My mom divorced my dad after he cheated on her. Ever since, she’s struggled with crippling anxiety and needed to monitor my every move. When I started college, I had to check in with her three times daily just to receive my allowance. Then one morning, I overslept and missed a check-in. I’d come down with severe pneumonia from the flu. Mom flipped out and cut off my allowance for the entire day. Without money for medication, my pneumonia worsened and developed into sepsis. Barely making it to the hospital, I called Mom begging for a month’s allowance in advance to pay for medicine. But she shut me down immediately: “Lily! You’re just like your lying, cheating father—nothing but a manipulator!” “You planning to blow this cash on some shady stuff with him, huh? No way in hell!” Her enraged yelling echoed through the phone—loud enough for the billing clerk to overhear every word. “Ma’am, you have acute sepsis. It’s life-threatening. Maybe you should try explaining the situation to your family again?” I glanced at the long line behind me, forced a weak smile, and stepped aside. “I’ll try calling again.” I huddled in a corner, burning with fever. Every breath felt like inhaling shards of glass. My hands trembled as I typed a message: “Mom, I’m so sorry. I won’t mess up again. Please just help me this once.” I hit send. *Message Not Delivered.* Desperate, I opened Snapchat and messaged my stepdad David, hoping he could spot me some emergency funds. That’s when I saw his post from a minute ago. In the photo, he, Mom, and my half-sister Mia were all grinning with their cheeks pressed together. “December 8th—taking my wife and kids out for French dinner!” Mom hadn’t smiled like that around me since the divorce. Whenever she looked at me—saw Dad’s face staring back at her—all I saw was hatred and resentment. After she remarried and Mia was born, that smile came back. David and Mia were both genuinely kind, always greeting me warmly. But I always felt like an outsider—a ghost haunting the edges of their perfect little family. Too scared to get close, too scared to rock the boat. I just lingered like a shadow, quietly watching the fragile happiness Mom had finally found. Those three daily check-ins were all that kept us connected. My roommate called me nuts for letting my family treat me like a prisoner, but it was a twisted kind of comfort. It was the only tie I had left to Mom. Every check-in, I ached to share my day—all the little wins and worries. But I was terrified of annoying her, so my messages got shorter and shorter—never more than a sentence. She never replied, just sent cold, impersonal allowance transfers. For years, I held onto those transfers like lifelines, convincing myself Mom still cared. The pain in my body intensified. Finally, I worked up the nerve to text David: “David, I’m really sick. Could you loan me some emergency cash? I’ll pay you back, promise.” The second I hit send, my phone rang. I answered, but Mom’s enraged voice exploded through the speaker. “Lily, you ungrateful brat! You think you can hit up your stepdad for money? Can’t stand seeing me happy, huh?” “How could you even be my daughter? You’re probably his and that whore’s kid!” I couldn’t say a word. I knew Mom was reliving the day she found out about Dad’s affair. His mistress got pregnant. Dad, panicking, tried to pressure her into an abortion and cut things off—but she refused. She showed up at our house, flaunting her pregnancy, and told Mom she’d terminate for $50,000. Otherwise, she’d latch onto our family forever with that baby. Back then, Mom was secretly pregnant with my little brother, though no one knew it yet. Not until she flew into a rage, started bleeding, and ended up in the ER. That’s when we learned she’d miscarried. The divorce was inevitable after that. I waited terrified for her decision, scared she’d abandon me too. Thankfully, she took me with her. She jabbed her finger at my temple, voice dripping with loathing: “From now on, you’re Lily Green—my name. You’ll have nothing to do with that father of yours!” “You better be a perfect daughter, or I’ll disown you! Got it?” I forced a smile and carefully took her hand. “Got it, Mom. I’ll be good!” “Don’t you dare bother your stepdad again. Understand?” “Yes, Mom…” Before I could finish, she hung up. I slowly sank to the floor, burying my face in my knees as silent tears soaked my jeans. My eyelids grew heavy. I closed my eyes and slipped into darkness.
When I opened my eyes again, I was in a restaurant. Mom, David, and Mia sat at a table—laughing like one big happy family. I called out “Mom” without thinking, but no one turned around. I looked down at my translucent hand and laughed bitterly. So I died, huh? Good. My face always bothered Mom—too much like Dad’s. Now that I’m gone, she can finally have peace. After hanging up, David turned to Mom in a quiet voice. “Eleanor, Lily might actually need that money. You should’ve asked what was wrong.” Mom scowled. “Please. She’s just a college kid—how much could she possibly need?” “Give her too much cash, and she’ll get reckless. Start partying or something.” “She needs to learn a lesson. I’m cutting her off for a week. Otherwise, she’ll run wild—who knows what she’d do!” I shook my head frantically, wanting to scream that I was a good kid. But I was just a ghost. No matter how hard I tried, no one could see me. Mia perked up when she heard my name. “Was that Lily? Can I talk to her? I miss her!” She looked up at her parents, bottom lip sticking out in a pout. Mom—who usually gave Mia anything she wanted—shook her head. “Mia, don’t talk to Lily. She made bad choices. She’s trouble, and she’ll lead you astray!” Mia shook her head. “Teacher says everyone makes mistakes! Even if Lily messed up, she deserves a second chance.” “I learned a new saying today: ‘Admit your mistakes and fix them!’” Tears blurred my vision. I reached out to stroke her hair—my hand passing right through. Thanks, Mia. For sticking up for me. For believing in me. Mia’s innocent words softened Mom’s scowl a little. “If your sister were half as sweet and smart as you, I wouldn’t be so upset.” “C’mon, Mia. Let’s not talk about your sister anymore.” “Let’s try this soup!” She changed the subject, ladling steaming soup into Mia’s bowl. Mia frowned. “Fine, but tomorrow I’m calling Lily!” Just then, Mom’s phone buzzed. She glanced at it—a message from my college advisor, Professor Thompson. “Ms. Green, have you heard from Lily? She didn’t check into her dorm tonight and hasn’t requested leave. We’re concerned for her safety.” Mom’s brief smile disappeared. “Always causing problems!” I wrung my ghostly hands, silently begging for forgiveness. I’m sorry, Mom. I should’ve told the school I was sick. I messed up again. Mom texted back to Professor Thompson: “Don’t worry about her. She’s probably out partying somewhere!” Professor Thompson called right away. Professor Thompson called her. “But her roommate said she went to the hospital today.”
Mom scoffed. “Professor Thompson, don’t waste your time. Lily’s a bad seed—born to lie and manipulate!” Professor Thompson tried to reason with her. But Mom hung up without a second thought. David stood there, looking like he wanted to say something but biting his tongue. Mom didn’t seem worried at all. “She’ll check in by tomorrow morning, tops.” “If not, she gets zero allowance for the whole month!” But the next day, my check-in never came. Mom started pacing the house, clearly anxious. Her phone rang, and she grabbed it instantly. It was Dad. “Eleanor Green speaking.” “Your ex-husband’s a little short on cash. Send me some money!” Mom’s face turned red with rage. “Victor Adams! You bastard, how dare you call me?” “Believe me, I don’t want to. But our daughter didn’t send me my monthly money.” My chest tightened. Oh no. Mom would lose it if she found out I’d been in touch with Dad. Ever since Dad found out I got into a top university, he’d been harassing me nonstop. “My successful daughter’s forgotten her poor old dad,” he’d sob outside my dorm, putting on a whole show for everyone to see. “Your old man’s barely scraping by. No money, and I’ll have to go bother your mom!” To keep him away from Mom, I’d been sending him $100 from my monthly allowance—whatever I could spare. But this month, being sick, I had nothing extra to give. I told him I was sick, but he didn’t care. I never thought he’d go straight to Mom! I floated around in a panic. Bitterness welled up inside me. It was his fault Mom lost the baby, got divorced, and developed anxiety! Why couldn’t he just disappear? Mom was already on edge from me missing check-in this morning. This call was like pouring gasoline on a fire. Her voice shot up in volume. “You son of a bitch! You’ve been talking to her??” “Do you have any idea what Lily went through when you cheated? The looks, the whispers??” “And now you’re dragging her back into this??” “Just drop dead! Go crawl in a hole and die!” She slammed the phone down. I froze. So Mom *had* noticed how much I was hurting back then. She did care about me. A small smile tugged at my lips. I wanted to hug her so badly. But Mom was trembling all over. “Lily… Lily!” “I told her not to talk to her father. How could she lie to me…” Her hands shook so hard she could barely hold her phone. My chest tightened—Mom was having a panic attack. Mom dropped to her knees, gasping for air, then collapsed to the floor. “Mom!” I tried to help her, but my hands just passed through her body. “Mom!!” Mia ran in when she heard the noise. “Mom! I’ll get your medicine!” Mia wasn’t even five, but she knew exactly what to do. She was calmer than I ever could be. She grabbed the pill bottle, got a glass of water, and helped Mom sit up. After Mom took the medicine, her breathing steadied. I let out a shaky breath. “Mia, you’re my little angel.” “Not like your sister. She’s nothing but trouble.” “I warned her a hundred times, but she kept sneaking around with him.” “Why would she…” Mom’s voice cracked, and she started sobbing. Mia wrapped her tiny arms around Mom’s neck like a little grown-up. “Don’t cry, Mom. Both me and Lily are your angels!” Watching them hug, I hung my head. She was right to be upset with me. She told me never to talk to Dad again. I promised, but I broke that promise. Just then, Mom’s phone rang again—urgently.
It was David, sounding frantic. “Eleanor! The hospital just called—Lily’s dead!” Mom went rigid. She opened her mouth, but only a bitter laugh came out. “Enough!” “David, don’t fall for her games.” “You know what? She’s been sneaking him money every month, right under my nose.” “Sick in the hospital? Please. She’s just scamming me for cash to give that man!” David paused. “But… it was from Lily’s phone. The nurse gave me her patient ID.” “So what? She texts me yesterday, and now she’s ‘dead’?” “If something really happened, why wouldn’t she call me? Her own mother?” Because you blocked my number, Mom… My chest ached. But I couldn’t blame her. Mom’s anxiety made her block out anything too painful. She probably didn’t even remember blocking me. David went quiet. Mom hung up without another word. Then Mia started coughing hard. Mom snapped to attention, feeling Mia’s burning forehead. “Mia, you’re burning up! Why didn’t you tell me you felt sick?” “Didn’t wanna worry you, Mommy,” Mia whispered weakly. I looked away, ashamed. I was ashamed of myself. Mia was sick but tried not to worry Mom. I only ever caused problems. Mom took Mia to the hospital. The same one I died in. As they left with Mia’s prescription, Mom heard nurses talking. “Poor kid. No family came to claim her.” “College student, too. Such a waste.” “This flu is brutal. Killed her in days.” Mom slowed down. “Her mom blocked the hospital calls. Can you believe that?” “Her stepdad said he’d come, but never showed.” Mom stopped walking. Something clicked in her head. She pulled out her phone and checked our messages. There it was—she’d blocked me. Her face went white. “No wonder she didn’t check in… I blocked her.” “I’ll forgive her. Just don’t do it again, Lily.” She unblocked me and called. No answer. Her hands shook as she tried again. A covered gurney rolled past. The hospital doors whooshed open, blowing cold air.
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