Chapter 5: My Mother’s Final Plan
I met my mother at the small coffee shop where she used to take me when I was a child.
It was strange sitting across from her.
The same woman who once packed my lunches.
The same woman who stayed awake when I had nightmares.
The same woman who now believed hurting my wife was somehow love.
She didn’t look guilty.
That was the first thing I noticed.
She looked offended.
“You embarrassed me yesterday.””
I stared at her.
“That’s what you’re worried about?””
She placed her coffee down.
“Your wife made a scene.””
I almost laughed.
“Emily was on the floor.””
“She was cleaning.””
“She was ten days postpartum.””
My mother sighed.
“You’ve become soft.””
I leaned back.
“No. I’ve become a husband.””
Her eyes narrowed.
“You think you know everything because you have a family now?””
“No.””
I looked at her.
“I think I know enough because I saw what you did.””
She looked away.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then she reached into her purse.
She pulled out another notebook.
My heart sank.
“You found the other one.””
I froze.
“What?””
She smiled slightly.
“You were never supposed to see that.””
“So there’s another one?””
She ignored the question.
“I knew this would happen.””
“What would happen?””
“That Emily would turn you against me.””
I stared at her.
“Mom, you don’t get to blame Emily for your choices.””
She leaned forward.
“You don’t understand women.””
I almost couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“You’re right. I don’t understand women who hurt new mothers.””
Her face hardened.
“You think she’s innocent?””
“Yes.””
“You don’t know everything.””
“Then tell me.””
My mother looked down at her coffee.
“She has been changing you.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“Before Emily, you called me every day.””
I stayed silent.
“Before Emily, you listened to me.””
“Because I was a child.””
Her eyes flashed.
“And now she has taken my son.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
She looked surprised.
“No?””
“Emily didn’t take me away from you.””
I leaned closer.
“You pushed me away yourself.””
For the first time, her confidence disappeared.
She looked hurt.
But I couldn’t ignore what I had seen.
“Why did you do it?””
She looked out the window.
“When I had you, nobody helped me.””
“That doesn’t excuse this.””
“I suffered.””
“So you wanted Emily to suffer too?””
She didn’t answer.
That silence was louder than any confession.
I stood up.
“I’m taking Lily and Emily somewhere safe.””
My mother’s head snapped up.
“You’re leaving?””
“I’m making sure they’re okay.””
She grabbed my arm.
“You’ll regret abandoning your family.””
I pulled away.
“My family is the one I created.””
Her expression changed.
Not sadness.
Not regret.
Anger.
“You really think you can do this without me?””
I looked at her.
“What does that mean?””
She smiled.
A cold, calm smile.
“The truth always comes out eventually.””
I felt uneasy.
“What truth?””
She reached into her purse again and placed a folder on the table.
“Ask your wife what happened the night Lily was born.””
I stared at the folder.
“What are you talking about?””
My mother stood.
“You only know the version she told you.””
I didn’t touch the folder.
“Mom.””
But she walked away.
Leaving me with the folder.
And a question I didn’t want to ask.
May you like
Because after everything I had discovered, there was a small part of me that was afraid.
Afraid that my mother knew something I didn’t.
