Who Is in My Mother’s Skin?

How I wish I could turn back time. I should've listened to that voice message and gone into hiding. And to make it worse, I didn't even lock the door!

I held my breath, sweat beading on my forehead, my hands and feet shaking uncontrollably. I stared at the doorknob as it slowly turned.

Mom was about to come in!

Just as things were about to hit the fan, the front door rattled.

"I'm home," Dad called out.

Mom heard him from outside my door and got distracted. I saw the doorknob stop turning, then heard her gentle voice.

"Alright. Let's eat. Hurry up, Lily. Don't make your dad wait."

Her footsteps faded, and I felt like I'd just come up for air after being underwater. My legs went weak, and I dropped to the floor, gasping for breath.

Once I'd gotten my bearings, I heard the plates and silverware clinking from the living room and chairs scraping on the floor.

I cracked the door open to take a look. There was Dad, beer belly and all, casually tossing his briefcase to Mom.

That familiar sight snapped me out of fear like I'd just finished a horror game and was back in the real world.

I checked my phone and, strangely, the WhatsApp messages were gone. They disappeared without a trace, like they'd never been there and I'd just imagined the whole thing.

I couldn't believe it. Was something seriously wrong with me? I didn't dare stay in my room anymore, so I quietly crept out.

As soon as Dad saw me, his eyes crinkled into a smile. He asked where I'd been that day.

I was still feeling a bit scared. I glanced at Mom, who was in the kitchen ladling soup. Then, I quickly clasped my shaking hands behind my back, hoping they wouldn't catch on.

"Nowhere special. I just hung out with some friends," I said.

Dad asked if I had enough pocket money and told me to let him know if I needed more.

Still shaken by what had just happened, I wasn't in the mood to talk. I gave a few half-hearted responses and went quiet.

Mom came out with the soup. As she set a small bowl in front of me—maybe it was just my imagination—she looked up and gave me a creepy smile.

A jolt of fear shot through me. My right hand twitched, and the spoon slipped from my grip, hitting the marble tabletop with a loud, sharp clang. Mom and Dad turned to stare at me.

My heart pounded, and I forced a smile to hide my panic. If I told Dad about this, he'd probably think I was losing it.

Luckily, they didn't say much. After a bit of small talk, we wrapped up dinner.

"Lily," Mom called as I was about to head back to my room.

She had just finished washing the dishes and was still wearing her apron. Water droplets were dripping off her fingers.

There was something different about her. She'd always had loose skin from years of housework, with hands all wrinkled from detergent and cleaning products. But now, her skin looked smoother and clearer.

I looked away, too afraid to keep staring. My nerves were still shot.

"What's going on, Mom?" I asked carefully.

"Your grandma's coming over tomorrow, right?"

Dad mentioned Grandma's visit a few days ago. Had he not told Mom?

I nodded. "Yeah. She'll be here in the evening, so she should make it in time for dinner."

Mom smiled softly. "Alright. I'll make some extra dishes tomorrow."