Eight-year-old Emily walked home from school, overwhelmed by a sudden longing to see her mother, who lived in the next village over. Instead of heading back to the house she shared with her father and grandmother, she turned toward the bus stop, waited, and boarded the next bus.
*Why is Mum like this? Why couldnt she stay with Dad? Hes so good to me. I did live with her once, but shed leave me alone, bring home that drunkard Tony, both of them stumbling in at all hours. Even though Dad and Gran are wonderful, I still miss Mum.*
Emily stepped off the bus and made her way to her mothers house. As she walked down the street, she spotted Sarah slumped on a bench outside, clearly intoxicated.
«Oi, love, whered you come from?» Sarah slurred, pulling her into a loose hug.
«Mum, I missed you,» Emily admitted, returning the embrace.
They exchanged a few words before Sarah cut in sharply.
«Emily, you got any money on you?»
«Just enough for the bus back.»
«Thats it? And you came all this way? I need cash, dont you get it?»
«But I dont have any,» Emily whispered.
«Well, sod off back to your dad, then. Had your visit, now scram. Ill sort myself out.» With that, Sarah spotted another woman down the street and stumbled after her, leaving Emily standing in the middle of the road, her heart breaking.
Only now did she truly understandher mother didnt want her. She had only Dad and Gran. Fighting back tears, she wandered the wrong way, mistaking a small copse for the woods and drifting deeper into the trees. Soon, she was hopelessly lost, panic setting in as she sobbed into her sleeves.
Years earlier, James had met Sarah at a village dance. Shed come with friends from the next town over, and hed been smitten the moment he saw her. After one dance, he never let her gonot that she minded.
All autumn, James rode his motorbike to her village, and when winter came, he proposed.
«Sarah, lets get married. Im sick of riding back and forth. Well live at mine. Mums kindyoull get on with her straight away.»
She didnt need convincing. Shed come to this village for a reasonnone of the men back home had wanted her.
«Fine, lets do it,» she said simply. James was over the moon. Hed landed a beautiful wife.
After the wedding, they moved in with Jamess mother, Margaret, who treated her like a daughter. A year later, Emily was bornMargarets beloved granddaughter. At first, everything seemed perfect, but soon, James noticed Sarah resenting motherhood.
«Give it time, son,» Margaret reassured him. «Its just the baby blues. Shell come around.»
But when Emily turned three, Sarah changed. Nights out with friends, coming home drunk. The monotony of family life bored her. James held on, hoping shed snap out of it, but things only worsened.
«Im off to Nancys birthday,» she announced one evening.
«Course, love, go on,» James agreed, knowing she needed a break.
She didnt return that night. Instead, she stumbled in at dawn, reeking of booze, slurring, «Oh, whatre you lot doing up?» before collapsing onto the bed, still dressed.
James hadnt known about Sarahs drinkingback in her village, everyone knew shed followed her own mothers path. No one had warned him.
As Emily grew, Sarah ignored her. James started questioning if he even loved his wife anymoreunkempt, always drunk, disappearing for days. Once, she vanished for a week.
«Daddy, wheres Mummy?» Emily would ask, her little voice trembling. «I miss her. Bring her back?»
On his next day off, James drove to Sarahs village. She wasnt homeher equally drunk mother pointed him toward Tonys place.
Inside, a rowdy crowd was drinking, Sarah perched on Tonys lap, laughing too loudly.
Spotting James, she scrambled to explain.
«James, love, its not what it looks likeoh, thank God youre here! I missed you»
For a week, Sarah stayed sober, almost like her old self. James wrestled with forgiveness but gave infor Emilys sake. He didnt understand the hold alcohol had on her. Ten days later, she was drunk again, screaming in the yard for all to hear.
«Im sick of the lot of you! You, your nagging mumand Emily? Shes not my problem anymore!»
That was it. James knew he had to save his daughter. Sarah left, but two weeks later, she returned while he was out, shoved Margaret aside, and took Emily.
The next day, James stormed into Sarahs village, demanding his daughter back. She screeched, refusing, so he went to social services. When they arrived, they found Sarah passed out drunk, tangled up with Tony, while Emily sat by the window, silent and hollow-eyed.
They took Emily away that day, handing her back to James. He filed for divorce and full custody.
By the time Emily started primary school, the papers were signed. Margaret and Emily were home when James returned from court.
«Im home, Mumstarving! Emily, look what I got you!»
Margaret laid out dinner while Emily flew into her fathers arms. He spun her, laughing, though Margaret watched him with quiet tension. He gave her a nod, and she exhaled in relief.
«Mum, slow downwell burst!» James joked as she piled food onto the table.
But she kept fussing, thinking*Only thirty-three, and hes raising a child alone.*
When Emily ran off to her room, Margaret finally asked, «Howd it go, love? Whatd Sarahs solicitor say?»
James scoffed. «What could he say? Even he was shocked. Sarah showed up drunk, barely coherent. The judge didnt hesitateEmily stays with me. Sarah lost her rights.»
«Aye, shes lost more than that,» Margaret muttered. «What kind of mother is she, always pickled?»
Emily grew up happy with her father and gran, though she still thought of Sarah sometimes. Margaret knew a girl needed her motherbut not like that.
Agatha, twenty-six, loved the woods. She often wandered alone, foraging for mushrooms and berries, unafraid even when she got losther grandfather, George, a retired ranger, had taught her how to survive.
One afternoon in early September, she set off, lost in thought, straying deeper among the trees. By the time she realized she was lost again, dusk was falling.
«Right, better make camp,» she muttered, gathering sticks for a fire.
The air grew chilly, but shed packed a jumper and an old jacket. As she sparked the flint, a rustling made her turn.
A small girl stood theretrembling, tear-streaked.
«Whore you?» Agatha asked.
«Im Emiiily,» she sobbed. «Im looost!»
«Alright, no tearsthey wont help. Where dyou live?» Agatha draped her jumper over the girl, lit the fire, and listened as Emily poured out her story.
«Dad and Gran must be looking for methey dont know I went to see Mum»
Agatha pieced it togetherthey were miles from her own village.
«Well find the road at first light.»
Exhausted, they slept. At dawn, the distant hum of traffic guided them. Finally, they reached the road.
Meanwhile, James had torn the village apart. The constable even dragged him back to Sarahsbut she barely remembered Emilys visit. James nearly struck her before the officer stopped him.
«Not worth it, mate.»
As Agatha and Emily walked the roadside, a car screeched to a halt.
«Daddy!» Emily shrieked, sprinting toward him.
James, wild with fury, glared at Agatha. «Who the hell are you? Whered you take my daughter?»
«Dad, dont! She saved me!»
James clenched his jaw. «Right. Were going to the station.»
Agatha folded her arms. «Nice way to thank someone.»
After statements, the sun high, James rubbed his neck awkwardly.
«Let me drive you home. Andsorry. I was out of line.»
Agatha smiledshe knew his story now. And she had a feeling this wasnt the end.
She was right. Six months later, James and Agatha married. No one was happier than Emily.
After all, no good story is complete without love.
