One innocent question from my neighbor’s son led me down a path I never expected. What I uncovered about my husband left me breathless, and I knew my life was about to take a sharp turn I never imagined. A regular Saturday. I was out in the yard, knee-deep in my little jungle of weeds, enjoying the early afternoon sun when I spotted Dylan, my neighbor’s son, making his way up the driveway. He was nine, maybe ten, and the kind of kid who didn’t ask for much but always had this quiet determination about him.
He had that same look now as he walked toward me, hands stuffed into his pockets, eyes cast downward. “Hi, Ms. Taylor,” Dylan mumbled, standing a few feet away. He wasn’t usually this shy, which immediately got my attention. I wiped the dirt off my hands and gave him a smile. “Hey, Dylan! What’s up? Everything okay?” He shifted from foot to foot, still avoiding my gaze. “Uh, yeah… um, sorry to bother you, but do you think I could swim in your pool for a little bit?” The question took me by surprise. Dylan had never asked to swim in my pool before, but it wasn’t unusual for the neighborhood kids to hang around. I figured maybe he was just looking for something to do. His mom, Lisa, wasn’t home much, and he spent most of his time alone.
“Of course! You know you’re welcome anytime,” I said, glancing over at the pool. “It’s pretty warm out. You’ll feel better cooling off. Want some lemonade too? “I watched him walk over to the pool, laying his towel down on one of the loungers. Something felt…off. Not in a creepy, eerie way, but just enough for a little knot to form in my stomach. I brushed it off, telling myself I was just being overprotective. He’s a good kid, I reminded myself.
I decided to get him a glass of lemonade anyway. It was too hot for him not to stay hydrated. I went inside, poured a glass, and walked back out, just in time to see him taking off his shirt. The glass slipped from my hand, shattering at my feet. My heart pounded and I could barely catch my breath. On Dylan’s back was a distinct birthmark—a large, irregular shape just below his shoulder blade. That birthmark was too familiar. My husband had the exact same one. Same shape, same spot. My mind couldn’t process it. I felt like I was in a bad dream I couldn’t wake up from. He shrugged and went back to splashing around in the pool, completely unaware of the panic clawing at me.
The same birthmark. My husband’s voice echoed in my head from years ago, joking about how rare it was, how it looked like some kind of blotched star. Now I was staring at it on another person—on Dylan. I turned away quickly, not wanting Dylan to see the fear, the confusion, the anger bubbling up. I needed answers, but where could I even start? “Taylor, everything okay?” he called out. “You’ve been pacing for an hour.” I jumped at his voice, trying to act casual. “Uh, yeah… just… thinking about some stuff.” He raised an eyebrow but didn’t push it. My heart pounded. I couldn’t ask him, not yet.
