Over the next few days, I helped Sarah with the housework and her mending business, well I brought her the right colour thread, or scissors; she taught me to mend holes! She also made a start on my new clothes; I was so excited to see them. I was on my third day at Sarah's apartment when there was a knock on the door, Sarah was in the kitchen doing dishes and Steve and I were on the sofa, he was teaching me to read. Steve excused himself and answered the door, I tried to peek around him to see who it was.

"Mom! Can you come here?" He shouted over his shoulder; Sarah walked through drying her hands on a tea towel.

"Who is it Sweetie?" Steve shrugged letting his mama past. I still couldn't see. "Hello, how may I help you?" There was a quiet response, "Oh! Ofcourse, please come in"

Sarah opens the door fully, it was BETH! I jumped up and ran to her, "Beth! I'm so happy to see you!" She pulled me into a hug,

"Oh, Mary you look so well! Your hair, your face, and looks like you've put on some weight, wow! Are you happy?"

"Yes, very, we came to see you, but you were…away."

"Yes, well, a girl has got to work," She dropped her head slightly,

"Beth, could I get you a cup of tea, or a drink?" Sarah asked politely, smiling between us.

"Oh no I couldn-"

"I insist, please"

"Well, if you insist, a warm tea would be lovely, miss"

"Sarah, please"

"Thank you, Miss Sarah"

"Mary, go sit at the table with Beth and I'll bring you a pot of tea, Steve, would you help me?"

"Yes mom,"

"Come on Beth, this way" I pulled her to the table, moving the piles of clothing so there was space for me, Beth and Sarah to sit. "Did you get Sarah's note? Is that how you found me?"

"My, my, you are quite the chatter box..." She smiled, "Yes, Jeremy passed it over yesterday, I hadn't been able to get myself back to the bridge, I had a few customers over the last couple of days. That reminds me, I got you something" She pulled a small bundle out of her skirt pocket, it was wrapped in an old page of newspaper.

"Why?" I asked, slowly unwrapping it,

"Just open it!"

I did, it was a stone with a red ribbon tied in a bow around it, "A stone? I don-"

"It's from the bridge, from where you slept. It's to remember us, remember where you came from. I mean, you should move on and make a better life for yourself, but maybe this will remind you-"

"What do you mean? I'm going back to the bridge, this was just for a couple of days, Sarah and Steve aren't keeping me,"

"Oh." She frowned, "Oh, I just thought-"

"I can come back with you today, I guess"

In that moment Sarah walked in with a tray with a tea pot and three cups, she placed them on the table.

"So, what are we talking about?"

"Beth thought I was staying here for good," I laughed sadly, "isn't that funny?"

"Well, Mary, I actually don't think that's funny." Sarah looked at Beth, then to me, "I actually hoped you would stay, I was going to speak to you tonight about it, I've spoken to Steve's school and if you want to go to school, I can arrange that to,"

"What?"

"Oh Mary! This is brilliant!" Beth clapped with a wide smile,

"You want me to stay? But there's no room, and you already have Steve to look after, I'll just be a trouble"

"Mary, you would be no trouble, you've been a big help the last few days especially helping around the house, and Steve loves having you, he agreed he'd love to have you to. You'll have to sleep on the sofa for a little while longer until I can find a new spot for you, I was thinking we could convert the dining room into a bedroom for you!"

"I... I..."

"Mary, talk! This is amazing news!" Beth smiled, pushing the ribboned stone towards me. I picked it up and held it in my hands.

"I can't stay here for free, people pay for a bed"

"People, not children, but if you insist, how about after school you help me with some housework and on Sunday you help with my deliveries?" Sarah smiled

"Is this real?"

"Yes!" Beth shouted, more excited than I've ever seen her,

"But what if I can't do school?"

"Mary, that is the littlest of your worries" Sarah laughed, "Please just say yes to staying with us"

"Okay, okay I will," I finally smiled, looking to Sarah and then Beth, "Can Beth visit?"

Sarah giggled, "I expect her to visit often!"

"How about we agreed to meet once a fortnight... at least?"

"Okay!" I stood up and hugged Beth and then Sarah, she noticed the tears this time and wiped them away softly. Beth finished off her cup of tea and stood up, brush her skirt straight with her hands.

"Well, Mary I best be going, I've got some Brooklyn boys to see and share the good news with, they'll be mighty happy for you!"

"Must you go?" I ask, "Can't you stay for a little longer,"

"No, no, I must, I've got errands to run and people to see, you know I'm a busy lady!"

"I know, I know, but I'll see you in two weeks?"

"Yes, let's meet in the park, we'll have a picnic."

"Well that sounds nice! I'll make you something nice to take along," Sarah smiled standing up also, we walked Beth to the door. We waved her goodbye down the street. I spun back to Sarah and hugged her; Steve joined us.

"Hey Mary, it's like we're brother and sister now!" He beamed, hugging me tighter, "I always wanted a sister!"

For the rest of the day Steve helped me with my reading and basic maths. It was hard, but knowing I was going to go to school, I wanted to do well. Sarah told me tomorrow was Monday and she'd take me to the school to register, it might be a couple of weeks before I could go but I could register now. She set to work finishing off my polka-dot dress so I'd have something nice to wear.

After dinner that night, there was another knock at the door, Sarah answered whilst Steve and I were doing the dishes. A few moments later Sarah walked in with a cardboard box filled to the brim with…stuff.

"Mary and Steve, finish up and then come over here," We did. "I spoke to a few of our neighbours about our plan to adopt Mary and get her into school and a few were able to donate some clothes, a book bag, some stationary and well, let's have a look!" Sarah unpacked the box to reveal second-hand but lovely clothes; dresses, jackets, shorts, shirts and two pairs of shoes, which fit! Well, they fit with a small bit of newspaper padding in the toe. The box also contained some notebooks, some pencils, a brown leather book bag and a beautiful doll with some change of clothes. I was gobsmacked, all this, for me?

"Wow, Mary, you're so lucky!" Steve smiled, passing the doll into my hands, "If you like I'm sure I'll have some toys you can have too!"

"How, why, why would anyone get rid of this stuff?"

"Well, a lot of our neighbours, their children are grown up now and moved out, it looks like they may have kept a few of their things, so we best take care of them!" Sarah smiled, "If you have any left of fabric from your dresses, we could make matching dresses for your new doll. What are you going to call her?"

I brushed her hair away from her face, she was beautiful with green eyes and red hair, "I think Ava is nice, do you like that name Steve?"

"Yeah, I think she suits it!" He said with a smile and then a yawn,

"Time for bed I think, we've got a big day tomorrow!"

Steve got his book bag ready for school tomorrow whilst Sarah and I folded the new clothes and placed them on one of the dining chairs with my new shoes under the chair and my notebooks and pencils in my new book bag and hanging it on the back of the chair. Steve and I then washed our facers and said goodnight before retiring to our own beds. I had to best night sleep of my life, when I woke up it wasn't with a start, it was peacefully.

Once we had a small breakfast of porridge, we all got ready, I wore my new polka-dot dress, with the black second-hand t-bone shoes and pulled my book bag over my head.

"Mary, sweetie, you don't need you book bag today,"

"I'd like to take it, please," I made sure the buckles were closed, "It makes me look like I'm ready for school, I think"

"Okay sweetie," She smiled, "Steven, I think I hear Bucky coming up the stairs,"

"Okay, mom, I'm almost ready"

"Bucky's here?"

"We walk to school together, he only lives down the block,"

"Oh, want me to get the door?"

"Yes please!"

I smoothed down my dress before pulling open the door, Bucky was just about to knock, "Morning Mary! How'd you know I was here?"

"Sarah heard you,"

"So, you're coming with us to school?"

"Yeah! Well we're going to get registered; I might not even be allowed in!"

"You will be allowed! They'll just be decided which grade you'll start in,"

"Which grade? I won't be with you and Steve?"

"Well, probably not, you'll probably be in an all new class, our class might be a little difficult for you,"

"Oh,"

"Hey! Don't be upset, it just means you'll learn everything to same way me and Stevie did, and you'll be able to make loads of new friends,"

"It's okay, I get it... Steve is teaching me to read though and we did maths yesterday,"

"That's cool, I love maths. Don't tell anyone though," he smirked,

"Okay," I heard out my pinky, he clasped it with his, "Pinky promise"

Steve came out all ready to go and greeted Bucky with a high five, "Mom, I'm ready, can we go?"

"You and Bucky go ahead, we'll catch up, I need to speak to Mrs. Brown next door!"

"Why don't you let us walk with Mary and we'll wait outside of school for you?" Steve shouted, "I think it'd be better for her to walk with us,"

"Okay Steven, go ahead, as long as Marys happy with that,"

"Yes! Thank you, Sarah!" I yelled, rushing out the door. I was excited to walk with Steve and Bucky, it'll be like I'm actually going to school!