We Are Not Forgotten

chapter twenty.

Despite telling Wilf I’d be able to find somewhere to go, in reality I didn’t have a clue where to even start. With only two pounds and fifteen pence in my pocket and a bunch of suitcases full of clothes, there wasn’t anywhere I really could go.

  

It was early in the morning by the time I left Wilf’s flat. I guessed around six o’clock. The streets were practically empty and the crisp morning air was chilling my lungs with every breath. I shivered violently and tried to wrap my coat around my body tighter.

  

I didn’t know how I was going to get Gabi back either. With no home or money, there was no way the children’s home would ever let me have her. However I thought that now it was perhaps a good idea to go and visit her, whether they let me or not, I had to at least try.

  

I didn’t want to imagine how scared and confused she was. It was heart breaking. There was only one children’s home in the town, meaning it wasn’t hard to predict where Joyce would have taken her.  

  

So with determination writhing in my body, I began pacing down the street, suitcases wheeling behind me. It took me a whole hour to walk to the children’s home because it was on the other side of town from where I had been, but it wasn’t as if I was pushed for time.

  

I stopped outside the building and took deep inhales of air to try and relax myself. It was still quite early in the morning and I knew they would let any visitors in this early and I knew this because the door was locked when I tried to tug it. So I simply waited outside for a while.

The streets were fairly vacant so there was no one around to give me strange or judgemental looks.

  

Suddenly my stomach rumbled and I honestly couldn’t remember the last time I ate, it was a long time ago though. I rummaged hastily in one of my many bags, in hope of some remaining food but instead my heart hit a nerve when I came across something else, Mr Snuffles. I knew Gabi would be missing him incredibly by now and thought it was best to give him back to her. I never found any food though, but I got distracted when someone opened the doors.

  

“Um hello?” A woman with bright ginger hair asked, frowning when she spotted me waiting outside. I shoved Mr Snuffles under my arm and smiled at her to show that I wasn’t some kind of a threat.

  

“Hi… um I’ve come to visit my daughter… I believe she’s… in your care” I explained confidently. The woman smiled and beckoned me inside the building. I was surprised at this but didn’t question it. I dragged all of the luggage in with me and placed them by a small waiting area.

  

“What is your name?” She questioned politely, making her way around the reception desk.

  

“Rebecca Miller… my daughter is Gabriella Sampson.” Gabi had taken Wilf’s last name because I think, secretly, we had always assumed we would get married at some point. Evidently that didn’t happen and it probably never would now.

I watched her scroll through the names on the computer screen in front of her until she finally reached Gabi.

“Can I see a form of ID?” She queried. My heart skipped a beat. Did I have any? Suddenly I remembered I did indeed have my passport with me. I hadn’t been on holiday aboard for years and I sincerely hoped that it wasn’t out of date.