The morning of July 3, 1991, was like any other. My boys Liam, Noah, and Eli ran off together to the nearby playground, their laughter trailing behind them as I waved goodbye. It would be the last time I saw them. That afternoon, they didn’t come home.
Panic settled in as hours passed, and by nightfall, police were involved. Despite search parties, news coverage, and relentless questioning, the trail went cold. Years turned into decades, and I was forced to live with a hole in my heart and no answers, until last month.
Ever since I divorced my ex-husband, Hermando, my ex-mother-in-law, Kelsey, hasn’t given me the time of day. When the hospital rang saying she wanted to talk, I nearly dropped the phone. Talk about a curveball! I hesitated big time. What could she possibly want? The woman can't stand me. Still, curiosity—it's a killer. I figured, maybe it's best to hear her out. So, dragging my feet, I agreed to go visit.
Stepping into that sterile hospital hallway felt eerie. Voices echoed around me, but all I could focus on was that room at the end. Kelsey, my ex-mother-in-law, had been placed on end-of-life care. As I neared, she spotted me, her frail form barely visible under those blankets. A sinking feeling settled in my gut. I couldn't tell what she might say. Would it be peace, or another round of her usual spite?