PART 2: Her Family Called Me a Thief — But the Truth About Why I Took Enid In Left Them Speechless
The morning Enid’s nephew threatened to call the police, I was standing in my doorway wearing yesterday’s jumper, with a mug of tea going cold in my hand.
He was a large man in an expensive coat. His sister stood behind him, holding a handbag against her chest like she was about to attend a meeting rather than confront someone caring for their dying relative.
“You’re keeping her in your house against her will,” he said.
“No, I’m not.”
“Then why is she here?”
“Because she asked me to look after her.”
He laughed.
“She’s seventy-six. She’s on medication. She’s dying. Do you honestly expect us to believe she made a sensible decision to move in with a stranger?”
I looked at the woman behind him.
“Have either of you visited her in the last five years?”
Her expression hardened.
“That’s none of your business.”
“It became my business when she started spending her nights alone, frightened she’d die without anyone noticing.”
His nephew stepped closer.
“Listen carefully. We know what you’re doing. You’ve moved her in here, you’ve got access to her belongings, and now you’re probably helping yourself to her money.”
I nearly laughed.
My bank account had less than two hundred pounds in it. I was spending my evenings washing an elderly woman’s nightclothes, changing her bedding, and setting alarms so I wouldn’t miss her medication.
I hadn’t even bought myself a new pair of shoes in six months.
But I didn’t tell him any of that.
I simply said, “Call the police if you think I’ve done something wrong.”
Then I closed the door.
My hands were shaking so badly that I had to put the mug down before I dropped it.
From the spare bedroom, I heard Enid coughing.
I went straight to her.
She was lying on her side, her silver hair spread across the pillow. The curtains were half closed, and the morning light made her skin look almost translucent.
“Was that my family?” she asked.
“Yes.”
She shut her eyes.
“I’m sorry.”
“There’s nothing for you to apologize for.”
“They’ll make trouble for you.”
I pulled the blanket up around her shoulders.
