She was a few years younger than me, but we hit it off right away. Our children were close in age, and they played together until almost lunchtime.
Everly was fun to be around. She was talkative, always had something to say, and never did anything awkward. It felt like I had known her forever, even though it had only been a few months.
One afternoon, she came over looking a little stressed. ” Hi, I have a last-minute dentist appointment. Could you watch the kids? It won’t be long.”
‘Of course,’ I said. I worked from home and had a flexible schedule.
‘Thank you so much! I’ll be back in an hour or so,’ she said with relief.
Thirty minutes into my babysitting shift, the children were playing quietly in the living room. I went into the kitchen to look for coffee. Everly had mentioned there was some in the cupboard, and I started rummaging around. That’s when I saw it.
It was hanging on the wall next to the doorway. At first, I thought it was just a normal family photo. But then I froze. I recognised that face. The woman standing next to the little girl in the photo… was my mother.
I blinked, rubbed my eyes, and moved closer. No, I must have been mistaken. But the closer I got, the more I realised that I hadn’t imagined it. It was definitely my mother, smiling at a little girl who looked like a younger version of Everly.
I stared at the photo for what seemed like hours, trying to understand its meaning. But nothing made sense.
When Everly came home, I couldn’t keep quiet. I had to ask her.
‘Everly,’ I began cautiously, ‘who is in that photo in the kitchen? The one with the little girl?’
She looked puzzled for a second, then smiled. ‘Oh, that’s me and my mum. Why?’
My stomach dropped. ‘Your mum?’ I asked, my voice shaking.
‘Yes, that’s my mum. Why do you ask?’
My head was spinning. I didn’t know how to say what I was thinking. My words came out in a rush. ‘She’s my mum too.’
Everly’s smile faded. ‘What do you mean? That’s my mum.’
‘No, I mean… the woman in the photo. That’s my mum.’
Everly stared at me, trying to comprehend what I had just said.
‘Are you sure?’ she asked slowly.
‘I’m sure. It’s her. Same face, same smile… everything.’
Everly froze, her eyes widening in disbelief. Neither of us knew what to say next. We just stood there in shock, staring at each other until the full weight of what we had just learned sank in.
We began comparing stories, trying to piece together our past. ‘When were you born?’ I asked.
‘In 1996,’ she replied quietly.
I nodded. ‘I was born in ’91. So I’m older. But I don’t remember her talking about another family. Do you know where she lived when you were little?’
Everly thought for a moment. ‘When I was born, we lived in a different city. Mum said we moved here when I was five, after she got a new job.’
‘I remember Mum travelling for work when I was little,’ I said, rubbing my forehead, trying to remember the details. ‘She was often away when I was eight or nine. It was… 2002, maybe 2003.’
Everly’s eyes widened. ‘In 2003, Grandma told me that Mum would be coming to see us more often. I remember because that’s when I started school. She would come every few months, stay for a few days, and then leave again.’
My heart pounded. ‘Mum said she had long-term work projects in other cities. She was gone for weeks at a time. I thought it was normal then, but now… I think maybe those trips were to see you.’
Everly nodded slowly. ‘She always brought me little gifts when she came to visit. I remember once — it must have been in 2005 — she gave me a necklace from New York. I asked her where she had been, but she never answered me.’
‘That same year, she brought me a snow globe from her trip to New York,’ I said, my voice trembling. ‘She told me she was going to a conference.’
Everly buried her head in her hands. ‘Do you think she… do you think she deliberately separated us?’
I swallowed hard. ‘I don’t know. But we have to find out.’
A week later, my mother came to visit. I hadn’t said anything about Everly yet, but I had already arranged for her to come that day. My heart was pounding in anticipation of the confrontation.
When my mother arrived, she gave me a warm hug. We sat in the living room and made small talk while my mind raced.
Then the doorbell rang. I opened the door, and Everly came into the house. My mother’s eyes widened when she saw her.
‘Mum,’ I began, my voice trembling, ‘I’ve become friends with my neighbour, Everly. And we’ve found something… strange.’
My mother’s face changed, and her expression became tense with concern. ‘What do you mean?’ she asked cautiously.
Everly and I exchanged glances. ‘I found a photo of you at her house,’ I said, watching my mother closely. ‘She said you’re her mum too.’
Her face went pale. She slowly sat down, her hands trembling on her knees. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.