Family is Forever

Part 68- New Years Eve

Ollie was working more now Babcia was home to stay with Zosia and Ali. Zosia was getting better and better every day and Ali was struggling slightly less, With both food and mood. Babcia felt bad too, if she hadn't had let Klaudia take Ali to England maybe she would be happier now. Babcia was trying to teach Zosia to cook- not particularly successfully "I just don't have the genes! I really can't do it!"
"Zosia, you are a Polish woman, Polish women know how to cook!"
Zosia felt more Polish than she had in years. Since her mother died the only parent she had had been her English father, who, although he spoke fluent Polish spoke to her in English. She usually spoke with Ali in English too, unless they were trying to annoy Ollie, but as Marta spoke little English they were speaking Polish round the house, eating Polish food, watching dvds in Polish. It was hard how much it reminded her of her mother but it also reminded her of the happy times of her childhood. She had never been truly sure if her identity. When she was in primary school she was proud of her Polish heritage, despite the fact she was born in England and had always lived there bar the six week summer holidays spent in Poland. She loved that she could speak a language that the other kids couldn't, and that she was the only Zosia in the class with 2 Charlies , 2 Charlottes and 2 Alex's. When she started secondary school and became a teenager she hated being different, even asked her friends to call her Sophie the English varient of Zosia, it lasted less than a week. Now she was happy with being part English and part Polish.
Ali was trying to get as much schoolwork done as possible, as she didn't get as much time in day treatment. She found her Polish very easy, all she had to do was read a book, the rest she could do in her sleep. French was ok for her too. Already being bilingual, learning a third language wasn't too hard. Biology she found difficult but she had Zosia and Ollie to help. "How are you getting on Natalia?" Zosia asked as Ali groaned and screwed up another piece of paper. "The kidneys- I keep getting it wrong."
"Well you live in the right house. I did a stint on GS!"  Zosia smiled it made Ali happy that she seemed back to her normal self "what's GS?"
"Sorry, doctor talk, general surgery, we had a lot of people with kidney problems on Keller."
"I need to know what happens when they go right."
"I fixed them so can help you with that too!"
Zosia gave up on the cooking and helped Ali with her schoolwork instead, by the time Ollie got home Ali had finished all the biology she had to do and more besides- Zosia had looked through Ali's textbook and found the topic on the heart, and taught it all- in far too mush detail, but Ali could see Zosia was in her element so let her continue.
Ollie walked in and passed a bag to Marta. "Marta I got this for you, the girls can keep in touch with you easier. It's a smartphone Natalia can help you set it up." Ollie said and Ali translated "she says she can't accept it, she feels bad, you paid for her flights too."
"Tell her to stop being silly, I want a way for you to be able to contact her."
Ali translated that and Marta smiled her thanks "dziękuję"
It was New Year's Eve, they decided to have a cozy night it, ate Chinese takeaway and pierogi (although Ali managed a lot of rice she didn't eat any of the meat or sauces.) they watched the fireworks at Big Ben on tv. "szczęśliwego Nowego Roku" Marta smiled and they confused her by joining hands and singing Auld Lang syne. The 2nd was the day Ali started back at day treatment and Zosia saw her psychiatrist, and if that went well occupational health too. But in that moment singing and laughing. They were both so happy.