A midnight call revealed my daughters voice.
Late one evening, the phone rang. I picked up and heard my daughters panicked tone.
«Mum, its me, Emily. Ive got a problem! My husbands thrown me out. Im coming over with Dad tomorrow morning and staying at yours.»
«Listen, Emilyyou dont have parents or a home anymore.»
«What?» she cut in, shocked. «What did you just say? How can there be no home? Im your only daughter. Ive got rights to this flat!» she shrieked down the line.
«Thats just how it is,» I replied calmly. «You dont have a flat. We gave it to Lucy. She owns it now, and Dad and I want nothing to do you. Youre not our daughter. Dont call againyou lost everything!» I ended the conversation with finality. After what Emily had done, she deserved every word.
Gazing out the window, it struck me how our story had also begun with a phone call.
That wretched call came early one morning. I stumbled out of bed and hurried to the landline.
«Hello?»
A stifled sob crackled down the line.
«Hello? Whos there?»
«Margaret, its me, Alice.»
«Alice, love, you scared me half to death! Do you know what time it is?»
«Yes, I do. Margaret, Im going into hospital today for surgery, and Im terrified for my daughter. Please, you and Edward, dont abandon Lucy. Shes so young. Dont send her to an orphanage.»
My sister Alice had always been eccentricfull of wild imagination and unpredictable decisions. But this took the biscuit.
I twisted the phone cord nervously, sensing something deeply wrong, though I couldnt grasp it yet. Fear prickled my skin.
«Alice, why tell me now? Whats happening? Where are they taking you?»
Shed been poorly for years but brushed it off. Last month, the pain worsened. She grew gaunt, wasting away. The diagnosis was grim. Surgery was urgent, yet shed hesitated to tell me.
Id already helped her endlesslymoney, support, playing mum to her. And now, shed dumped her problems and her young daughter on me again.
«Margaret, they cant guarantee Ill survive. Please, dont abandon Lucy.»
An hour later, we were at the hospital. The surgery hadnt started, but we couldnt see Alice. In the corridor, little Lucy sat curled up. I hugged her tight.
«Will they hurt Mummy?» she whispered, eyes wet.
«No, darling. Shell be asleep.»
Four hours later, the doctor delivered the news: my little sister was gone.
We took Lucy home. I entered my daughters room and explained that Lucys mum had diedshed be sharing her room now. Emily glared but stayed silent.
Ten days later, Emily chucked Lucys things into the hall and barred her from returning.
Arguing was pointless. Emily dug her heels in, swearing shed toss Lucys belongings every time we tried. To keep the peace, we gave our niece our bedroom and moved into the lounge.
Lucy was an orphan. Alice had never revealed her father. Now, her fate rested with us. So, we treated her and Emily as equalsboth were our daughters.
Years passed. Emily graduated, married a wealthy older manneither fact bothered her. She packed her bags and moved in with Roger.
A month later, she announced her wedding.
«Mum, just dont bring your favourite, that little suck-up. I dont want her there.»
«Emily, thats unacceptable. Lucys your sister. Snubbing her insults us.»
«Shes not coming!»
«Then neither are we.»
«Fine! Suits me!»
I wept, then pulled myself together and booked a seaside break in Brighton.
«What about Emilys wedding?» Edward asked, baffled.
«Nothing. Were not invited.»
«Lucy, help me find a nice B&B.»
«Were going on holiday?»
«Yes, love. We deserve it.»
«Hooray!» she cheered, spinning around the room.
The three of us stayed close. Lucy aced school, then got into Architecture at university. Her mother, Alice, had been a brilliant painterquite famous in her circle. Lucy followed her footsteps.
«Or her fathers,» Edward mused, suspecting a well-known local figure might be Lucys dad.
I ignored that. Lucy was ours.
A year later, at Lucys 18th, Edward suddenly turned pale and collapsed. The ambulance rushed him to hospital. The doctors words chilled me: his condition was critical. Only an expensive imported drug could save him. Three days delivery. The cost? Astronomical.
I rang Emily, knowing Roger could lend the money.
She answered. I explained the crisis.
A long pause. Then:
«Mum, Rogers buying me a new cara promise hes finally keeping. But hes given me a choice: the car or helping you.»
«Emily, love, well pay you back!»
«Dont be daft. When? Bit by bit? Ill never see that car!»
«Listen to yourself! Your dad could die!»
«I cant help. Get a loan.»
The phone slipped from my hand. I nearly fainted.
«Aunt Margaret, whats wrong?»
Lucy caught me as I swayed. I sobbed uncontrollably.
«Listenwell sell Mums flat. Its unbearable living there anyway. Price it low for a quick sale. The deposit will cover the medicine.»
«Darling, we cant! Its yours!»
«Aunt Margaret, be sensible! Uncle Edwards life is at stake!»
I hugged her, overwhelmed.
That same day, we sold the flat fastfor a decent sum. The buyer paid a deposit, covering the drug. Two days later, it arrived. The medicine worked. Lucy saved Edwards life.
A month on, hed fully recovered. Our joy was boundless.
Once he was well, we transferred the flat to Lucys name. The leftover money went into savings.
Life was peaceful until that midnight call.
Emily, dumped by Roger, demanded to come home.
I said no.
«Weve only one daughter: Lucy.» I hung up.
Years later, Lucy married James, a successful farmer with a sprawling countryside home. They invited us to move in, but we opted for weekly visits instead.
Our cosy guest room awaited us. Edward and James became fishing buddies. Lucy designed his new conservatory. We lived in harmonya happy family, just not always under one roof.
The only time we thought of Emily was on her wedding daythe same day Edward and I escaped to Brighton, just as we had years before. Lucy arranged the trips, sometimes joining us.
Every year, I wondered how Id raised such a selfish girl, one whod trade her fathers life for a flashy car. And Lucyorphaned so youngvalued us above all, ready to give everything for our happiness.
