THE CALL
1688 Words
“Mom?”
Carol froze.
Her fingers tightened around the phone.
For a moment, she couldn't breathe.
She stared at Victoria's Graveside, then slowly looked down at the phone again.
The voice had been clear.
Too clear.
It couldn't be her imagination.
Carol's lips parted.
“Victoria?”
There was a brief silence.
Then the voice came again.
“Yes, Mom.”
Carol's eyes widened.
Her entire body went rigid.
“Baby?”
Her voice cracked.
“Is that really you?”
“Yes.”
Carol stumbled backward.
“No…”
She shook her head rapidly.
“No, no, no.”
Her hand flew to her mouth.
Tears filled her eyes almost instantly.
“Victoria?”
“Yes, Mom.”
Carol looked around the empty funeral grounds.
Everyone had gone.
The workers had already started clearing some of the flowers from around the graveside. The chairs used during the ceremony had been left in uneven rows, and the large floral arrangements that were kept beside Victoria's Graveside were beginning to wilt beneath the afternoon heat.
But Carol barely noticed any of it.
Her eyes remained fixed on Victoria's portrait.
The coffin that was supposed to contain her daughter.
She stared at it, then back at the phone.
“How?”
Her voice was barely audible.
“How are you calling me?”
“I told you. I'm alive.”
Carol's knees weakened.
She reached for the edge of a nearby chair and sat down.
Her breathing became uneven.
“But…”
She looked at the coffin again.
“But you're dead.”
“No, Mom.”
Carol shook her head.
“I watched them lower the coffin.”
“I know.”
“I stood here.”
“I know.”
“I cried over you.”
“I know.”
Carol's face crumpled.
“You're alive?”
“Yes.”
A sob escaped her.
She covered her mouth and bent forward, tears falling freely now.
“Oh my God.”
She couldn't stop crying.
Her shoulders shook as she tried to catch her breath.
“You're alive.”
“Yes, Mom.”
“You're really alive.”
“Yes.”
Carol pressed the phone tightly against her ear.
“Where are you?”
“I can't tell you.”
Carol lifted her head.
“What?”
“I can't tell you where I am.”
“Victoria, I am your mother.”
“I know.”
“I just buried you!”
“I know.”
“Then tell me where you are.”
“I can't.”
Carol wiped her cheeks.
“Why?”
“I need you to listen to me first.”
Carol closed her eyes.
She was angry.
Confused.
Relieved.
She didn't know which emotion to hold onto.
“I'm listening.”
“I never boarded the plane.”
Carol opened her eyes.
“What?”
“I wasn't on the plane.”
“Then what happened?”
“I made everyone believe I was.”
Carol stared at the graveside.
Her expression changed.
“You…”
Her voice trembled.
“You faked your death?”
“Yes.”
Carol stood up abruptly.
“Why would you do that?”
“I needed to disappear.”
“Disappear?”
“Yes.”
“For what?”
“I don't want to talk about it over the phone.”
Carol's brows furrowed.
“Victoria, you've put this entire family through hell.”
“I know.”
“Amara has been crying since she heard the news.”
Silence.
Carol noticed.
“You heard me?”
“Yes.”
“She loved you.”
“I know.”
“She still thinks you're dead.”
“I know.”
Carol's voice softened.
“Then why?”
Victoria took a deep breath.
“I wanted a new life.”
Carol slowly sat back down.
“A new life?”
“Yes.”
“Without us?”
“I don't mean it like that.”
“Then explain it to me.”
“I just needed to leave.”
“Why couldn't you simply leave?”
“I couldn't.”
“Why?”
“Because if I told everyone I was leaving, they would follow me.”
Carol stared at the ground.
She didn't understand.
“You could have come to me.”
“I couldn't.”
“I'm your mother.”
“I know.”
“Whatever you're going through, I would have helped you.”
“I know you would.”
“Then why did you do this?”
Victoria was silent for several seconds.
“I didn't want anyone to stop me.”
Carol's eyes filled with tears again.
“You let me believe my daughter was dead because you were afraid I'd stop you from leaving?”
“Yes.”
Carol shook her head.
“You're unbelievable.”
“I know.”
“You know what I went through?”
“Yes.”
“You know what today was?”
“I know.”
“I watched them bury you.”
“I know.”
Carol looked at the Gravesife again.
Her voice became quieter.
“I was blaming myself.”
Victoria didn't respond.
“I kept thinking about everything I could have done differently.”
Carol wiped her tears.
“I thought maybe I wasn't a good enough mother.”
“You are.”
“Then why did you leave?”
“I just needed to.”
Carol looked down at the photograph of Victoria.
Victoria was smiling in it.
Carol touched the edge of the frame.
“Where are you now?”
“Somewhere safe.”
“Are you alone?”
“Yes.”
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Do you have food?”
“Yes.”
“Money?”
“Yes.”
Carol sighed deeply.
Her questions were instinctive.
She was still her mother.
“You should come home.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because I've made my decision.”
“Victoria…”
“I want to start over.”
Carol's expression softened.
“A completely new life?”
“Yes.”
“No family?”
“Not yet.”
Carol frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“I just want to live differently.”
Carol didn't understand, but she could hear the certainty in her daughter's voice.
“You've thought about this for a long time.”
“Yes.”
“And you really don't want to come home?”
“Not now.”
Carol lowered her head.
She hated the idea.
But she was too relieved to be angry.
Her daughter was alive.
That was the only thing that mattered at that moment.
“Will I see you again?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“I don't know.”
Carol's eyes filled with tears.
“Please don't do this to me again.”
“I won't.”
“You have to call me.”
“I will.”
“Promise.”
“I promise.”
Carol nodded slowly.
Then Victoria became quiet.
“Mom?”
“Yes?”
“I need you to do something for me.”
“What?”
“Don't tell anyone I'm alive.”
Carol's expression immediately changed.
“What?”
“Please.”
“No.”
Her answer came quickly.
“They need to know.”
“I know.”
“Amara needs to know.”
“I know.”
“Your family needs to know.”
“I know.”
“Then why should I lie to them?”
“Because I want to start over.”
Carol stared at the flowers. Different flowers relatives had brought.
“But everyone thinks you're dead.”
“I know.”
“They're grieving you.”
“I know.”
“Amara will never forgive herself.”
Victoria was silent.
Carol noticed the silence.
“Victoria?”
“I'm sorry.”
“That isn't enough.”
“I know.”
Carol wiped her eyes.
“Why do you need to hide?”
“I just do.”
“Are you in trouble?”
“No.”
“Did someone hurt you?”
“No.”
“Then what are you afraid of?”
“Nothing.”
Carol sighed.
She wanted answers.
She wanted to understand her daughter.
But Victoria wasn't giving her any.
“Please, Mom.”
Carol closed her eyes.
She had already lost her daughter once.
She couldn't bear the thought of losing her again.
“All right.”
Victoria exhaled.
“Thank you.”
“But I'm not happy about this.”
“I know.”
“You're asking me to lie to everyone.”
“I know.”
“And I don't understand why.”
“I'll explain everything one day.”
Carol looked toward the empty grounds.
“When?”
“When I'm ready.”
Carol nodded slowly.
“Fine.”
“Thank you, Mom.”
“But you have to be careful.”
“I will.”
“And you call me whenever you can.”
“I promise.”
Carol's lips trembled.
“I love you.”
There was a pause.
“I love you too.”
The call ended.
Carol remained standing there with the phone pressed against her ear.
She didn't move.
She couldn't.
Her eyes slowly moved toward the coffin.
For several seconds, she simply stared at it.
Then she looked down at Victoria's portrait.
Her daughter was alive.
Somewhere in the world, Victoria was alive.
Carol wiped her face and took a deep breath.
Relief washed over her.
But beneath it was confusion.
She still didn't understand why Victoria had gone to such extreme lengths to disappear.
She didn't understand why her daughter wanted to abandon everything.
And she certainly didn't understand why she had been so determined to keep it secret.
But Victoria had asked her to.
And Carol had promised.
She placed the phone back inside her handbag.
Then she picked up the portrait of her daughter and held it carefully against her chest.
“Just be safe,” she whispered.
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