claimed she was dull. Now hed found someone «exciting.»
Rosemary needed air.
«Alice! Wheres that wretched girl?» a slurred voice yelled.
An unkempt woman swayed by the building. She had Alices eyesmother or grandmother?
«Excuse me…»
«What?»
«Are you Alice Sedleys family?»
«Whos asking?»
«Im her teacher. Where is she?»
«Home, asleep,» the woman snapped, stumbling inside.
«Alice? Can you hear me? Come out, dont be afraid.»
The girl emerged from the shadows.
«Come home with me.»
«Shell punish me later.»
«She wont dare.»
«If she loses custody, theyll take me away.»
«Who is she to you?»
«My gran.»
«Wheres your mother?»
«Gone.»
«Gone where?»
«Four years now.»
«Was she… like this?»
«No. We were happy. Then she got ill. They gave me to Gran and her husbandthey get money for me.»
«I see. Youre coming with me. Well sort this.»
George was home, packing for an outing. He stared at the girl.
«Whos this?»
«Alice.»
The girl gazed back, wide-eyed.
George hesitated. «She staying?»
«I dont know,» Alice whispered.
In the morning, Rosemary let her sleep in, then made breakfast.
«Lets go.»
«Where? To the childrens home?»
«The shops.»
George emerged, thoughtful. «Whered you find her?»
«My student.»
«Ah.»
Rosemary bought her new clothesa transformation.
«What a lovely granddaughter,» the shopkeeper remarked. «Looks just like you.»
Rosemary smiled, warmth blooming in her chest.
«Well toss these rags.»
«No!» Alice clutched her old coat. «Theyll drink the money… and hit me.»
«What do we do?»
«I dont know.»
«Café?»
«With you?»
«If youd like.»
«Can you bake cakes?»
«Not really…»
«Mum and I used to. Before she got ill.»
«Lets try.»
They laughed, baked, drank teauntil George returned, souring the mood.
«I should go,» Alice said.
«Ill walk you.»
«Whats your name?» George asked suddenly.
«Alice. I told you, George,» Rosemary said sharply.
«Did she send you?»
Alice shook her head.
«George? Explain this.»
«The mother… its Diana Sedley. Remember her?»
«No.»
«Diana, two years younger. Lived nearby. We were… involved. I loved her, in a childish way.»
«And Alice?»
«She never told me. I was with Natalie by thenyou approved of her.»
«When did you find out?»
«When I saw her. She looks just like you.»
Rosemarys world tilted.
«Ill not send her back. Alice, come here. Shes my granddaughter.»
Tests confirmed it. Georges girlfriend, Elena, supported him in court.
Rosemary held Alices hand tightly, afraid shed vanish.
***
«Dad, can I live with Gran?»
«What if she says no?»
«She wont. Shes lonely.»
«And Im not?»
«Youve got Elena…»
Hand in hand, Rosemary didnt care who stared. Shed found her joy.
George grew close to Alice. Elena drifted awayamicably.
«Dad, its not because of me?»
«Of course not. I wouldnt trade you for anyone. Wish Grandpa couldve met you.»
At parents evening, George met Alices teacher. Now Alice walks to school with both her grandmother and her new stepmother.
«Must be hard, having family as teachers?» classmates ask.
«Nah, its brilliant,» Alice grins.
Sometimes she visits her other grancleans, cooks, scolds them to quit drinking. The woman weeps, kissing her hands.
«My girl, my blood,» she sobs, swearing to change.
