Nelly, my neighbour, lived a strange life. She kept her child hidden behind closed doors so no one could see them. A shocking truth became clear with just one look through her window, making me feel uneasy.
People were interested in Nelly because she lived alone and rarely went out in public. When she showed up three years ago, she was heavily pregnant, and then she disappeared completely, which made things even stranger.
Evan, my husband, and I talked about my worries one night while we watched our kids play. He ignored them and said that Nelly’s behaviour was because she was shy.
But the feeling didn’t go away. When I walked up to Nelly in the yard, I saw that she was scared. The suddenness of her leaving and the slammed door made me feel even worse.
Our neighbour, Mrs. Freddie, offered to look into it. She went up to Nelly’s door with a fresh apple pie and Southern kindness. The rejected pie and Nelly’s rude reaction made us even more suspicious.
After some time, I found a letter written to Nelly. The lost mail gave me an idea. When I looked through her window, I saw a shocking sight: a three-year-old boy with a scar that looked a lot like my husband’s.
It was like a goods train hit me with the truth. I talked to Nelly and asked her to explain herself.
Nelly told a sad story in her living room. She met Evan at a bar, and they had a one-night stand that turned into an unplanned pregnancy. Evan was worried about losing his family, so he offered to help financially as long as the situation stayed secret.
Evan’s control over Nelly led to her being alone. He moved her next door to keep an eye on her and Tommy.
My world fell apart. Evan’s work trips and late nights started to look like something bad was going on. How long did he lie to me?
As I thought about the truth, the days went by quickly. It broke my heart that my boys didn’t know they had a brother.
Evan’s return from his work trip was the start of the end. I gave him the divorce papers, and Nelly and Tommy showed up, telling him the truth.
What happened next was a mess. Evan’s folks offered to give me half of their business as payment. Nelly and Tommy left, leaving me to fix things.
As I watched my kids play one afternoon, I promised to raise them to be better men than their dad. I was determined to shape their future with kindness, sincerity, and care, even though I didn’t know what the road ahead held.
