“Why did you even come?” asked the niece, clearing away my food.
“Aunt Lydia, can I change the channel?” Emily didnt wait for an answershe grabbed the remote and started flicking through the programmes. “God, what rubbish you watch! Oh wow, its already nine. Ive got an early start tomorrow.”
Lydia set down her knitting and looked at her niece. The girl had grown uptwenty-eight now, hardly a girl anymorebut she still seemed like the same little Emily who used to run to her grans in summer and beg, “Aunt Lydia, tell me a princess story!”
“Whats so important tomorrow?” Lydia asked, turning the telly down.
“Just a meeting. Work stuff,” Emily waved her off, eyes still glued to the screen. “Honestly, your fridge is weird. The milks gone off already.”
“Gone off? I just bought it yesterday!”
“Well, take a look for yourself!” Emily jumped up, shuffling in her slippers to the kitchen. “See? Disgusting!”
Lydia followed, peering into the milk carton. Sure enough, it had curdled. Strangeshed checked the date at the shop.
“Mustve spoiled in the heat. Ill get you another,” she reached for the fridge, but Emily stopped her.
“Dont bother. I dont want any. Dairy upsets my stomach. Just make a strong cuppa, yeah?”
“Of course. Fancy anything to eat? Ive got some fried potatoes with mushrooms…”
“Aunt Lydia, Im on a diet!” Emily rolled her eyes. “No fried food. And I dont eat after six.”
“But its nine…”
“Exactly! Thats why Im not eating!”
Lydia boiled the kettle and pulled out a tin of biscuits. Emily wrinkled her nose at the digestives.
“Cant have those either. Anything sugar-free?”
“Theres wholemeal bread?” Lydia offered uncertainly.
“Still carbs. Fine, just tea.”
They settled back in the lounge. Some American film was on, and Emily stared blankly at it. Lydia picked up her knitting but couldnt concentrate. Emily had turned up that morning, said shed stay the night and leave tomorrow. At first, Lydia had been thrilledshe hardly saw her niece these days, always busy in London with work. But now she sat there, silent, like she was doing her a favour.
“Em,” Lydia started carefully, “howve you been? Work alright?”
“Fine,” Emily muttered, not turning her head.
“Hows Daniel? Werent you two talking about getting married?”
Emily flinched, finally looking away from the telly.
“Aunt Lydia, we split up. Six months ago.”
“Oh, love! What happened?”
“Nothing major. Just didnt work out. Happens.”
Lydia set her knitting aside. So that was that. Shed been waiting for a wedding invitation, even eyeing up dresses. She wanted to ask more, but Emilys face said the subject was closed.
“And work? Youre still at that firmwhat was it called?”
“Left,” Emily said shortly. “Last month.”
“What? But you were there three years!”
“Was. Now Im not. Looking for something else.”
“How are you managing?”
“Aunt Lydia!” Emily turned sharply. “Why the interrogation? Im getting by, alright?”
“Sorry, love. Just worry about you.”
“Dont. Im a grown-up.”
They fell quiet. Lydia watched her niece out of the corner of her eye. Shed lost weight, looked pale. Her eyes were dull. Emily used to be so lively, full of laughter. Shed burst into her gransLydia had lived here with her mum back thenand the whole house would light up with noise and stories. Now she sat there like a stranger.
The kettle whistled. Emily was up first.
“Ill make it!” she called from the kitchen.
Lydia heard cupboards banging, the clatter of spoons. Thensudden silence. She stood and went to check.
Emily was by the window, clutching an empty mug. Her shoulders shook.
“Em, whats wrong?”
“Nothing,” she sniffed. “Just tired. Really tired.”
Lydia stepped closer, wrapping an arm around her. Emily didnt pull awayshe leaned in, just like she had as a kid.
“Talk to me, love. Whats going on?”
“Everything, Aunt Lydia. Everything at once. Daniel left because he said I was boring. Work was a nightmaremy boss hated me, humiliated me in front of everyone. I quit. Now I cant find anything. Im almost out of money, cant pay rent…”
“Oh, sweetheart! Why didnt you tell me? Wed have figured something out!”
“And what would you do?” Emily wiped her eyes. “Youre on a pension. And Im an adultI should handle my own mess.”
“Dont be daft! Who else should you turn to when things are rough?”
Emily gave a bitter laugh.
“Turn to who? Mum and her new bloke are off doing their own thing. My brothersones in Germany, the other in Edinburgh, too busy with their own lives. The rest of the family havent seen me in years.”
“But Im here, Em!”
“You are,” Emily sighed. “But what good does it do? Youre barely scraping by too.”
Lydia didnt answer. True, her pension was small, and she lived simply. But this wasnt about money. Why had Emily shut everyone out?
They made tea and went back to the lounge. Emily had calmed down, even eaten a few biscuitsforgetting her diet.
“Remember,” Lydia said suddenly, “when you used to visit Gran in summer? Wed go picking strawberries in the woods.”
Emily smiled. “Yeah. And youd tell me stories.”
“And we baked pies. You always sneaked bites of the dough.”
“Gran would scold me, Emilys eaten all the dough again!” Emily laughedthe first real laugh all evening. “Then shed say, Oh well, Ill make more for my girl.”
“She loved you so much.”
“And I loved her. Wish shed lived longer I miss her, Aunt Lydia.”
“Me too, love.”
They sat quietly, remembering. Then Emily asked out of nowhere:
“Ever regret not marrying? Not having kids?”
Lydia blinked. “What do you mean? I was married.”
“Oh, rightUncle Kevin. But that was short.”
“Three years isnt nothing.”
“Still. No kids.”
“No,” Lydia said softly. “Didnt happen.”
“And you regret it?”
“Course I do. But what can you do? Thats life.”
Emily frowned.
“Maybe its good things didnt work out with Daniel. Wed have just divorced anyway. He never really loved me.”
“How dyou know?”
“I could tell. He was always criticising me, comparing me. Molly from the office is so fun. Look how stylish Hannah dresses. He called me dull.”
“Rubbish,” Lydia snapped. “Youre not dull!”
“I am, Aunt Lydia. I know it. No special talents, no stunning looks. Just ordinary.”
“Whats wrong with ordinary? Most folks are. They get on just fine.”
“Dont know. Sometimes I feel like I shouldnt even be here.”
Lydias chest tightened. Were things really that bad?
“Emily, dont say that! Everyones here for a reason.”
“Whats mine? Working minimum wage in an office? Dating men who dont care? Living alone in some rented flat?”
“Is that so bad? At least youre free.”
“Free to do what?” Emily sighed. “I dont even know what I want. Used to think Id marry, have kids, like everyone else. Now no idea.”
Lydia watched her with pity. Young, healthyand so lost. At her age, Lydia had been married, dreaming of a family. Emily seemed to have forgotten how to dream.
“Listen,” Lydia said, “stay here. As long as you need. Figure things out.”
“And do what? No jobs round here.”
“Who says you need one straight away? Rest first.”
“Aunt Lydia, I cant just mooch off you!”
“Dont be silly. Theres room, and food. Well manage.”
Emily shook her head.
“No, Ill go tomorrow like I planned. Got that job meeting.”
“Oh, right. What job?”
“Waitressing. I knowdegree and all that. But needs must.”
“Nothing wrong with honest work.”
“Yeah. Just need the cash.”
They chatted a bit longer before Emily said she was tired. Lydia made up the sofa bed, tucking in an extra blanket.
“Aunt Lydia,” Emily said suddenly, “thanks. For listening. It helped.”
“Anytime, love. And call me if you need anything.”
“Alright.”
Lydia went to bed but couldnt sleep. She kept thinking about Emily, her problems. Wanted to helpbut how? No money, no connections. And Emily was too proud to lean on anyone.
In the morning, Emily was up early, packed in minutes. Lydia made breakfast, but Emily only took tea.
“Diet again?”
“No, just nerves. About the interview.”
“Far to go?”
“Other side of town. Long trip.”
Lydia slipped sandwiches into her bag.
“For the journey. In case you get peckish.”
“Thanks.”
Emily headed for the door but turned back suddenly.
“Why did you even come?” she asked, clearing the untouched breakfast.
The question threw Lydia.
“What dyou mean? You said you were visiting.”
“No, not that. Whyd you move here years ago? You couldve stayed where you grew up.”
Lydia paused. That was an old storyone she rarely told.
“Came for Mum. She was poorly, no one to look after her. Then just stayed.”
“But your life? You had work there…”
“Did. But Mum came first.”
“Never regretted it?”
“Course I did. But what choice was there? You do right by family.”
Emily was quiet, digesting it.
“So you sacrificed everything. For others.”
“Not sacrificed. Lived how I thought I should.”
“Were you happy?”
Lydia shrugged.
“Whos to say? Good bits, bad bits. Same as anyone.”
“But you couldve had a different life. Stayed, married properly, had kids…”
“Maybe. Didnt happen.”
Emily sighed.
“Nothings working out for me either. Maybe it runs in the familyliving lives we didnt choose.”
“Whose life is theirs if not the one theyre living?”
“Dunno,” Emily admitted. “The one you choose, maybe. Not the one that just happens.”
“You think people really choose? Feels like we all just muddle through and call it a choice after.”
Emily nodded thoughtfully.
“Maybe youre right. Anywaybest go. Dont want to be late.”
She kissed Lydias cheek and left. Lydia watched her go, hoping shed get the jobnot just for the money, but to feel useful again. The poor girl had lost all her spark.
That evening, Emily called.
“Aunt Lydia, I got it! Start tomorrow.”
“Brilliant! Hows the place?”
“Seems nice. Young couple running it. Said if it goes well, I might move up to manager.”
“See? Things looking up!”
“Too soon to celebrate. But at least theres money now. Aunt Lydia can I visit sometimes? Not to stay, just visit?”
“Course you can! My doors always open.”
“Thanks. Its peaceful here. Feels like home.”
“It is your home, Em. Always has been.”
After hanging up, Lydia sat at the kitchen table, sipping tea and thinking. Time flewher little niece was all grown up, carrying her own burdens. She wanted to fix it all, but everyone had to walk their own path.
Maybe Emily was right. Maybe none of them were living the lives theyd imagined. Lydia had come for her mum and stayed out of habit. Emily had worked that job, dated Daniel because itd just happened. Now waitressingnot by choice, but necessity.
But perhaps that was life. Not grand plans, but doing what needed doing each daycaring, working, helping. Call it choice or chance, the point was to live honestly, without hurting others. And maybe, just maybe, that was enough.
