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Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5
Chapter Three — The Mother
The knock came again, softer this time, almost hesitant.
For a second no one moved; the sound seemed to vibrate through the room like a memory.
“Probably another stylist,” Lila said, smoothing her skirt as she went to the door. “Come in!”
The door opened.
And the laughter stopped.
A woman stood there—older, elegant, trembling just slightly. Her dress was simple, her eyes wide and shining. The air seemed to fold around her; even the light from the window shifted, dimming just enough to make her presence feel sacred.
She looked at me.
And her face broke.
Her hands flew to her mouth, and a sob escaped before she could stop it. “Oh… my God,” she whispered, tears sliding down her cheeks. “You’re… you’re here.”
Everyone glanced at each other, confused.
“Can we help you, ma’am?” one of the bridesmaids asked gently.
But I was already moving toward her.
Something in her eyes—a shimmer, a familiar ache—pulled me in.
“Do I know you?” I asked. My voice felt small.
The woman laughed through her tears, shaking her head. “Know me?” she whispered. “You are me. You’re my everything.”
And then she reached for me, slow and trembling.
Her hands touched my face—warm, trembling, utterly human.
The sensation made my heart stutter.
“Mother?” The word escaped before I could think.
Her tears fell faster. “Yes. Yes, my love. My beautiful girl.”
The world tilted.
Lila gasped softly. “Wait—this is your mom? But… Madi, I thought—”
“I thought she couldn’t travel,” I said automatically, but even as the words left my lips they felt pre-written, like a line I’d been programmed to deliver.
She pulled me into her arms. The scent of her perfume—lavender and rain—hit me like a memory too vivid to be imagined. My knees nearly gave out.
“I love you,” she whispered against my ear. “Always. You did it, sweetheart. You made it.”
Her words sank into me like code unlocking.
I saw flashes behind my eyes: white rooms, soft light, a humming sound. Tubes, voices, data streams. Then laughter, sunlight, a backyard birthday cake.
I clung to her, dizzy, my pulse racing so fast it almost wasn’t a heartbeat at all.
“Mom,” I whispered, though I didn’t know why I was crying. “I… I feel like I’ve missed you forever.”
She smiled through her tears. “You did, baby. But forever isn’t as long as it seems.”
Her fingers trembled against my cheek, tracing it as though memorizing every line. “They told me you’d look just like this,” she murmured. “And they were right. Exactly right.”
Before I could ask what she meant, someone outside called that the cars were ready. The spell broke.
She straightened, wiping her tears. “Go,” she said softly. “It’s your moment.”
Lila touched my arm, confused but gentle. “Come on, Madi.”
My mother—if that’s what she was—nodded, smiling through the shimmer in her eyes.
“I’ll be there,” she promised.
As they led me out, I turned back once. She stood by the mirror, fingertips pressed against the glass, whispering something I couldn’t hear. The reflection behind her rippled faintly again—light bending, like a pulse from another world.
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5
