Rescued Heart: A Tale of Hope and a New Family
The evening in the village of Woodvale was warm, but as Emily walked home from work, she felt lighter than air. Her boss had let her leave early and even promised a bonus for her excellent work. Humming to herself, she reached her doorstep and punched in the code on the intercom—until a pitiful, childlike whimper stopped her. Emily frowned. Such a perfect day, and now this sorrowful sound? She glanced around—no one. As she reached for the door again, the crying grew louder, gnawing at her heart.
“Oi, who’s there?” she finally called out.
“Me,” came a tiny voice.
Emily circled the porch and froze. A boy of about five sat on the cold cobblestones, his thin jacket torn at the seams, his shoes scuffed, his trousers muddy. His face was streaked with grime and tears. Something twisted inside her.
“Who are you? Why are you crying?” she asked, kneeling beside him.
“I’m Teddy,” he sniffled. “I want to go home.”
“Do you live here?” Emily tried to recall which neighbour might claim him.
“Dunno. Got lost,” he answered, his words oddly precise for his age.
She studied him closer. Leaving a child out here was unthinkable.
“Come with me,” she decided. “I’ll make you tea, warm you up.”
Teddy took her hand without hesitation, sniffling as he followed. Emily wasn’t sure what came next, but instinct screamed at her: *Feed him. Warm him. He’s just a boy.*
“Got some soup. Want some?” she asked once inside.
Teddy nodded eagerly. At the table, he ate carefully, no fuss. Emily thought of her sister’s spoiled daughter, Lily, and sighed. *This one probably dreams of meals like this.*
She knew—no one was looking for him. “What now?” she wondered, just as her phone rang. It was James, the bloke she’d been seeing.
“Alright? What’re you up to?” he chirped.
“Feeding Teddy,” she replied.
“Who?”
“A boy. Found him outside.”
“Why’d you bring him home?” James’ voice sharpened.
“He was freezing, Jim. A kid.”
“How old?”
“Four,” she said, glancing at Teddy, who held up four fingers.
“Hand him over to his family.”
“Don’t know where they are.”
“Let the police sort it. Drop him off and come ’round mine.”
“Fine,” Emily sighed, her mood souring. “Come on, Teddy. Let’s find your mum.”
“Okay,” he mumbled.
At the station, the young officer on duty—bloke her age with kind eyes—listened patiently. Soon, a woman in uniform led them to a room, took notes, then dismissed her.
“You’re free to go.”
“What about Teddy?” Emily startled.
“Teddy stays with us for now. We need his statement, don’t we, love?” The woman smiled at him. He nodded.
Certain he was safe, Emily waved. “Bye, Teddy!”
“Bye!” he beamed.
She met James at a café. He exhaled sharply when she arrived.
“Could’ve caught the film if you’d taken him straight to the cops,” he grumbled.
“He was helpless,” she defended.
“Whatever,” James waved her off.
The topic died, but Teddy lingered in her thoughts. Where was he now? Would they find his family? What if *no one* wanted him? James didn’t notice her silence, and she didn’t dare share. The evening was pleasant, but she returned home with a weight in her chest.
On Monday, Teddy was back at her doorstep.
“You again?” she blinked.
“Came to see you. Got soup?” he asked, eyes hungry.
“None left, but I’ve got pasta. Fancy some?”
“Yeah!” he grinned.
Over the meal, she pried. On Friday, his mum had collected him from the station—she’d reported him missing. At home, she’d smacked him and locked him in. This morning, she’d left him with her new bloke, Uncle Kevin. Teddy ran when Kevin started shouting.
“Mum never hit me before,” he said solemnly. “Maybe I need a new mum.”
Emily’s chest ached.
“Let me walk you home,” she offered.
His flat was close. A woman by the door called out, “Teddy! Where’ve you been?”
“Mum punished me. I sneaked out,” he admitted.
“Hungry?”
“Nah, Emily fed me.”
“Get inside before she notices.”
“Bye, Emily!” he yelled, vanishing into the stairwell.
Emily turned to the woman. “His mum drinks?”
“Worse,” the woman sighed. “Drugs. A year ago, she was beautiful. Now? A ghost.”
“You can’t leave him with her!”
“I try to feed him when I can. But she screams if she catches me. Used to adore him—till that Kevin ruined her.”
Emily understood. The neighbour hadn’t called social services out of pity—but neither could Emily walk away. She took the woman’s number and left, heart heavy.
That evening, James called. Hearing her gloom, he asked what was wrong. She told him about Teddy.
“Hand him to social services. Why’re you attaching yourself to some stray?”
“I can’t help it,” she whispered.
“You’re making a mistake,” he snapped.
She pictured herself in court, adopting Teddy. *Madness,* she scolded—but the image stayed.
“Talk tomorrow,” she told James.
“Upset?”
“Nah. Headache. Off to bed.”
Her first lie to him. She rang her sister Lily instead, spilling everything.
“I like him already,” Lily said. “Follow your heart. That bloke James—two years, and he’s still stringing you along.”
“I don’t want him anymore,” Emily realised.
The next morning, the neighbour called first. “Teddy’s in hospital! Concussion!”
His mum hadn’t returned. Kevin, high, had beaten him, demanding to know where she was. The neighbour had called the police; an ambulance took Teddy away.
“I’m not letting this go,” Emily swore.
At the hospital, she met familiar officers—Alex from the station and a woman from child services. Teddy’s mum had been found dead—overdose. Hearing Teddy would be taken into care, Emily blurted, “Can I adopt him?”
“It’s complicated,” Alex said. “But guardianship might work. Social services can explain.”
His tone was warm, his gaze soft. The woman, noticing, left them alone. Alex walked Emily home.
“Fancy a cuppa?” she offered.
Over tea, she confessed her plans. Alex nodded. “Bright kid. I’d take him myself.”
Before leaving, he took her number. The next morning, he called: “Teddy’s mum died last night.”
“How do we tell him?” she panicked.
“Not yet. He hasn’t asked—like he knows.”
James finally texted: *Changed your mind yet? Choose: me or that dirty orphan.*
Emily seethed—but then Alex rang. “Fancy visiting Teddy together?”
“Absolutely!” She grinned.
James got no reply. A week later, she met him and said calmly, “We’re done. I don’t love you. Sorry.”
He gaped. She walked away.
A month later, Emily became Teddy’s guardian.
“Congrats,” Alex said.
“Cheers! Couldn’t have done it without you.”
“Thank *you*,” he replied. “Not everyone’d take in a junkie’s kid.”
“It’s not heroics,” she smiled. “I loved him from the first look.”
“And I… love you,” Alex stammered.
She beamed. Months later, encouraged by Teddy, Alex proposed.
“Hooray!” Teddy cheered. “Got a mum *and* dad! Now we need a baby!”
A year later, their family grew. Like a fairy tale, everything fell into place.
