New Year Homecoming: My Mom Doesn't Know Me

I stood frozen in place.

I exclaimed, "Mom, I'm your son, Will. You were just asking me a few days ago when I'd be back for the holidays!"

My mom, Dahlia Jones, walked over and stared at me for a while before speaking. "Hey, watch what you're saying! You can't simply make things up! I've lived here for over 20 years. Everyone knows what my son looks like. I don't know you!"

She tugged at the man, Steven Lowe, and pointed at him. "Look. This is my son."

I sighed helplessly. "Mom, are you guys messing with me? Please stop it, will you? I couldn't get a high-speed train ticket, so I spent over ten hours on a regular train just to get back here."

I craned my neck toward the doorway and called inside, "Dad, I'm home!"

My dad, Gordon Lowe, and I had always been close, so if this really was some kind of prank, there was no way he could keep a straight face.

Yet there was no response from inside.

"What are you doing? Now you're just unreasonable." Steven shoved me away.

Impatience crept into Dahlia's voice too. "Kid, I'll tell you again. I'm not your mom! You just showed up at my door, calling me Mom like I’m supposed to know who you are. Are you trying to ruin my reputation?"

She looked at me like I was a stranger, and a chill ran down my spine. Mom wasn't faking it. There wasn't even a hint of the woman I knew in her eyes.

Just three days ago, Mom had sent me a voice message, and because I wanted to surprise her, I'd lied and told her I hadn't been able to get a ticket home this year and would be spending the holidays away.

I opened our chat and played the voice message.

"Will, did you get a ticket home? New Year's is almost here. I bought the beef and ribs you like. I'll cook them for you when you get back."

Steven looked at Dahlia. "Mom, that's your voice."

Dahlia stared at my phone, her expression changing instantly. "How is that possible?" She opened her own chat as she spoke. "I only have a few contacts on my WhatsApp. I don't have anyone with this profile picture."

After confirming that my account wasn't in her contacts, Dahlia put her phone away and frowned at me. "You're not some scammer, are you? We don't have any money! Get out of here!"

With that, Dahlia grabbed Steven and turned around. She said, "Steven, quickly close the door. I don't know if he's a scammer or just crazy. Don't bother with him!"

I quickly reached out to stop Steven, but my arm got caught hard between the door and the frame, and I let out a muffled groan.

Steven's eyes flickered slightly as he put a little more force into the door before finally letting go. "Seriously, what the hell do you want?"

I took a deep breath and quickly pulled up photos and videos of the three of us on my phone. "Mom, take a good look. These are pictures of the three of us on our trips. You really don't remember? Did you get hurt and lose some of your memories?"

Dahlia slapped my hand away, sending my phone crashing to the floor. "I told you, I don't know you. If you keep bothering me, I'm calling the cops!"

Panic took over as I turned and hurried to my neighbor Sienna Shaw's door, knocking frantically. "Sienna, it's me, Will. Can you please open the door?"

I kept knocking until my hand went numb, but she never came to open the door.

Steven glanced at me. "No one lives next door. Who are you calling?"

Cold sweat broke out all over my body. I clenched my fists, and the moment he looked away, I quickly turned and rushed inside the house.

But the moment I was inside, I stopped dead, unable to take another step. Right in the middle of the room, sitting on top of the cabinet, was Dad's memorial portrait.