Lisa’s son, Mike, couldn’t stop talking about his new friend, Sophie. Every day, it was “Sophie this, Sophie that.” Lisa was curious about this new friendship and, hoping to connect, agreed to meet Sophie’s mom. But when Lisa opened the door to Sophie’s house, her heart dropped—standing there was someone from her past.
Lisa was driving slowly as she approached the school, casting a glance at Mike through the rearview mirror. He was staring out the window, lost in thought. The silence was heavy, thick with all the weight they had carried with them after moving to this strange town. It still felt foreign to Lisa, a place where she didn’t quite belong.
She had hoped that this new start, far from the pain of their old life, would help them heal. But she still worried about Mike. Since his father’s death, he had grown quieter, more withdrawn. Would he be able to make new friends? Would he fit in? Would he be okay?
“Have a good day, sweetie!” Lisa called as Mike hopped out of the car. “Be brave!”
When she picked him up later that day, his eyes were bright, and he nearly skipped to the car. “Mom!” he said, bursting with excitement. “I made a new friend! Her name is Sophie!”
Lisa smiled, relief washing over her. Maybe this move would be good for them after all. Sophie quickly became the center of every conversation.
One afternoon, after school, Lisa pulled up to the curb, and Mike rushed to her car, his grin wide enough to light up the whole street. He flung himself into the car and hugged her tightly.
“Hey, buddy!” Lisa said, still smiling as they drove away. “How was your day? You seem really happy.”
“Yeah! It was awesome!” Mike replied, still beaming with excitement. “Guess what? Sophie invited me to her house tomorrow to play!”
Lisa raised an eyebrow, surprised but happy. “Really? That’s great! But I’ll need to talk to her parents first, just to be sure.”
Mike dove into his backpack, pulling out a wrinkled piece of paper. “Here! Sophie gave me her mom’s number,” he said, handing it over eagerly.
Lisa nodded, tucking the paper into her purse. “Thanks, Mike. I’ll text her tonight.”
At home, Lisa sank into the couch and pulled out her phone. She quickly typed the number Mike had given her and sent a message.
“Hi, I’m Lisa, Mike’s mom. He told me Sophie invited him over tomorrow. Is that okay with you?”
Not long after, her phone buzzed with a reply.
“Hi, Lisa! Yes, Sophie already mentioned it. We’d love to have Mike over!”
Lisa exhaled in relief. She quickly typed another response.
“That’s great! Is there anything I should bring with Mike?”
The reply came almost immediately.
“Maybe some wine, so we moms aren’t too bored!”
Lisa chuckled at the playful tone of the message. She thought for a moment, then typed back, “Sounds good! See you tomorrow.” She felt a tiny spark of hope. Maybe this could be her chance to make a new friend. Mike had told her that Sophie’s mom was raising her daughter alone, too.
Maybe we’ll understand each other, Lisa thought. We’re both doing this on our own. I could use someone to talk to, someone who knows what it’s like.
The next day, Lisa and Mike arrived at Sophie’s house. Holding a bottle of wine in one hand, Lisa shot Mike a small, encouraging smile. He knocked on the door, practically bouncing on his feet with excitement. When the door opened, Sophie stood there, her face lighting up when she saw Mike.
“Sophie!” Mike shouted, running forward to hug her.
“Sophie!” Mike squealed, and they both ran off together, laughing.
Lisa stood at the door, waiting. A moment later, the door opened wider, and Sophie’s mom appeared. Lisa froze.
There, standing before her, was Alice. Alice from high school—the girl who had made her life miserable.
Alice’s eyes narrowed as she took in Lisa’s face. “Lisa,” she said, her voice cold, her smile tight.
“Alice,” Lisa replied, feeling her stomach sink.
Alice crossed her arms, sizing Lisa up. “You haven’t changed. Still the same plain, boring mouse,” she said, her voice dripping with disdain.
Lisa’s face hardened as she shot back, “And you’re still wearing skirts so short, you’re practically giving everyone a show.”
Alice stepped aside and opened the door just wide enough for Lisa to enter. The tension between them was suffocating.
As Lisa walked through the door, she gripped the bottle of wine tightly in her hand. The sound of children’s laughter echoed through the house, but the air between Lisa and Alice remained as cold as ice. They sat down, poured their wine, and barely exchanged a word.
Lisa’s mind raced as she sipped her drink. She couldn’t stop thinking about how Alice had treated her in high school. Alice had been the queen of popularity, adored by everyone, while Lisa had been invisible—no, worse than invisible. She had been Alice’s target.
Lisa remembered how Alice had humiliated her: the teasing, the nasty rumors, the homework Alice would steal to get ahead. But what stung the most was prom night. Alice had stolen Lisa’s date, and Lisa had gone alone, watching Alice dance in her prom queen crown.
The bitterness of those memories still cut deep. And Alice, sitting across from her now, had never once apologized. By the end of the evening, Lisa and Alice exchanged only a few terse words before parting ways. Mike and Sophie stayed close friends, but Lisa kept her distance from Alice. That was, until a few weeks later, when Lisa got a call from Mike’s teacher, Miss Terry.
“Lisa,” Miss Terry’s voice was serious. “Can you come to school? We need to talk.”
Lisa’s stomach dropped as she made her way to the school. She had no idea what was coming. When she entered the office, she was unprepared for what she saw: Alice, sitting there with a sorrowful expression.
“What’s going on?” Lisa asked, her voice tight with worry.
Miss Terry gestured to a chair. “Please, sit down.”
Lisa sat, her heart racing. She glanced between Alice and Miss Terry. “Now will you explain what this is about?” she demanded.
“Mike has been bullying Sophie,” Miss Terry said, her tone firm.
Lisa blinked, stunned. “What? That’s impossible. They’re friends!”
Alice sighed heavily, putting on a fake, sorrowful face. “Sophie has told me about it several times. I tried to handle it, but nothing changed, so I had to get Miss Terry involved.”
Lisa was furious. “Why am I only hearing about this now?”
Alice’s eyes darkened as she sneered, “Maybe you’re not paying enough attention to your son. You haven’t been taking care of him, and now he’s becoming a horrible person!”
Lisa felt her blood boil. “How dare you! You can insult me all you want, but don’t you dare speak about my child like that!” Her voice wavered with emotion.
“Please, calm down,” Miss Terry said, trying to defuse the situation. “Lisa, I know it’s been tough managing things alone after your husband’s passing. Maybe you should consider getting some help?”
Lisa straightened, her voice firm. “I am managing. We’re managing just fine. Mike is even seeing a specialist.”
Miss Terry nodded, though her expression remained serious. “I see. But if this behavior doesn’t stop, we may have to consider expelling Mike from the school.”
Lisa’s heart dropped. “She’s making all of this up! Can’t you see that? Mike and Sophie are friends! Has anyone even seen him bullying her?”
Miss Terry hesitated. “No, but Sophie has told me…”
Alice’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction as she added, “Maybe you need a specialist, too, if you can’t see what your son is doing.”
That was it. Lisa couldn’t take it anymore. “Oh, go to hell! I’ve had enough of this!” she shouted, storming out of the office, her heart pounding in her chest.
Tears filled Lisa’s eyes as she drove home, her hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles turned white. She couldn’t believe it. After all these years, Alice was still trying to destroy her life, just like she had in high school.
But this wasn’t high school anymore. They were grown women, mothers now, with children to care for. Lisa thought, Alice should have learned by now. We’re not teenagers anymore. Why is she still acting like one?
A few days after that tense meeting, there was a knock at the door. Lisa opened it, only to be surprised to see Alice standing there, her face softer than usual.
Lisa crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes. “What do you want? Come to throw more insults at me?”
“No,” Alice replied quietly, looking down at her feet. “I came to apologize.”
Lisa stood frozen, shocked. Those were the last words she expected from Alice.
Alice looked up, her face full of regret. “Sophie’s been crying non-stop. She misses Mike. She wants to be friends with him again. I hate seeing her so upset. She’s all I have, Lisa.”
“So, you’re admitting you lied?” Lisa’s voice trembled with a mixture of disbelief and anger.
Alice nodded, her eyes meeting Lisa’s. “Yes. I’m going to tell Miss Terry the truth tomorrow.”
“But why?” Lisa asked, still confused. “Why lie in the first place?”
Alice sighed, her face filled with shame. “For the same reason I did in high school. I was jealous of you.”
“Jealous?” Lisa’s voice rose, unable to believe what she was hearing. “I lost my husband. I’m raising a child alone.”
Alice bit her lip, looking guilty. “But at least you had a husband who loved you,” she said quietly. “I married Scott. Remember him? The guy I stole from you at prom?”
Lisa’s stomach churned at the memory. Alice continued, “I don’t want to get into the details, but he wasn’t a good husband. Not a good father, either. Two years ago, I finally found the courage to leave him. Sophie and I ran away.”
Lisa raised an eyebrow, a slight smirk playing at her lips. “So, I should be thanking you for stealing him, huh?”
Alice laughed sadly. “You were always better than me—smarter, braver. You had a good family. When I saw how strong you were with Mike, how well you were doing on your own, I couldn’t handle it.”
There was a long silence before Alice spoke again. “Can you forgive me?”
Lisa hesitated. Then, stepping aside, she said, “Come inside. Let’s start with some wine. We have a lot to talk about.”
The two women stood there, awkwardly unsure of what to say next. Then, to Lisa’s surprise, Alice leaned forward and hugged her. It caught Lisa off guard, but she hugged Alice back. All the anger she had been holding onto began to fade. She realized that Alice had her own battles, her own pain, and in that moment, maybe they could both start healing.
