Not My Own Family
Mum, whats that letter you keep stashing away?
Oh, thats from the village, from Granddad she waved a wooden spoon and turned back to the stove.
But we dont have a granddad, do we? You always said there was nobody left on your side of the family.
Mum paused midcarrotchop, then hurried on.
Well there is and what of it? I left home years ago, so I didnt need him then, but now Im supposed to drop everything and rush to his rescue.
She broke down in tears and I didnt know what to say. In our household it was taboo to speak of Mums kin; all I knew was that shed arrived in Canterbury straight from school, taken a job, lived in a dorm, then I showed up, and Dad had vanished before I was even born.
Mum nursed a quiet resentment toward her relatives, and I never got the chance to ask what had happened so long ago.
That night, while Mum slept, I slipped into her room, pilfered the letter and read it. The handwriting was neat, elegant certainly not the ragged scrawl of an infirm old man. It said Granddad Arthur had taken a turn for the worse, needed constant care and costly medicine, and begged Mum to set aside old grudges and pride for the sake of a life. No signature, just an address. The hamlet was barely a few miles from our city; Lucy, my neighbour, kept a cottage not far from there. A shiver ran down my spine Id visited Lucy often, and the granddads cottage sat right next to hers. Why had Mum kept us in the dark?
The next morning I packed my university bag, slipped a few pounds into my wallet, and headed for the bus depot.
Stepping off the coach, I inhaled the crisp, tearclear air of the countryside. A crumbling stone house sat a stones throw from the stop. I pushed open the gate and entered the courtyard.
Who are you looking for? a voice called. I turned to see a woman in her forties, bent over a basket of freshly picked mushrooms beneath an old apple tree.
Im here to see Arthur Thompson, my grandfather.
Ah, so youre Sharons daughter she smiled. Come in, love. Ill put the kettle on; Granddad nodded off after lunch. Hes feeling a bit better now.
Inside, the cottage smelled of warm scones and butter. While the woman bustled at the stove, I took a good look at her she could have been Mum herself: the same slanted eyes, the coalblack hair, even the lilting cadence. My gaze drifted to a faded portrait on the wall: a smiling couple surrounded by two little girls who looked alike.
The woman noticed my stare.
Thats us, your mother and our parents. Im Sophie, her sister and your aunt. she chuckled.
Lovely to meet you. Why never heard of you before? Mum kept saying we had no relatives.
She sighed, sat down and began pouring tea.
Your mothers been angry with us for ages. I was a frail child, often sick; our own mother never left the hospital ward. Father worked round the clock to keep a roof over our heads and pay for treatment. Sharon first lived with Granddad, then often with a neighbour when Dad was away. Naturally, most of the attention fell on me. From a young age I convinced myself nobody loved me, that I was useless, even when things seemed to improve. After school she fled to the city and we never saw her again.
She paused, then added,
Drink up, youll be starving after the road. My two grandchildren, Alfy and Liam, are my pride and joy. People keep asking if weve any kin; theyll be thrilled when they finally meet.
That evening I met Granddad Arthur and my cousins, Alfy and Liam. They welcomed me with open arms, and at last I understood what it meant to belong to a big, boisterous family gathered around one table. I stayed a few days, bought the necessary medicine, and sent the few pounds I earned from tutoring and sticking up flyers back to the village.
Mum called several times, demanding I return home immediately, but I couldnt abandon Granddad, and Aunt Sophie was stretched thin caring for him and working.
Whos going to foot your tuition if you drop out? Mum shouted into the phone. I raised you, stayed up nights, and now youre with strangers who wont lift a finger for us!
Mum, you never gave me an address for fifteen years strangers, family Hes my granddad first and foremost. Its time to let the past go. Ill look after him. By the way, youve got a wonderful sister and nephews. Dont be like this, love.
She slammed the receiver, redialed, and we went round in circles.
A week later I returned to Canterbury for my final year. My heart was torn. The few pounds I scraped together from tutoring and odd jobs barely covered anything, but I sent what I could. Mum even hid my passport once, hoping Id stay for the holiday weekend instead of visiting the village.
A year whizzed by, full of exams, arguments, and endless drama. When I finally clutched my degree, I packed my things and left for the hamlet.
Aunt Sophie had managed to secure me a teaching post at the local primary school. Life settled into a comfortable rhythm. Granddad Arthur was on his feet again, strolling the garden, though his eyes still held a wistful longing for his daughter.
September brought a bustle of new pupils. I adored the little ones so much that I raced to work each day like it was a fête. Then I started noticing the history teacher, Alex, a fresh graduate from the city university, whod also ended up in the village.
Dont take Alexs name off the rolls, love, Aunt Sophie would whisper. Hes a good lad, built his own little cottage. He never stayed in the city; his grannys here, alone, and hes an orphan, so they all look after each other.
Soon Alex asked me out, and before I knew it we were courting. Granddad gave his blessing, and when Liam proposed to me, he too approved.
We set the wedding for the end of April, and I wrote Mum a letter to tell her. She never replied, and it hurt that she wouldnt be there on my big day.
The night before the ceremony, while Aunt Sophie and my two friends fussed in the kitchen, a soft knock sounded at the door.
I flung it open. Mum stood there, eyes brimming.
I Im only here for a minute, just to wish you well
I invited her in, but she hesitated. Aunt Sophie rushed from the kitchen, and Granddad followed, his arms around Mum. They stood together, wiping each others tears, murmuring soft words.
Now Ive lived in the hamlet for many years. My family is big and noisy, the children are growing, I still teach the youngsters, and most importantly I finally have the relatives Mum once called strangers. Mum never left; shes reconciled with Dad and my sister, and whatever happened in the past stays there.
