The grief counselor said it would take time for Luke to understand. “Mommy’s in heaven now,” I repeated night after night, holding my sobbing son. What I didn’t know was that I’d been lied to – by everyone.
Our beach vacation was supposed to help us heal. Instead, it uncovered a terrible truth. When Luke spotted “Mommy” buying ice cream near the boardwalk, I assumed it was just wishful thinking. Until I saw her face.
There was no mistaking that smile. The way she nervously bit her lower lip when caught off guard. My dead wife was very much alive – and terrified that we’d found her.
The confrontation that followed revealed a web of deception. Her parents had helped stage everything, from the fake accident to the closed-casket funeral. All so Stacey could disappear with her lover and their unborn child.
As I packed our bags to leave, Luke kept asking why Mommy didn’t want to see him. There was no answer that wouldn’t break his heart further. Some mysteries, I realized, are better left unsolved – especially when the truth hurts more than the lie.
