I found this story at The New Yorker website.
The setting is rural Ireland and the narrator is an unnamed girl in her preteens. She is dropped off by her father to her “mother’s people” to stay with them for undetermined amount of town. I think it is her Aunt and Uncle but can’t be sure. Her family is very poor and her mother is pregnant yet again and about to give birth.
She doesn’t have any belonging or clothes with her except for what she is wearing at the time and she is filthy and has lice.
The aunt and uncle treat the girl like one of their own children and she blossoms under their care. They have a secret about why the posses boy’s clothing which, the girl discovers in time.
If I tell you much more, I will give out spoilers. However, trust me, this is an excellent story. It is well written with great character development, especially for a short story. It had me crying in the end. Go read it here. Winner of the Davy Byrnes Memorial Prize.
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