Stranger
One.
She opened the door smiling, standing in the cozy glow of incandescent light bulbs. It had been almost a year since I had seen my mother, a crime I had to confess. I should’ve visited her more often, should’ve been a better son. She forced her arms around me right there on the steps, it had been one hundred mother-years since she had seen my face and I could feel all of those years in her hug. She was reluctant to let go, but soon enough the bitter cold of the snow found its way to her.
“Come in, come in, come in!” she said, ushering me through the front door and into the living room. She didn’t even give me time to remove my coat and shoes before she pushed me onto the couch. “Zac,” she sighed, “I missed you so much.” She said, taking her seat beside me.
“I missed you too, Mom.” I smiled, removing my gloves.
“How’s your father,” she asked, curiosity leaking into her eyes, “why didn’t he come with you?”
“He’s doing well, still teaching music at the high school. He’s at home, with Emma.”
“Do not mention that girl.” My mother’s tone turned cold, as if my sister’s name was some sort of curse. “She stole your father from me.”
When Emma was born she was a surprise. Countless ultrasounds with the same results, one baby, a boy. When they entered the delivery room and a second child, a girl, was born, it was like something went incredibly wrong. The doctors said this happened a lot with fraternal twins. Disassociation. My mother knew I was her son, and she loved be as such, but Emma was just some stranger to her. Emma was a girl who invaded her home and captured her husband’s attention, my mother‘s heart held no love for Emma. No one understood it, especially not Emma.
“She’s your daughter,” I reminded her, but that was something she would never believe.
“No, she’s not.” For a moment I thought about arguing it out, forcing my mother to believe the truth. It had been seventeen years since Emma and I were born, it was clear that my mother would never accept that fact.
“I love you, Mom.” I said, giving a small smile.
“I love you too, Zac.”
“Come in, come in, come in!” she said, ushering me through the front door and into the living room. She didn’t even give me time to remove my coat and shoes before she pushed me onto the couch. “Zac,” she sighed, “I missed you so much.” She said, taking her seat beside me.
“I missed you too, Mom.” I smiled, removing my gloves.
“How’s your father,” she asked, curiosity leaking into her eyes, “why didn’t he come with you?”
“He’s doing well, still teaching music at the high school. He’s at home, with Emma.”
“Do not mention that girl.” My mother’s tone turned cold, as if my sister’s name was some sort of curse. “She stole your father from me.”
When Emma was born she was a surprise. Countless ultrasounds with the same results, one baby, a boy. When they entered the delivery room and a second child, a girl, was born, it was like something went incredibly wrong. The doctors said this happened a lot with fraternal twins. Disassociation. My mother knew I was her son, and she loved be as such, but Emma was just some stranger to her. Emma was a girl who invaded her home and captured her husband’s attention, my mother‘s heart held no love for Emma. No one understood it, especially not Emma.
“She’s your daughter,” I reminded her, but that was something she would never believe.
“No, she’s not.” For a moment I thought about arguing it out, forcing my mother to believe the truth. It had been seventeen years since Emma and I were born, it was clear that my mother would never accept that fact.
“I love you, Mom.” I said, giving a small smile.
“I love you too, Zac.”