When I stopped to buy a knitted rabbit from the elderly lady at the corner, I had no idea how this would disrupt my stepmother Eloïse’s plans. This simple gesture triggered a chain of events, unveiling secrets that Eloïse had tried to hide. That was when everything began to change.
Since my husband’s death, every day had been a struggle. I had to juggle a demanding job while trying to raise my five-year-old daughter, Maisie, on my own. I constantly felt like I was failing.
My parents had been gone for a long time, leaving me with no one to lean on. The only family I had left was my stepmother, Eloïse, who had moved in to “help.” But her version of help felt more like a curse.
“Is this really what you’re giving Maisie for breakfast?” Eloïse’s voice was a sharp knife cutting through the silence of the morning.
She was staring at the bowl of cereal in front of Maisie.
“It’s quick, and it’s what we have,” I muttered, ignoring Eloïse’s glaring look.
“Quick is not enough,” Eloïse snapped.
“My son wanted more for his daughter. You need to take better care of her, Ophélie. This house is a mess!”
I felt her words sting like icy darts. She never helped, never offered to make breakfast or get Maisie ready. She only criticized and did nothing else.
I grabbed Maisie’s backpack, holding back the retort I wanted to shout.
“Let’s go, sweetie.”
We hurried out, Eloïse’s voice trailing us with a new round of complaints about the state of the house.
We passed the same street corner we did every day. An elderly woman was sitting there, surrounded by a small table filled with knitted scarves, mittens, and small animals. Her name was Edna.
Every morning, we exchanged a few words, but today… Maisie tugged on my hand, her eyes fixed on a knitted rabbit sitting among the items.
“Mama, can we look?”
We were running late, but the way Maisie was staring at that rabbit made me stop.
“Alright, sweetheart.”
Edna looked up from her knitting when we approached. She smiled at Maisie.
“Hello, sweetheart,” she said. “You like the rabbit, don’t you?”
Maisie nodded.
“How much for the rabbit?” I asked.
“For her?” Edna looked at Maisie, then back at me. “It’s a gift,” she said with a gentle smile, taking the rabbit and handing it to Maisie.
“Thank you,” Maisie whispered, hugging her rabbit close.
I looked at Edna, unsure of what to say. She seemed to notice the tension on my face.
“Rough morning?” she asked softly.
I nodded, not feeling confident enough to speak. “You could say that.”
Edna nodded, her hands busy with her knitting.
“You’re stronger than you think. You have to be, especially for her.”
Her words settled on me like a warm blanket. Before I even realized it, the words spilled out.
“Do… do you have somewhere to stay?”
“No,” she said slowly. “I lost my house some time ago. I found a temporary shelter. I sold that to get by.”
She gestured toward the knitted items.
I hesitated for a fraction of a second. This woman, with her calm presence and kind eyes, was exactly the warmth we needed.
“Why don’t you stay with us?” I blurted out before I could second-guess myself. “I need help with Maisie, and you need somewhere to stay. It… it makes sense.”
Edna’s eyes widened, her knitting needles stopping mid-stitch.
“Are you sure? I don’t want to impose.”
“Of course. Let’s meet at the same place at 5 p.m. I’ll take you home.”
A small, surprised smile spread across the corners of Edna’s mouth.
“Okay. I’ll be there.”
I glanced at my watch.
“Come on, Maisie, we need to hurry.”
Maisie squeezed her rabbit and turned back to Edna, waving cheerfully.
As we rushed to the nursery, a thousand thoughts swirled in my mind. It was the most impulsive decision I’d ever made. But for the first time in a long time, it felt right.
It was time to disappoint Eloïse once and for all.
Maisie and Edna were inseparable. Every afternoon, they sat together on the living room floor, Maisie’s little hands clumsily mimicking Edna’s as they knitted tiny animals and scarves. Their laughter filled the house, a melody of warmth and joy that had been missing for so long.
“Look, Edna! I made another rabbit!” Maisie exclaimed, holding up her latest creation with a radiant smile.
Edna leaned toward her, her eyes narrowing with pride.
“Oh, this is the best one yet, Maisie. You’re getting so good!”
Maisie giggled and moved closer to Edna.
From the kitchen, Eloïse watched the scene with narrowed eyes. It was clear she didn’t like that Maisie was gravitating toward Edna, leaving her aside.
She started buying gifts for Maisie, trying to reclaim her role in Maisie’s heart.
“Look, Maisie!” she exclaimed one morning, holding out a new doll wrapped in shiny plastic. “Isn’t she beautiful? Grandma bought her just for you.”
Maisie looked up at me, confusion clouding her gaze, before slowly reaching out to take the doll.
“Thank you, Grandma,” she mumbled, but her eyes quickly returned to Edna, clutching the half-knitted bear they had been working on.
Eloïse’s face turned red with anger. She was losing this unspoken battle.
That morning was particularly heavy. I had an important presentation at work, one that could secure our future. I needed everything to go well.
I grabbed the morning mail, my eyes scanning the bills and ads until they landed on an envelope that looked official.
A summons to court! Eloïse was suing me for the house. My hands trembled as I turned to face her.
“You’re suing me? Why are you doing this, Eloïse?”
Eloïse didn’t flinch.
“This house belongs to my son. I’m taking it back before it becomes a refuge for… the whole neighborhood.”
Her words were loud enough for Edna to hear. I saw the hurt in her eyes as she absorbed Eloïse’s cruel remark. Without a word, Edna turned and headed toward the kitchen, her shoulders slumping as she disappeared from view.
I wanted to scream, tell Eloïse how heartless she was, but time was ticking.
“This isn’t over.”
I rushed to the door, ready to step out and face the day when I almost collided with two stern-looking individuals standing on the porch.
“Child protective services,” one of them said, holding up a badge. “We’ve received a report stating that Maisie is living in dangerous conditions and that a potentially dangerous person is in the house.”
I felt the world spin around me.
“What? No, this… this isn’t true!” I stammered, glancing at Eloïse, who was now standing behind me.
“We need to conduct an inspection,” the other social worker said, stepping in without waiting for my response.
I was in shock! The work presentation, the lawsuit, and now this! My whole world was teetering on the edge.
“Is everything okay here, Maisie?” one of the social workers asked gently, kneeling to her level.
Maisie clung to Edna’s side, her eyes wide with fear.
“Yes… we’re making a bear.”
I watched the social workers take notes, speaking to my daughter. I felt trapped, caged in my own house, with Eloïse standing in the corner. She didn’t say a word, but her eyes betrayed a glint of satisfaction, as if all of this was part of her plan.
