With each passing year, my memories of my real parents grow fainter, almost like theyre slowly slipping away. I must have been about ten when they were gone. At first, I stayed with my grandfather, but he hadnt really been close to my father, not for a long time. He barely knew me, and it must have been hard for him to manage looking after me, so in the end, he decided he couldnt do it and left me in a childrens home.
From the very first day there, different families would come to see me, but as the carers would often say, I was already too grown-up for most of them. There was one woman, though, who truly wanted to adopt me. She visited me often, bringing little gifts and sweets, and wed go out walking together. It took quite a while, but eventually she took me home. The thing that surprised me most was that she had a framed photo of my parents in her house.
Mum Sarah quickly explained everything. She told me that when she was younger, shed worked as my nanny. I was only a baby, and shed been looking for work. My mother had hired her through an agency. When I grew older and didnt need a nanny anymore, my parents still kept in touch with her. She had found out about the accident that took their lives and wanted to help my grandfather. But by then, he had already sent me to the orphanage. From then onwards, she went through everything she could to become my guardian.
I couldnt have wished for a better mother than Sarah. She had a fiancé, and before long, he became my father as well. They were wonderful together, and even though I missed home at first, they surrounded me with warmth and kindness until my thoughts were only about the present, not the past.
Looking back, I have so many lovely photographs from my years with them, photos from the happiest moments of my childhood. I was genuinely happy with them, every day. And now, Im still grateful knowing how well theyre doing; because of them, Im steady on my feet, I have a university degree, and someone special to introduce to them.
I was truly fortunate to have grown up with such amazing parents.
