Nelly, my friend, has always seemed strange to me. She stayed inside her house most of the time for three years and rarely went outside. People were interested in her because she was pregnant when she moved in, but they hadn’t seen her child since.
Evan, my husband, told me not to worry because Nelly’s behavior was just because she was shy.
One night, while Evan and I watched our boys play, I told him about my worries. Even though he comforted me, I was still nervous.
I became more interested as the days went by. I saw Nelly in her yard from time to time, but she quickly went inside. Mrs. Freddie, our neighbor, saw my worry and offered to look into it.
Mrs. Freddie’s way of greeting people was very Southern, like a warm apple pie. But Nelly turned down the offer, which made me even more suspicious.
An opportunity was found in a lost letter written to Nelly. I grabbed it and walked up to her door, peering through the glass. It took my breath away when I saw a three-year-old boy with a scar that was exactly the same as Evan’s.
I fell down because the realization hit me so hard. The child’s eyes scared me.
I confronted Nelly and asked her questions. She admitted to having an affair with Evan, which led to the birth of their child, Tommy. Evan forced her to hide by saying he would cut ties with his family if she didn’t.
Nelly’s words hurt a lot. I felt lied to, like my marriage was a lie.
With Nelly’s okay, I talked to Evan about it. When he got back, divorce papers were waiting for him. After the fight, things got crazy. Evan’s family offered payments, and Nelly left with Tommy.
At the end, I promised my boys that I would make them better men than their dad.
I gave my boys a tight hug while I watched them play. I whispered, “Always be kind, honest, and real.” “Treat others as you want to be treated.” Even though I didn’t know what lay ahead, I was determined to lead them to a better tomorrow.
