On Thanksgiving, my parents forgot about my nut allergy again.
The pumpkin pie on the table was covered in chopped pecans, made especially for Sofia. It was her favorite.
While I stood on the back patio, letting the cold wind bite at my face, my five-year-old daughter, Chloe, sent me a text.
“Mom, don’t be sad. I’m going to buy you your favorite molten chocolate cake!”
Tears pricked my eyes.
But that same night, Chloe disappeared.
I searched for her in the rain for three days. In the end, the police found her on the other side of the neighborhood.
I ran to hug her, but she screamed and turned away, throwing herself into my sister Sofia’s arms. She wrapped her tiny arms around Sofia’s neck and called her “Mom.”
The doctor said she might have been so frightened that her memory had become confused. If we wanted her to recover, we couldn’t keep upsetting her.
My parents suggested Sofia take my place for the time being, staying by Chloe’s side to help her through this.
My husband, Marco, agreed.
“Beatrice, I think they’re right. The most important thing is Chloe. Let Sofia stay with her for now. Once she remembers, she’ll be fine.”
After that, the doctor said it would be best for Chloe to be around familiar people, so for the past few weeks, we’d all been living at my parents’ house.
I had no choice but to pretend to accept it.
Until one day, I got home earlier than usual. I had just reached the door when I heard voices from the living room.
Chloe’s voice was serious.
“Daddy, does that woman really believe it?”
“If I keep pretending, can Aunt Sofia be my mommy forever?”
My body went rigid.
Marco gave a soft laugh.
“That’s right. Chloe, you’re so smart.”
Sofia pulled her closer.
“Then why do you want me to be your mommy so badly?”
Chloe started counting on her fingers.
“Because Daddy likes you. And Grandpa and Grandma like you better, too.”
“So I want to be like them.”
“I’m so glad you and Daddy thought of this. Otherwise, I’d still have to call that woman ‘Mom.’”
Marco patted her on the head.
“Chloe, no matter what, she is your mother. Don’t call her that. It’s rude.”
My mother came out of the kitchen carrying a fruit salad and chimed in.
“She’s still little. We can teach her. Sofia used to say all the time that she wished Chloe were her child.”
“Isn’t this better? The way things are now?”
The room filled with laughter.
I felt nothing but a deep, spreading cold.
Just then, my father came out of the study. Stupidly, I hoped he might defend me.
Instead, he said this:
“Chloe, be more careful around her from now on. Don’t let anything slip.”
“If she finds out the adults all coached you to fake amnesia, we’ll never hear the end of it.”
Chloe pouted.
My Family Regret When They Lose Me Chapter 07 “She won’t answer my calls. Maybe she’ll answer yours.” He was clutching at his last shred of hope. He refused to believe I could let go of Chloe, too. Chloe nodded and ran to the entryway cabinet to get her watch. At that moment, Marco’s phone
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My Family Regret When They Lose Me Chapter 06 Marco knew he had gone too far this time. At first, he had planned to explain everything. That night, he had been drinking, and Sofia had kept pressing herself against him. In a moment of weakness, he lost control. He had thought I would never find
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My Family Regret When They Lose Me Chapter 05 “But… I think I know why she said that.” “She saw Marco being good to me, saw Chloe clinging to me, and it must have made her feel terrible. She couldn’t take it out on Marco, so she took it out on the child.” “No matter
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My Family Regret When They Lose Me Chapter 04 The second Chloe finished speaking, my mother panicked. “Sweetheart, don’t cry. Grandma’s here. Don’t listen to her nonsense.” “She’s gone mad. How did I give birth to someone like—” Marco cut her off with a frown. “Not in front of the child.” My mother froze, but
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My Family Regret When They Lose Me Chapter 03 Fighting back the nausea, I went to the study and packed my documents and everything else I needed. By the time I came out, they seemed to be done. Marco was carrying Sofia toward the bathroom when he looked up and saw me. His arms went
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My Family Regret When They Lose Me Chapter 02 I walked in the rain for a long time. My forehead throbbed, but the pain was clarifying. I found a 24-hour urgent care clinic and had the wound treated. While I sat in the waiting area for the rain to let up, I called the recruiter
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My Family Regret When They Lose Me Chapter 01 On Thanksgiving, my parents forgot about my nut allergy again. The pumpkin pie on the table was covered in chopped pecans, made especially for Sofia. It was her favorite. While I stood on the back patio, letting the cold wind bite at my face, my five-year-old
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