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674words
Emily didn't come back until the evening of the third day. The moment she stepped inside, she saw the living room turned into a memorial space.
For a second, she just stared, then she started screaming, "Daniel, are you insane? Why would you turn our home into a funeral parlor? How am I supposed to function with this here?"
"So what if I threw Jacob a birthday party without you? So what if I stayed out for two days? Was this really necessary?"
Emily stormed forward and, without even looking at the memorial photo, and gestured wildly at the setup.
"Daniel, I've had enough of your mind games. You're just trying to guilt-trip me."
"Truth is, I'm with Jacob now. The baby isn't yours—it's his."
"I came back to tell you: let's get a divorce. I'm done with you!"
As she said this, I saw Jacob walk in behind her. He carried Emily's purse in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.
"Dan, not gonna lie—this isn't how you win a girl back."
I looked at his triumphant face and found the whole situation so absurd that a dry, humorless laugh escaped me.
Hearing me laugh, both Emily and Jacob froze.
They probably thought I'd lost my mind.
I coldly stared at them, my eyes settling on Emily. She seemed uneasy under my gaze and took a step back. "Daniel, what are you doing?"
I stood up slowly, picked up the offerings Emily had knocked down, and placed them back on the table. Then, I spoke calmly.
"Emily, take a closer look. See who this memorial is for."
As I spoke, Emily finally looked at the portrait. When she saw her mom's photo, she staggered.
Jacob quickly steadied her.
He glanced at the photo too. For a second, panic flashed in his eyes, but he quickly composed himself. He pointed at the picture and told Emily,
"It's fake. It has to be fake. How could it be your mom?"
My eyes shifted between them. "Yeah, how could it be your mom?"
"I told you three times, and you never believed me. Since you're so sure, why don't you call your mom? See if she picks up."
Emily frantically grabbed her purse from Jacob, her hands shaking as she dialed her mom's number.
Just then, a familiar ringtone—Emily's own singing voice—chimed from the direction of the mantel.
Emily turned toward the sound. When she saw the phone on the table, she began trembling uncontrollably.
She snatched the phone and shoved it in my face. "Daniel, why is my mom's phone here?"
"Where is she? What did you do to her?"
"This is some kind of sick joke!. Tell my mom to come out—now!"
She rushed from room to room, throwing open doors and even checking closets. But there was no sign of her mom.
By now, Susan was ashes in an urn.
Emily gripped the phone, marched up to me, her eyes bloodshot. "Daniel, I'm asking you one last time: where is my mom?"
"Where. Is. My. Mother."
Jacob sensed something was wrong but kept trying to calm Emily.
"Em, this has to be a trick. Daniel's just mad about the birthday party and you staying out. He wants you to get this upset."
"Maybe that's not even her phone. He probably put it there to mess with you. He's probably laughing inside seeing you like this."
But no matter what Jacob said, Emily didn't respond.
Emily wasn't stupid. She'd bought that phone for her mom herself. The sticker on the case was one she'd put on.
She knew it was her mom's phone.
Jacob tried to speak again, but Emily cut him off. "Just shut up and let me think!"
Jacob looked hurt, his lips trembling, eyes welling up. "Emily, you're yelling at me..." He gently tugged her sleeve.
But Emily was too focused on the phone and her mom to care.
