Father Abandons Family for Another Woman When Daughter Was Just Four Years Old

**Diary Entry**

The day Father left us for another woman, I was only four. It happened just after New Yearsstanding by the door, he muttered sorry before shutting it behind him. Mum took it with eerie calm, as if shed always known it would happen. In our family, no womans marriage ever lasted. But a few weeks later, in the dead of night, she swallowed every diazepam and paracetamol pill in the house and never woke up.

That morning, I tried for ages to rouse her, shouting until my throat hurt. Eventually, I scavenged breakfast from the fridge before returning to shake her again. Exhausted, I curled up beside her and slept.

January days slip by too quickly. Dusk had already fallen when I stirred, shivering. I tugged the blanket closer, pressing into Mums side, but the cold only deepeneduntil I realised it was coming from *her*. Hot tears scalded my cheeks.

Then, the front door creaked open. I bolted like a shotit was Auntie Evelyn, Mums younger sister.
Lottie, youre here! Wheres your mum? Ive been calling all daywhy wont she answer?

I grabbed her coat, yanking her toward the bedroom, my mouth wide in a silent scream. No sound came out, just tears and snot and unbearable pain.

Auntie Evelyn couldnt have children, so her husband left after five years. Without kids of her own, she loved me fiercely, like a second mother. When the worst happened, she handled everythingthe paperwork, the funeraland took me in. She poured all her love into me, but three years of therapy never brought my voice back.

That winter, the cold bit hard by St. Swithins Day, bringing proper, crunching snow. My friends and I spent hours sledging in Hyde Park, building snowmen families, rolling until our gloves froze into icy blocks.

Time to go home. Youre soaked through, Auntie Evelyn said. Well stop at the Tesco for milk and pasta.

People hurried in and out of the supermarket, but a ginger cat sat regally by the entrance, eyes half-lidded, as if the cold barely touched him. I crouched beside him, waving Auntie off.

Fine, Ill be quick. *Dont move.*

I stroked the cats head. He arched into my touch, purring. When I hugged him, hot tears spilled onto his furhe licked them away, sneezed, then licked again.

Ugh, thats *disgusting*! Hes filthy! Auntie dragged me toward the car. I fought, but she bundled me into the backseat.

The cat followed, mewing pitifully.

*Hes mine now, and Im leaving him,* I whispered, tracing tears down the window.

Did you just? Say it again! Aunties voice trembled.

We cant leave him! Hell *die* without me!

She leapt out, scooped up the cat, and crammed into the backseat beside me. The ginger beast dug his claws into her coat before leaping onto my lap, settling like hed always belonged there.

If you wanted a cat, you only had to *ask*, Auntie said, smiling through her own tears.