Hannah twirls her young daughter Amber around the room, both giggling as Hugh, her husband, watches with a gentle smile. The sense of security is palpable, the world outside seeming far away.
"We have everything we need, don’t we?"
"As long as I have you two, I have it all."
Hannah sits frozen, the words echoing: Hugh is gone, suddenly, inexplicably. Bills and paperwork pile up on the kitchen table, Amber sleeping fitfully upstairs, unaware of the world shifting beneath her mother’s feet.
"How am I supposed to do this alone?"
She clutches Hugh’s photograph, tears streaming down her face, the weight of responsibility pressing in.
Hannah paces the hallway, her face drawn and anxious. Debt collectors and bailiffs visit, their voices low and official, leaving warnings behind. The day arrives when two police officers stand by the door as a locksmith fits a new lock, and Hannah and Amber are ushered out, clutching a battered suitcase.
"Please, just give us one more chance,"
But the door clicks shut, and Hannah’s last glimpse of home is through watery eyes.
Bailiff guides Hannah gently, explaining what to say at the housing office. Other women watch from doorways, suspicion in their eyes. Amber holds tightly to her mother’s hand, her school uniform newly rumpled.
"Tell them you need emergency accommodation,"
"Three years? How can we wait three years?"
Housing Officer responds, trying to keep their voice calm.
"It may be sooner, but it could be more. There are many in need."
Other women in the hostel avoid Hannah, their world different from hers. She refuses another hostel when asked to leave, preferring the streets to the hostility.
"If hostels are like this one, then I would rather walk the streets!"
Hostel Staff warn her sternly.
"But what about your daughter, Amber? She is innocent in this, you are not taking her onto the streets. Social services have been called and Amber must go into care."
Amber flourishes academically, making new friends and excelling in her studies. At contact centers, she hugs her mother Hannah, now thin and disheveled, with fierce love despite the changes.
"I miss you, Mum. I wish things could be different."
"Never forget, I love you. Always."
Years pass, and the harsh winter claims Hannah’s life one morning, her story written in the frost and silence. The world moves on, but her absence carves a permanent ache in Amber’s heart.
She recounts her journey, raising awareness about homelessness, fighting for change, and volunteering at shelters. She never forgets the cold nights, the warmth of her mother’s arms, and the importance of compassion.
"My mother’s memory drives me. Every person deserves a home, a chance, and hope."
