No good tale is complete without love.
Eight-year-old Daisy walked home from school when she was suddenly overwhelmed by the desire to see her mother, who lived in the neighbouring village. Instead of returning home to her father and grandmother, she turned toward the bus stop, waited, and boarded the bus.
«Why did Mum have to be like this? She didnt stay with Dad, and hes so good to me. I did live with her once, but I hated itshed leave me alone and bring home that drunkard Tony. Even though Dad and Gran are lovely, I still miss her.»
Daisy stepped off the bus and made her way to her mothers house. As she walked down the street, she finally spotted Irene sitting on a bench outside, already deep in her cups.
«Oh, love, whereve you come from?» Irene slurred, pulling her into a clumsy embrace.
«Mum, I missed you,» the girl admitted, hugging her back.
They exchanged a few words before Irene cut in.
«Daisy, you got any money on you?»
«Just enough for the bus back.»
«What? Thats it? What goods that to me? I need moneydont you get it?»
«But I dont have any, Mum,» Daisy replied.
«Well, off you go then, back to your precious father. Weve seen each other, thats enough. Ill find my own way,» she snapped, spotting some woman down the lane and stumbling after her.
Daisy stood frozen in the road, watching her mother leave with a bitter ache in her chest. Only now did she understandshe wasnt wanted. She had only Dad and Gran. Heart heavy, she wandered the wrong way, mistaking a small copse for the woods, tears blurring her vision until she realised she was lost. Panic set in, and she sobbed harder.
Oliver and Irene had met at the village hall, where she and her friends from the next village over had come for a dance. Oliver was smitten at once and, after asking her for a dance, never let her go. Irene didnt mind.
All autumn, Oliver rode his motorcycle to visit her, and when winter came, he asked her to marry him.
«Irene, lets wed. Im tired of riding back and forth. Well live with memy mums kind, youll like her,» he urged.
She needed little convincing. Shed gone to the neighbouring village for this very reasonno decent prospects in her own.
«Alright, lets do it,» she said simply, and Oliver was over the moon. At least hed have a pretty wife.
After the wedding, they moved in with Olivers mother, Edith, who treated Irene like her own. A year later, Daisy was born, Ediths darling granddaughter. For a time, all seemed welluntil Oliver noticed how little Irene cared for motherhood.
«Itll pass, son,» Edith reassured him. «Just the baby blues. Shell come round.»
But when Daisy turned three, Irene changed. She began slipping out to see friends, returning drunk. The monotony of family life bored her. Oliver held onto hope, but it only got worse.
«Im going to Nancys for her birthday,» she announced one evening.
«Of course, go on,» Oliver agreed, knowing she needed a break.
She didnt return that night. When she stumbled in at dawn, Oliver and Edith were at breakfast.
«Ooh, whyre you up?» she mumbled, swaying before collapsing onto the bed, still dressed. She slept till noon.
Oliver had no idea of Irenes drinking habit. In her village, everyone knew shed followed her mothers footsteps, but no one told himhe never visited after the wedding.
Daisy grew up neglected. Oliver began doubting if he still loved his wife. Drunk, unkempt, she vanished for days, once even disappearing to her village for a week.
«Daddy, wheres Mummy?» Daisy asked. «I miss her. Where is she?»
«Shes in the village.»
«Daddy, bring her home,» the five-year-old pleaded.
On his day off, Oliver rode to the next village. She wasnt home, but her equally drunk mother pointed him to Tonys house. Inside, a raucous crowd was drinking, Irene perched on Tonys lap, laughing shamelessly.
Spotting Oliver, she scrambled to explain.
«Ollie, love, its not what you think! So glad you cameIve missed you!»
For a week, she stayed sobera different woman. Oliver wrestled with forgiveness but relented for Daisys sake. He didnt understand the grip alcohol haduntil ten days later, when Irene drank again, worse than before. She hurled abuse in the yard for all to hear.
«Im sick of the lot of you! You and your mother, always watching me! And Daisy? I dont need hershes grown, and Im done pretending!»
That was the end. Oliver knew he had to save Daisy. Irene left for her village but returned two weeks later, snatching Daisy while he was out. She shoved Edith aside and stormed off.
The next day, Oliver went to fetch his daughter, but Irene refused. So he went to the authorities. When social services arrived, they found Irene passed out drunk with Tony, Daisy staring sadly out the window.
They took Daisy back to Oliver. Soon after, he filed for divorce and stripped Irene of parental rights. Daisy started school. One evening, Edith and Daisy were home when Oliver returned from town, calling out as he entered.
«Im back, Mumstarving! Daisy, look what Ive got for you!»
Edith set the table while Daisy barrelled into her fathers arms. He swung her around, laughing. Edith watched her son with tension until he nodded, smiling. She exhaled, pulling treats from the larder.
«Mum, not all at oncewell burst!»
But she fussed, thinking how, at thirty-three, he carried the weight of raising a child alone. When Daisy dashed off, she asked,
«Well, son? How did it go? What did Irenes solicitor say?»
«What could he say?» Oliver scoffed. «Even he was shocked. Irene showed up drunk, slurring. The judge didnt hesitateDaisy stays with me. She lost her rights.»
«About time. What kind of mother would she be, always soused?»
Life with Dad and Gran was good. Daisy rarely thought of her mother nowthough Edith knew a child needed a mother, just not that kind.
Agatha, twenty-six, loved nature, often wandering the woods alone for mushrooms and berries. Shed gotten lost before, even spent nights in the forest, but she wasnt afraid. Her grandfather, George, a former gamekeeper, had taught her to build shelters and light fires.
One afternoon, Agatha ventured deep into the woods, distracted by the September bounty. Then she realisedshe was lost again.
«Right, best rest. Might as well build a sheltersomeones bound to be looking.» Shed told her mother where she was going.
The air grew chilly as the sun dipped. Grateful for her jumper and old coat, she lit a fire.
«Please, no rain,» she thoughtthen heard a twig snap.
A little girl stood there, tear-streaked and shivering.
«Who are you?» Agatha asked.
«Im Daisssy, Im looost!» she wailed.
«Alright, no tears. Where dyou live?» Agatha draped her jumper over the girl.
By the fire, Daisy told her everything.
«Dad and Gran must be lookingthey dont know I went to Mums.»
«Dont fret. Im lost too. Which villages your mum in?»
Agatha now had a rough ideafar from home. How had she strayed so far?
«Right, its dark. Well find the way at first light.» Exhausted, they slept, setting off at dawn toward the distant hum of traffic.
«Daisy, listenthats the road! I know where we are!»
They broke through the trees onto the highway. Meanwhile, Oliver had rallied the village, even confronting Irene with the constable. She barely recalled Daisys visit. Oliver nearly struck her, but the constable held him back.
«Dont, Oliver. Its not worth it.»
Agatha and Daisy walked the roadside until a car screeched to a halt.
«Daddy!» Daisy shrieked, hurtling toward him. Agatha stayed put. «This is Agatha! She saved me!»
Fury still coursed through Oliver. «Who are you? Whered you take my girl?»
«Dad, dont shout! She found me in the woods!»
«Rightwere seeing the constable.»
«And this is how you thank people,» Agatha muttered, climbing in silently.
By the time they left the station, the sun was high. Oliver was sheepish.
«Ill drive you home. But first, come to oursGrans been worried. Shell feed us.»
«I shouldnt intrude»
«After how I acted? Least I can do. Im sorry, Agatha.»
She smiled, understanding. Daisy had shared their story. And somehow, she knewthis meeting with Oliver wasnt chance. She liked him. He liked her. And as any good tale goes, it didnt end there.
Six months later, Oliver and Agatha married. No one was happier than Daisy.
