I couldn’t help but recall a similar moment from years ago when I told Kim I wanted the limited edition Lego “Snow Mountain Cabin” set for my birthday. She’d simply laughed and said, “What’s fun about Lego?” before gifting me an expensive set of cosmetics instead.
Her smug expression as she handed over the gift left me feeling hollow.
But I had learned to let it go.
Don’t fight it anymore, Edna, I told myself. Accept your fate.
No one’s happy to have you back—not Kim, not my mom, and certainly not Hector. They all prefer the lively, charismatic Edna.
No, in their minds, I’m the fake Edna.
It was past ten when I returned home. The house was dark, save for the faint glow of a single candle on a cake resting on the coffee table.
Hector was there, sitting in the shadows. The flickering light danced across his face, softening his features in a way that made him look almost tender.
“Eds, is that you?”
He must’ve heard me approaching. Slowly, he opened his eyes, squinting through the dim light. When he realized it was me, his expression shifted. He stood abruptly, crossing the room in a few quick strides before pulling me into a tight embrace.
“I knew it was you. You’re finally back.”