How it happened, Rachel didn’t understand. She was driving to the salon when this crazy woman with a stroller darted out from behind the bushes.
A dull thud and a child’s cry. That’s all she could remember. For three days, she was in a daze. She didn’t even care whether they’d put her in jail or not. Her husband took charge of everything. It was he who hired the lawyers and secured an expert report that proved the young mother had been drunk.
Now Rachel could hope for a suspended sentence. But the “catch” was the grandmother of the injured girl. It was her testimony that would determine how the court would view the woman who had hit the stroller.
— Why are you here? — the old woman greeted them angrily.
— Mrs. Patricia, we wanted to talk, — Rachel’s husband began.
— What’s there to talk about? — the old woman interrupted. — You left the girl an orphan, and a cripple at that!
— We’ll pay for her treatment, — Oliver continued.
— No, take that poor thing yourselves!
Rachel was stunned. Take in a stranger’s child? With an unknown background?
That evening, she and her husband talked for a long time. Oliver, as usual, approached the situation with the cold cynicism of a businessman.
— We’ll take the girl for a couple of years until things settle down—she’ll stay with us. We’ll hire a nanny. Then we can put her up for adoption.
— She’s not a dog! You can’t just take her and give her away! — Rachel protested.
— Do you want to go to prison?
It seemed there was no other way, and the woman agreed.
Apparently, little Lily hadn’t been spoiled at home. Limping, the girl timidly entered the house. Rachel felt a mix of pity and resentment. It was unbearable to see the girl, a constant reminder that she had taken a life, yet she also felt deep sorrow for this limping, downtrodden child.
Over the next couple of years, Rachel got used to Lily following her around the house like a shadow, hugging her in the morning, and kissing her goodnight. Then, unexpectedly, Rachel found out she was pregnant, despite the doctors’ verdict.
Her husband was overjoyed. And the old women in the neighborhood whispered:
“She took in an orphan, and God blessed her with her own child!”
Rachel’s biological daughter, Emily, grew up to be a real beauty. In caring for her, the young mother often forgot about the “adopted” child. Meanwhile, Lily quietly did household chores, looked after little Emily, and helped in the kitchen.
— Mom! I want to train to be a chef! — Lily declared one evening.
Rachel and Oliver exchanged glances.
This was probably the best option for the girl. Unlike Emily, she didn’t shine with intelligence or beauty. Her adoptive parents breathed a sigh of relief and sent Lily to a culinary school in a nearby city, Riverside.
Of course, they helped her financially, but Rachel’s attention was entirely focused on Emily. The girl was making strides in her modeling career, and mother and daughter traveled endlessly to fashion shows. Rachel hardly thought of Lily.
Then Oliver died. Suddenly. A heart attack. Emily was in Italy at the time and didn’t even come to the funeral. Lily comforted Rachel as best she could.
The final blow for Rachel was the sale of their countryside home. It turned out that Oliver’s business had been struggling for years, and they had accumulated a mountain of debt.
— Mom! You can move in with me! — Lily insisted. — I have an apartment in Riverside! We’ll manage.
— I don’t want to burden you. I’ll go to Emily.
Rachel wasn’t being honest. After a comfortable life, she didn’t want to end up in a small town, hoping her biological daughter would provide her with a cozy old age. After all, she had invested so much in her!
For a couple of years, Lily barely spoke to her adoptive mother. They called each other for another year, but then Emily increasingly picked up the phone, saying, “Mom’s not feeling well,” or “Mom’s sleeping.” Lily started calling only on holidays. She was opening a café and had no time for anything else.
Then a modeling agency came to Riverside for a show.
— Let me in! I’m Emily Parker’s sister! — a plump, limping woman tried to push her way into the dressing room.
The security guards just laughed. This clumsy woman with thin hair, the sister of the stunning Emily Parker?
But the woman rushed to the model.
— Emily! Little sister! I baked your favorite cheesecakes! You used to love them so much!
— Get lost, — Emily hissed. — Don’t embarrass me! We’ll talk tonight!
— Is that really your sister? — the other models asked in surprise.
— No way! Just some crazy woman! — Emily brushed it off.
That evening, she stopped by Lily’s café.
— Have you lost your mind? — the beauty lashed out at her stepsister the moment she walked in.
— Emily! Don’t be upset, I just wanted to make you happy… And to ask—how’s Mom?
— Mom’s in a care home. She’s always complaining about her blood pressure. And I have shows to do. She needs proper care.
— What do you mean, a care home? Like a nursing home?
— You can call it that. She’s better off there.
With difficulty, Lily recognized her proud, beautiful mother in the frail, sad old woman. Tears streamed down her face as she rushed to the woman.
— Mommy, how could this happen! Why didn’t you tell me! We’re leaving right now!
And Emily cried from shame. For failing to see the big, loving heart in the quiet, limping girl.
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