My Granddaughter
Shes a bit scruffymessy braids, a wrinkled uniform with a crooked collar and cuffs. The girl looked unkempt, withdrawn.
Raisa Dmitrievna frowned. Why had she thought of that untidy child? She set aside her beloved éclair. Where was George? He promised to come earlytoday was the anniversary of Alexander Petrovichs passing…
A knock at the door startled her.
“Whos there? George, is that you? Did you forget your keys?”
“Raisa Dmitrievna, you left your keys on the chair.”
“What? What keys?”
She opened the door and saw that same girl. What was this?
“Sedova? What keys? How did you know I live here? Are youare you following me?”
The girl shook her head. Her old hat, shabby coat with a stain on the pocket, worn-out leggings, and nearly falling-apart shoes made her look even smaller.
Only now did Raisa Dmitrievna notice the girls striking blue eyes, framed by thick black lashes.
She had recently started teaching Russian and literature at the school after retiring from the technical college. She couldnt stay idle. But this girlAlice Sedovawas odd. She kept to herself, never mixing with the others.
“Raisa Dmitrievna, you left your keys on the chair. I called after you, but you didnt hear me.”
“What keys? Ohthank you. I mustve forgotten to put them in my bag. Old age, I suppose.” She tried to joke.
“Youre not old,” Alice said seriously. “You were probably just in a hurry.”
“Thank you Alice.”
“Youre welcome. Goodbye, Raisa Dmitrievna.”
“Goodbye”
Lost in thought, Raisa Dmitrievna closed the door, then hesitated. She opened it again, hearing soft footsteps descending the stairs.
“Alice!” She looked down; the girl looked up. “How did you know where I live?”
“I live in the next building. I see you walking to and from school. Sometimes I walk behind youtheres a dog on the corner. If I stay close, he doesnt growl at me. He snarls when I smell like cats. I feed strays in the basement. I call him Rex.”
“And the address I asked the ladies on the bench. I told them you teach at my school.”
Raisa Dmitrievna narrowed her eyes. What a strange girl. Was she stalking her?
“Would you like some tea?” she asked suddenly.
The girl agreed instantly. Strange and ill-manneredshe shouldve refused.
Raisa Dmitrievna poured the tea.
“Are you hungry?”
Alice shook her head, but Raisa Dmitrievna knew better.
“Lets eat together. I hate dining alone, and George is running late.”
She rummaged through the fridge, setting out food. Alice ate neatly but hungrily.
“Thank you,” Alice said, eyeing the meatballs. “You cook very well.”
A starving child praising her cookinghow sad.
She packed leftoversmeatballs, pasta, sweetsand handed them to Alice.
“No need to thank me” But the girl took them anyway.
After she left, Raisa scolded herself. Unprofessional. What if Alice hugged her at school tomorrow? Or thanked her in front of everyone?
George arrived in the morning, avoiding her gaze.
“What day was yesterday?” she demanded.
“Thursday, Mum. Todays Friday.”
“Dont mock me, George.”
“Oh, serious now? Im thirty, Mum.”
“Yesterday was your fathers anniversary. He didnt deserve this.”
“Mum he wouldnt care if we remembered him yesterday or today. Lets do it now. Im going back to bed.”
“Did you even sleep last night?”
“Do you really want to know?”
Grumpy, Raisa Dmitrievna went to work.
She waited for Alice to approach her, to say something. But the girl walked past, greeting her casually like always.
Cheeky little thing.
All day, Raisa tried catching her, but Alice seemed to avoid her.
Days later, on her way home, Raisa heard a scream.
Alice.
A huge stray dog had clamped onto her sleeve, tearing at her shabby coat.
“Get off!” Raisa shooed it away. “Alice, are you hurt?”
The girls frightened blue eyes made her heart ache.
“Hehe wanted to tear the kitten apart!” Alice sobbed.
“Shh, its over. Lets get you home.”
“I cant.”
“Children your age usually”
Raisa stopped. Strange girl.
“They wont let me. Ill hide him under the stairs if they dont chase him out again.”
“Who?”
“Them.”
At school, Raisa asked about Alice. Only the elderly maths teacher, Penelope Constance, knew anything.
“Troubled family. Mother and stepfather drink. Or maybe its the grandmother.”
“How was she even enrolled?”
Penelope shrugged.
Later, Raisa followed Alice home. The girl stopped at a bench, pulling out a textbook. Studying outside?
At home, Raisa argued with George again. Hed divorced Natasha two years agono children. Now he drifted. Natasha had been perfect, but George claimed she was “boring.”
Needing air, Raisa stepped outside.
“Alice! Wheres that wretched girl?” A raspy, drunken voice echoed.
An unkempt woman stood by the building. Her eyesjust like Alices.
“Excuse me”
“What?”
“Are you Alice Sedovas mother?”
“Whats it to you? Move along.”
“Im her teacher. Where is she?”
“Home. Asleep.” The woman turned away.
“Alice! Come out, dont be afraid.”
The girl emerged from the shadows.
“Come home with me.”
“Shell punish me later.”
“She wont dare.”
“Childrens services will take me if she loses custody.”
“Who is she to you?”
“My grandmother.”
“Wheres your mother?”
“Gone.”
“Four years now.”
“Did she drink?”
“No. We had a good life. Then she got sick. I have no one. They gave me to herto Gran and her husband. They get money for me.”
“Come with me. Well sort this.”
George was home when they arrived.
“Whos this?”
“Alice.”
The girl stared at him.
“Staying the night?” he asked.
“I dont know.”
The next morning, Raisa let Alice sleep in, then fed her.
“Lets go.”
“Where? To the childrens home?”
“The shops.”
George watched them, thoughtful.
“Whered you find her?”
“My student.”
In the store, Raisa picked out new clothes. Alice blossomedpretty as a doll.
“What a lovely granddaughter!” the shopkeeper said. “She looks just like you.”
Raisa smiled, warmth spreading in her chest.
“Throw those old things away.”
“No!” Alice clung to her ragged coat. “Theyll sell the new ones for drink. Then theyll beat me.”
“What do we do?”
“I dont know.”
“How about a café?”
“With you?”
“Yes. Unless youd rather not?”
“Can you bake cakes?”
“Iwell, Ive never”
“Mum and I used to. Before she got sick.”
“Lets try. Do we need ingredients?”
They baked, laughed, drank tea. George returned, ruining the mood.
“I should go,” Alice murmured.
“Ill walk you.”
“Whats your name?” George asked.
“Alice. I told you, George,” Raisa snapped.
“Did she send you?”
Alice shook her head.
“George, whats going on? Alice, wait.”
The girl froze.
“Explain this. Who sent you? Do you know each other?”
“Yes, Mum. This is my daughter. Alice.”
“What?!”
The story unfoldedold as time.
“Remember Diana Sedova? Two years younger than me. Her mother drank. We lived nearby. We well, I loved her. A childhood crush.”
“And Alice?”
“She never told me. I was with Natasha by then. You liked Natashasomeone proper.”
“When did you find out?”
“When I saw Alice. Shes your spitting image.”
He hadnt believed Diana at first. By the time he realised, it was too late.
“Id never abandon my child, Mum.”
“But you did.”
“I didnt believe her. Three years passed.”
“Do you know me, Alice?”
“Yes. I saw your photo when I brought the keys. I knew then.”
“I wont let her go back. Shes my granddaughter.”
Tests confirmed it. Georges girlfriend, Elena, supported him in court. Raisa held Alices hand, terrified shed be taken away.
* * *
“Dad, can I live with Gran?”
“What if she says no?”
“She wont. Shes lonely.”
“And Im not?”
“You have Elena.”
Hand in hand, Raisa and Alice walked home. She didnt care what anyone saidshed found her happiness.
George grew close to Alice. He and Elena eventually parted ways.
“Dad, its not because of me, is it?”
“Of course not. Id never trade you. I wish Grandpa couldve met you.”
At a parents evening, George met Alices teacher. Now Alice goes to school with both her grandmother and her mother.
“Isnt it hard having your mum and gran as teachers?” her friends ask.
“Nah. Its cool,” Alice laughs.
“How did I live without her?” George murmurs. “Diana, forgive me. Ill never leave our girl.”
Sometimes Alice visits her other grandmothercleaning, cooking, scolding her to stop drinking.
The old woman weeps, kissing her granddaughters hands.
“My darling girl,” she sobs, promising to quit.
