"Mom, how are you? What are you up to? I've missed you so much; it feels like forever since I saw you. You aren't mad, are you? It's just been so busy lately..."
Ellen could tell immediately from the tone of her daughter's voice that this wasn't just a social call.
"Everything is fine, Phoebe. What's going on with you? How's little Leo?"
"He's good. Mom, listen... there's this big corporate gala tonight, and we really need to go. Could you pick Leo up from preschool?"
"Phoebe, I'm actually busy tonight..."
"Oh, come on, Mom! Who else can I turn to if not you? That's not how this is supposed to work... I was counting on you. I can't exactly ask Mark's mother. You know how she is. And honestly, Mom, be fair. Mark and I never get out together anymore. He had to skip last year's holiday party because Leo was sick. Are we supposed to just stay cooped up at home again?"
"Phoebe, how can you say that? I watch Leo all the time. Like when you went to the Hamptons for five days and ended up staying for over two weeks. Or how you never miss a single friend's birthday. And who went out to that fancy bistro last Saturday because they were 'exhausted' by family life? Or that concert the Sunday before last?"
"Well, Mom, we're young. We want to have some fun..."
"And I, sweetheart, would like to fix my teeth. I have a dentist appointment tonight; I took an evening slot specifically. So I'm sorry... I can't do it today."
"Mom, I can't believe you... he's your grandson!"
"First and foremost, he is your son."
"Fine! I just won't go anywhere! Go ahead and fix your teeth since that's clearly more important to you!" Phoebe slammed the phone down. Ellen sighed as the line went dead.
Her mood was completely ruined. Ellen walked over to the mirror and studied her reflection. A woman in her early fifties looked back—still attractive, but with a deep, lingering sadness in her eyes.
***
Ellen had spent her entire career as a high school history teacher. She loved her job and took great pride in the fact that her students adored her, especially since she felt so little of that affection at home.
Fifteen years ago, her husband, Arthur, had left her for a wealthy young widow, and Phoebe had chosen to go with her father. Ellen was left alone. Only she knew how many nights she had spent in tears, how many mocking looks she'd endured, and how hard it had been to return to an empty house and simply find a reason to keep going.
The widow, Claire, had initially welcomed Arthur's daughter, and for a few years, they lived comfortably. Phoebe had designer clothes, expensive makeup, and every gadget she wanted. But then Claire gave birth to twins, and Phoebe, unwilling to lose her status as the center of attention, fled back to her mother.
Arthur was deeply offended. He expected Phoebe to be grateful for everything Claire had done, but Phoebe felt no obligation to play babysitter to her half-brothers. However, Ellen didn't give her the easy welcome she expected.
"Phoebe, you've grown into a total opportunist. You only think of yourself. Do you have any idea how much I suffered when you left me for your father? He and I had our problems, but you are my daughter! You abandoned me when I needed you most. And now you've abandoned him. I know they're struggling with the babies, and your help would have meant a lot, but you..."
"Oh, Mom, save the lecture. I'm not some project for you to fix. I'll live where I want. You're both my parents, and I get to choose."
"You're wrong..." Ellen began, but her daughter cut her off.
"I don't care."
"Well, I do," Ellen snapped. "Go back to your father. It's the right thing to do. You're like the grasshopper in the fable—always looking for the easiest place to land. It doesn't work that way. He's your father, and you should help him. Our divorce was our burden, not yours. You don't have the right to act like this."
"Oh? Is that how it is? You're kicking me out? Fine! I'll go. But you'll regret this one day. And stop trying to raise me! I'm an adult! Got it? I'll pack my bags right now. Don't you dare ask me to come back later—I have a spine too! Goodbye, Mother!"
Phoebe did leave, but she didn't go back to her father. Soon, Ellen heard that her daughter was living with some guy. Ellen tracked her down and tried to convince her to come home, but Phoebe just scoffed.
"Too late, Mom! I'm pregnant with Mark's baby. He proposed, though we can't afford a real wedding. We're just going to do a courthouse thing. Thanks a lot, parents, for making sure I was so well-provided for."
Ellen said nothing and left, realizing she had raised an egoist. How had it happened?
It was simple, really. Because of her profession, Ellen had spent so much time caring for other people's children that when she came home, she felt guilty toward her own daughter. She had overcompensated by indulging every whim, giving in to every tantrum, and coddling her. Now, she was reaping the bitter harvest of that indulgence.
For several months, they didn't speak. Ellen called, sent gifts, and stopped by, but Phoebe never answered the door. She didn't return the gifts, though, so they were clearly put to use.
It wasn't until Ellen stood outside the hospital on the day Phoebe was discharged, watching her daughter's happiness from a distance, that Phoebe softened and approached her. Peace was restored between them, though Arthur never did forgive his daughter.
Phoebe didn't seem to care; she didn't need him as long as Ellen was there.
***
Ellen sighed again and started getting ready for her dentist appointment. But just as she was about to enter the clinic, her phone rang. It was Leo's preschool teacher.
"Mrs. Miller, I'm so sorry to bother you, but I can't reach your daughter. No one has come to pick up Leo, and my shift ended a while ago..."
"What? Oh my goodness! Ms. Gable, I'm on my way. I am so sorry..."
Ellen tried Phoebe, but there was no answer. She tried Mark, but it just kept ringing. Finally, Phoebe picked up, her voice sounding light and cheerful.
"Hello?"
"Phoebe, what is going on? Why haven't you picked up Leo?"
"Oh... Mom... look, we asked Mark's mom to do it, but she must have forgotten. Could you just grab him? We've already started drinks at the pre-party..."
"Phoebe... honestly."
Ellen hung up, turned to leave, and bumped right into a man about her age. It was the dentist.
"Oh, excuse me..."
"No worries at all. Come on in, you're my last patient for the day."
"I am so sorry," Ellen said, flustered. She glanced at his name tag. "But I have to leave immediately... my grandson is stranded at preschool. I'm so sorry... Dr. Vance."
Upset, she hurried out to the street to call an Uber, but a car pulled up beside her. It was Dr. Vance—Robert.
"Let me give you a lift, Ellen. My day is done anyway."
Ellen felt herself blush and hesitated for a second, but then thanked him and got in. A strange, fluttering sensation rose in her chest—a feeling she hadn't experienced in years. She felt... alive.
Having Robert sitting so close made her nervous, and she felt the heat rise to her cheeks again. When he turned to look at her, she realized she hadn't heard his question.
"I'm sorry? What did you say?"
"I asked if everything was alright. You look very deep in thought."
"Oh... yes... no..." Ellen stammered, mentally scolding herself for acting like a teenager on a first date.
Eventually, they began to talk. Ellen learned that Robert had been a widower for seven years. He had a son who lived in London with his own family. Robert had lived in Europe for a while too but had recently moved back.
"I'm getting older, becoming sentimental, I suppose. I wanted to see my parents' graves... I thought I'd just visit and leave, but I ended up staying. Have you always lived here?"
"Yes, I've been a history teacher here my whole life. My husband left years ago, but I have my daughter and my grandson, Leo. Thank you, Robert, for the ride."
"It's nothing. Go get Leo, and I'll take you both home."
"Is that okay? I don't want to be a bother."
"Not at all. I'd be happy to."
Robert liked Leo. The boy was quiet and polite, causing no trouble during the drive or when Ellen invited Robert in for a cup of tea. Leo was clearly devoted to his grandmother. Robert stayed for about an hour, they exchanged numbers, and he headed home.
***
A few days passed. Ellen couldn't stop thinking about Robert; he even appeared in her dreams. She kept telling herself to get a grip, but then he called and asked her to dinner.
Ellen was blissful. She threw herself into the new relationship and spent a wonderful week almost inseparable from Robert. She'd visit his office during the day, and in the evening, they'd walk through the city, dine at cozy restaurants, and he'd drive her home.
But the fairy tale ended as abruptly as it had begun.
One evening, Robert mentioned he had to go out of town for a bit to handle some urgent business. Ellen nodded, her heart sinking, but he took her hand and promised to be back soon.
The same day Robert left, Phoebe came over in tears, claiming she was in deep trouble. Mark had been caught up in some financial fraud at work, and they needed a massive sum of money to pay back the "debts" and keep him out of prison.
"But I don't have that kind of money, Phoebe," Ellen said, helpless. "What can I do?"
"Sell your house," Phoebe sobbed. "What else is there?"
"But where would I live?"
"With us! We have plenty of room. And once we're back on our feet, we'll buy you a little condo..."
"No, Phoebe... I can't."
"Mom!" Phoebe wailed. "You don't understand—they'll arrest me too as an accomplice! What am I going to do? No one will give us a loan. Our friends have turned their backs on us... Dad won't even take my calls..."
"Sweetheart, please don't cry. Okay, fine, let's figure something out. I'll sell the house, but it takes time to find a buyer..."
"I already found one! He's willing to pay cash today and sign the papers tomorrow!"
"Oh, God, Phoebe..."
"Mom, thank you! You saved us! You saved us!" Phoebe cried, hugging her stunned mother.
The next day, a man arrived, and the deal was done. Phoebe called her mother, chirping happily about how everything was being handled. Ellen felt like she was in a fog.
"Honey, I'm packing my things. We need to move them to your place..."
"Yes, yes, of course! Don't worry about it! Thank you again, Mom! I'll call you in a bit."
Ellen sighed and kept packing. Evening came. The new owner called and said he wanted to move in the next morning because he had nowhere else to stay. Ellen panicked and tried to call her daughter, but the phone was off. Mark's phone was dead too. An hour passed, then two, then three. Still nothing.
Finally, Ellen took a taxi to their house. No one answered the door, but a neighbor poked her head out.
"Oh, they moved out a week ago," the neighbor said.
"Moved? What do you mean?" Ellen gasped. "Where?"
"I don't know exactly. But Phoebe mentioned something about moving to Florida to buy a place on the coast. She was so excited about living by the ocean."
"Wait... but the court case..."
"What court case? I don't know anything about that. But they're definitely gone. They looked so happy."
Ellen called Phoebe's friend from work. "Sophie, I'm sorry it's late, is Phoebe with you?"
"No, Mrs. Miller."
"Were she and Mark at work today?"
"Didn't you know? They both quit a month ago. Said they found new opportunities elsewhere."
"Sophie, were there any problems? Financial issues or anything?"
"No, everything was fine. Why? Is something wrong?"
Ellen hung up. Suddenly, her phone rang. It was Phoebe.
"Mom, someone told me you were looking for us... don't worry, everything is fine. We avoided the legal trouble."
"Phoebe, where are you?" Ellen asked, her voice flat.
"At home, obviously..."
"Then open the door. I'm standing right outside."
"Uh... Mom... look... how do I put this... we have a new project we're starting. I'm sorry for what I did, but you never would have agreed to sell the house otherwise. And we needed that capital."
"Everything I own was in that house. My whole life. Do you understand that, you monster?"
"Oh, please! What was there? Pictures of your old students? Get real, Mom. Thanks to Mark, we're going to be millionaires!"
"Get over here right now, Phoebe! Do you hear me?"
"I'm already at the beach, Mom! And I'm not coming back. This is your fault anyway. If you'd just listened to us, we wouldn't have had to hide anything! Now, live your life. I'm done with you."
"Oh, God." Ellen dropped her phone, and it shattered on the pavement. She sat down on the dirty concrete steps, gripped the railing, and sobbed, realizing she had lost everything.
She stood up slowly and wandered out into the street. She had nowhere to go, no one waiting for her... and no home.
***
Ten years passed. One afternoon, a woman stepped onto the platform of the town where Ellen used to live. She wasn't old, but she looked haggard, unkempt, and worn down. It was Phoebe.
After moving south, she and Mark had bought a house right on the water. They rented it out and lived well for a while. But then Mark met someone else and kicked Phoebe out. Since he had put the house in his name, she had nothing.
"You're insane! I'll sue you for everything! I'll take Leo, and you'll be paying me alimony for the rest of your life!"
"Forget it, babe. I've covered my tracks. My new girlfriend is the police chief's daughter. You want trouble? I'll give you trouble. And Leo stays with me. You think I'd leave him with you? He's my heir. Now get out!"
Phoebe grabbed her bag and left without even looking at her son, who was playing in the next room. Leo stayed with his father. Phoebe didn't stay alone for long, but her life became a blur of waitressing jobs, short-lived flings, and heavy drinking to numb the pain.
The hard living caught up with her. When she found out she was seriously ill, fear finally drove her to look for her mother. For the first time in a decade, she realized she had no idea where Ellen was.
She spent days wandering the city, staying in cheap hostels, looking for work. She saw an ad for a cleaning position at a new dental center and hurried over, relieved to find the job was still open.
She was standing in the lobby when three people walked out of the executive office: an older man, an older woman, and a man in his early forties. They were smiling and chatting. Phoebe watched them with envy; they looked wealthy and sophisticated, dressed in high-end European fashion. The woman's hair was perfect, her makeup natural, her hands manicured. She looked like an aristocrat. And her face...
Phoebe froze. It was Ellen. Her mother.
They were already walking past when Phoebe realized they were leaving. She screamed, "Mom!"
Ellen and her companions turned slowly. Ellen looked at Phoebe with a steady, quiet gaze.
"You're mistaken," she said, her voice firm. "I don't have a daughter."
Not a single muscle in her face twitched, though her eyes grew dark and deep. Ellen turned away, took the older man's arm, gave the younger man a gentle goodbye, and stepped into a waiting car.
Phoebe stood there, staring after them. The voice of the younger man brought her back to reality.
"I'm sorry, but we don't have any openings for you."
"Who... who is she?"
"She is my father's wife, Ellen Vance."
"That's my mother..." Phoebe whispered.
"Is she? Then I know your story, and I'm going to have to ask you to leave. You left her homeless, penniless, and alone. You betrayed her. My father found her destitute, sweeping streets for a place to sleep in a shed. He couldn't believe his eyes."
"I want to see her, to ask for forgiveness... I'm being punished, I'm sick..."
"They're leaving for the airport. My father and Ellen have lived in Europe for years; they won't be coming back here. They have a beautiful home there, a villa by the sea... I've made sure they have everything they need, and they are happy. As for you... goodbye. Everyone gets exactly what they deserve in this life. Sooner or later."
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