I always thought we were a perfect family until my son told me he had a “secret sister.” At first, I thought it was just one of those things kids do to grab your attention. But when I dug deeper, I found something that turned my world upside down.
Mike and I have been together for five years now. We’re still not married, though not for lack of dreaming about it on my part.
Our son, Luke, is four years old with Mike’s charming smile and my stubborn chin.
A little boy smiling | Source: Midjourney
We live together in a house we bought jointly in a quiet suburb with good schools and neighbors who bring casseroles when someone’s sick.
Until recently, I thought we were genuinely happy.
It all began last Tuesday.
The marketing agency where I work had wrapped up a major campaign, so my boss let us go early. I decided to surprise Luke by picking him up from daycare myself instead of letting Mike get him after his shift.
A close-up shot of a woman’s hand on a steering wheel | Source: Pexels
“Mommy!” Luke squealed when he saw me, abandoning the toy trucks he’d been playing with. “You’re early!”
I scooped him up, inhaling the mix of Play-Doh and apple juice that seemed to follow him everywhere.
“I sure am, buddy. I thought we could stop for ice cream before heading home.”
His eyes widened. “Can I get sprinkles?”
“You can get double sprinkles,” I promised, helping him gather his backpack and lunch box.
All the way to the ice cream shop, Luke chatted about dinosaurs and how his friend Ethan had brought a lizard for show-and-tell.
Ice cream | Source: Pexels
It wasn’t until we were almost home that he dropped the bomb.
“Daddy won’t be expecting us yet, will he?” I asked, glancing at him in the rearview mirror.
Luke shook his head, then leaned forward as far as his car seat would allow.
“Mommy!” he whispered loudly. “Don’t tell Daddy I told you… but I have a secret sister.”
