When Cathy notices that her son Alex has new headphones and is dressed in new clothes, she is puzzled. She decides to follow him one day to find out where or from whom he has been getting everything. What she discovers takes her back to her early years.

I’ve just noticed that my son Alex has been wearing new clothes that I didn’t buy for him. Yesterday, I saw a fresh set of headphones hanging around his neck.

“Dear, where did you get the headphones?” I asked while preparing breakfast.

“From Dad,” he replied, yelling from the other room.

“And the clothes too?” I asked.

“Um,” he mumbled. “Yeah.”

It made sense; I was divorced from Alex’s father, Ian, and we both often gave Alex new things, making it hard to keep track.

However, Ian was a practical man. I was the one who overspent when shopping, not Ian. Alex always got high-quality gifts from him, especially clothes. But Ian never bought name brands; he thought they were a waste of money and hated spending on them.

I was dubious because all of Alex’s new clothing was name brand.

Ian said into the phone, “Cathy, I don’t know what to tell you.” However, it wasn’t me. Perhaps he found a side gig or something.

Ian, he’s fourteen. That is more than any part-time job could pay him.

I was reassured by Ian, “I’ll ask him.” “We’ll investigate it thoroughly.”

Being a mother who micromanages every decision her child makes is something I’ve never wanted to do. But nothing made sense—Alex wasn’t able to obtain the funds on his own.

That night, after supper, I heard Alex talking into his phone in a whispery voice.

He walked into the kitchen and said, “Mom.” “Alright, so I’m heading over to my friend Jeremy’s house to work on this project together?”

Do you need me to leave you? Wiping my hands, I inquired.

“No, it’s not too far. I’ll stroll.

He departed after a short while.

My only opportunity to find out if Alex was planning something was now. I watched him through the glass, giving him an early advantage.

I took my phone and keys and went after him.

Alex got into an unidentified automobile with a blonde woman after crossing two roads. I had to get closer because I could not see her features clearly from where I was.

As I drew closer to the automobile and could finally see her face, a realization struck me like a ton of bricks. As I stood there, I observed Lia holding Alex and turning her face in the car.

Her golden hair, glistening in the streetlights, framed the face I knew my entire childhood, even though I hadn’t seen her in a long time.

I was overcome with emotion when I realized that Lia, my sister who had long since vanished from our life, had returned and was now deeply involved in my son’s world.
……

Background: Up until we were teenagers, Lia and I were close. I had developed into a miniature version of my mother, constantly prepared to take charge of the household and look after my dad. But Lia had become a wild teenager who didn’t care about safety or the law.

She and her boyfriend had vanished just after high school. My parents and I searched for Lia for years without success. We were advised by the police that we could either search more or get on with our lives.

My mother lamented Lia, feeling as though she had lost her kid. Conversely, my father felt betrayed by Lia and gave way to his rage.

I did not stop searching for her. I became acquaintances with the police department in my community and kept an eye out for leads, but I stopped looking when Alex was born.

At last, I came to terms with Lia’s desire to remain hidden.

Now, though, she was seated next to my son in her automobile.

I strode over, unlatching the rear door, and eased myself inside the vehicle.

“Mum!” Alex cried out. “Why are you in this place?”

“Lia, why are you and my son here?” I insisted.

Lia’s wide eyes were fixed on me.

“You vanished into thin air, and now you’re back, interfering with our lives via my son?”

The tangled web of our past was reflected in the softening of my long-lost sister’s eyes as she revealed a complexity.

“Nah, Cath,” she replied. “Don’t interfere, please. I contacted Alex after finding him on Facebook. I believed that he could help us repair our relationship.
. . . . . .  . . . . .  . . .

Her remarks were heavy, full of unspoken hurt and an unfinished business from a shared past.

Naturally, the floodgates opened at that point. I reclined and sobbed.

After all these years, you can’t just waltz back into our lives, I remarked. “Moreover, Alex is not a pawn to assist you in fixing the damage you caused.”

Lia’s eyes lowered, and she briefly seemed to feel as though the burden of the past had fallen on her.

“Cathy, I acknowledge my mistake. I’ve improved, but I still regret how I harmed you and the family. And I’d like an opportunity to atone.

I remained silent. Alex had turned from the front seat and was staring at me, so I just sat there and watched.

“Alex, let’s head out.”

We strolled silently back home.

He finished cleaning his teeth and remarked, “Mom.” “Aunt Lia is nice. She has shown me kindness. Not Dad, but she bought me the new stuff.

“Why did you keep it from me?” I enquired.

“Because I didn’t want to add to your already-heated feelings regarding the divorce.”

“Oh my dear,” I said. “That’s not your fault.”

“And Aunt Lia has been here, chatting with me about everything. When you and Dad got divorced, I didn’t know how I felt, but Aunt Lia gave me some insight. I understand why you’re upset with her. However, she has really helped me.

I kept Alex’s remarks in mind as I went to bed. He had spoken of the Lia I knew and loved as a younger girl, the one who would do anything to aid someone, even if it was just to listen.

I was also unaware of Alex’s severe divorce struggles. It was only half a year ago. Even though I was furious with Lia for involving Alex before approaching me, I was appreciative of her assistance in my son’s adjustment to life after divorce.

I requested Alex to give Lia a call the next day to extend an invitation. I had cooked her favorite cheesecake when we were kids, or at least it had been. And she told me about her life up until this point as we sat and talked for hours.

Although she was anxious to meet our parents once more, she was also prepared to talk about everything and offer her apology.

She still has my ire for what she did. However, even though Lia and Alex had just recently met, he trusted her enough to open up, so I am thankful that she was there for him.

We had two family brunches with our parents a few months later, and they immediately forgave Lia. And it appears like we’re all headed toward mending our familial bonds.