Lisa’s boy, Mike, couldn’t stop raving about Sophie, his new buddy. Every day, it was Sophie this and Sophie that. Lisa, eager to connect, consented to meet Sophie’s mother. But as she opened the door, Lisa’s world crumbled—it was someone from her past.
Lisa drove slowly towards the school, looking in the rearview mirror at Mike, who was staring out the window. The quiet between them was oppressive, laden with the weight of everything they had endured. Lisa continued to feel weird in the town, with its unfamiliar streets and strange people.
She thought the fresh start would help them recover, but she was concerned about Mike. Since his father’s ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ, he became calmer and more reclusive. Could he make new friends? Would he feel at ease in this new place?
As Mike got out of the car, she said, “Have a good day, sweetie!” “Be brave.”
When she picked him up later that day, his eyes were sparkling, and he virtually skipped into the car. “Mom! I made a new friend! Her name is Sophie!”
Lisa smiled with relief. Perhaps this decision will benefit them after all. Sophie became a regular topic of discussion from then on.
Lisa went to pick up Mike from school one afternoon. He rushed over, grinning from ear to ear, and hugged her passionately.
“Hey, buddy! How was your day? You seem happy,” Lisa said, smiling as they walked to the car.
“Yeah! It was awesome!” Mike replied, still beaming as he climbed into the car.
“Really? What happened today?” Lisa asked, curious.
“Sophie invited me to her house to play!” Mike exclaimed excitedly.
“Oh? “When are you going?” Lisa inquired, looking at him as she started the car.
“She said tomorrow!” Mike replied, bouncing slightly in his seat.
“Well, I’ll need to talk to her parents first to make sure it’s okay,” Lisa said.
Mike rummaged through his rucksack, revealing a crumpled piece of paper. “Here! Sophie lives with her mom. She gave me her number,” he said, handing it over.
“Thanks, Mike. I’ll text her tonight,” Lisa said, tucking the paper away.
Lisa sat down on the couch and took out her phone. She entered the number Mike had given her and began texting.
“Hi, I’m Lisa, Mike’s mom. He told me Sophie invited him over tomorrow. Is that okay with you?”
After a few minutes, her phone vibrated with a response.
“Hi, Lisa! Yes, Sophie already told me about it. We’d love to have Mike over.”
Lisa smiled relieved. She wanted everything to go nicely. She promptly sent another message.
“That’s great! Is there anything I should bring with Mike?”
The response arrived nearly instantly.
“Maybe some wine, so we moms aren’t too bored!”
Lisa chuckled at the message. Sophie’s mom seemed to have a sense of humor. She paused for a moment and said, “Sounds good! See you tomorrow.” She then put her phone down, feeling a little more relaxed.
Lisa smiled to herself, sensing a glimmer of hope. Perhaps this will be her opportunity to make a new buddy. Mike mentioned that Sophie’s mother was also parenting her daughter alone.
Lisa reasoned, “Maybe we’ll understand each other.” We are both doing this on our own. The thought of having someone to talk to, someone who understood her troubles, made her feel a little better.
The next day, Lisa and Mike went to Sophie’s residence. Lisa smiled at Mike while holding a bottle of wine. Mike knocked on the door, jumping with enthusiasm. Sophie stood there when the door opened.
“Sophie!” Mike exclaimed, his face lit up.
“Mike!” Sophie shrieked and grabbed his hand. The two kids raced inside, laughing.
Lisa waited by the entrance, waiting. Sophie’s mother walked out a moment later, as the door opened wider. Lisa’s heartbeat stopped. Alice stood in front of her. Alice from high school is her deadliest adversary.
Alice’s eyes furrowed when she recognized Lisa. “Lisa,” she said with clinched teeth and a phony smile.
“Alice,” Lisa responded, feeling her stomach drop.
Alice crossed her arms and looked Lisa up and down. “You haven’t changed. Still the plain, boring mouse.”
Lisa’s face tightened as she said, “And you’re still wearing skirts so short, you’re practically giving everyone a show.”
Alice stepped back, holding the door wide enough for Lisa to slip through. Lisa could feel the tension between them from the beginning.
As she walked in, she grabbed the bottle of wine tighter. The children’s laughing rang throughout the home, but the air between Lisa and Alice remained frigid. They sat down, poured their wine, and exchanged barely any words.
Lisa’s thoughts raced as she sipped her drink. She could not forget how Alice had treated her in high school. Alice had been the queen of popularity, the one everyone admired, whilst Lisa had been invisible. Worse than invisible, she had been Alice’s target.
She remembered how many times Alice had embarrassed her. The mocking, the cruel rumors, and the homework that Alice would steal to go ahead. But the worst recollection is from prom night when Alice snatched her date. Lisa had gone alone to watch Alice dance and laugh, all while she wore the crown of prom queen.
Even after years, the ache lingered. And Alice, sitting opposite from her, had never apologized. By the end of the night, the bitterness remained in the air. They separated with a few icy words.
Mike and Sophie remained close friends, while Lisa avoided Alice. That was until one day, when Lisa received a call from Mike’s teacher, Miss Terry, inviting her to the school. Lisa came frightened, but unprepared for what lay ahead. As soon as she entered the office, she noticed Alice sitting there.
Lisa’s stomach dropped. “What’s going on?” she asked, her voice tight.
Miss Terry gestured to the chair. “Please, sit down, Lisa.”
Lisa sat and looked between Alice and Miss Terry. “Now, will you explain what this is about?” she inquired again.
“Mike has been bullying Sophie,” Miss Terry said, her tone serious.
Lisa blinked, stunned. “What? That’s impossible. They’re friends!”
Alice sighed deeply, putting on a melancholy expression. “Sophie has told me about it several times. I tried to handle it, but when nothing changed, I had no choice but to get Miss Terry involved.”
Lisa could barely suppress her annoyance. “Why am I only hearing about this now?”
Alice’s eyes hardened as she sneered, “Maybe you’re not paying enough attention to your son. You haven’t been taking care of him, and now he’s becoming a horrible person!”
Lisa’s anger flared. “How dare you? You can insult me all you want, but don’t you dare speak about my child like that!” Her voice shook with emotion.
“Please, calm down,” Miss Terry said, trying to diffuse the situation. “Lisa, I know it’s been tough managing things alone after your husband’s ᴘᴀssɪɴɢ. Maybe you should think about getting some help?”
Lisa straightened, her voice firm. “I am managing. We’re managing just fine. Mike is even seeing a specialist.”
Miss Terry nodded, but her demeanor remained serious. “I see. But if this behavior doesn’t stop, we may have to consider expelling Mike from the school.”
Lisa couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “She’s making all this up! Can’t you see that? Mike and Sophie are friends! Has anyone even seen him bullying her?”
Miss Terry hesitated. “No, but Sophie has told me…”
Alice smirked and added, “Maybe you need a specialist too if you can’t see what your son is doing.”
Lisa couldn’t hold back anymore. “Oh, go to hell! I’ve had enough of this!” she shouted, storming out of the office, her heart pounding.
Lisa’s eyes welled up with tears as she drove home, her hands tightly holding the steering wheel. She could not believe it. Alice was still causing trouble after all these years, just as she had been in high school.
But it wasn’t high school anymore. They were adult ladies, mothers with children to care for. Lisa believed Alice should have learned by now. We’re not teenagers anymore. Why does she still act like one?
A few days had gone after the stressful encounter at school. Lisa was shocked one evening when she heard a knock on the door. She opened it to discover Alice standing there, her expression unlike the frigid one she usually wears.
Lisa crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes. “What do you want? Come to throw more insults at me?”
“No,” Alice replied gently, staring down at her feet for a while. “I came to apologize.”
Lisa stood paralyzed in disbelief. These were the last words she expected to hear from Alice.
Alice nodded, her face troubled. “Sophie’s been crying non-stop. She misses Mike. She wants to be friends with him again. I hate seeing her so upset. She’s all I have, Lisa.”
“So, you’re admitting you lied?” Lisa inquired, her tone a mix of disbelief and wrath.
“Yes,” Alice replied, meeting Lisa’s gaze. “I’m going to tell Miss Terry the truth tomorrow.”
“But why?” Lisa asked, still confused. “Why lie in the first place?”
Alice sighed deeply. “For the same reason I did in high school. I was jealous of you.”
“Jealous?” Lisa asked, her voice rising. “I lost my husband. I’m raising a child alone.”
Alice bit her lip, looking ashamed. “But at least you had a husband who loved you,” she said quietly. “I married Scott. Remember him? The guy I stole from you at prom?”
Lisa nodded, memories of that dreadful night flooding back.
Alice continued, “I don’t want to get into the details, but he wasn’t a good husband. Not a good father either. Two years ago, I finally got the courage to leave him. Sophie and I ran away.”
Lisa raised an eyebrow, a slight smirk forming on her lips. “So, I should be thanking you for stealing him, huh?”
Alice gave a sad laugh. “You were always better than me—smarter, braver. You had a good family. And when I saw how strong you were with Mike, how well you were doing on your own, I couldn’t handle it.”
There was a long pause before Alice added, “Can you forgive me?”
“Come inside. Let’s start with some wine. We have a lot to talk about,” Lisa said, stepping aside and holding the door open for Alice.
They stood there for a few moments, uneasy and unsure, until Alice leaned forward and hugged her.
Lisa was caught off guard, but she returned the hug. Lisa’s anger began to subside at that point. She understood Alice had also been bearing her own problems.
