Ethan finds himself browsing a dating app when he looks up to see the ghost of his late wife looking back at him. Is there a more mysterious reason at work, or has someone taken his wife’s identity? When confronted with a terrifying reminder of his demise, Ethan can only swipe right to explore further.
I never imagined that I would be a widower at thirty-five. And yet here I was, three years after the death of my wife Lily in a car accident. Therapy sessions followed years that passed in a haze of loss and destruction.
Lily and I first met in the library, where she was flipping through science fiction books and making notes of their names. She remarked, “I’m making a list of books I want to read,” as I walked by and my purse brushed her arm. “The list won’t be endless,” I replied. “I have a few.
“A little?” she asked jokingly. He clarified, “They’re genre-specific lists.” We talked about books in the cafe across the street from the library after she checked out a few. I promised to call Lily the next day and by the end of the afternoon, I had her number saved in my phone. Our romance developed rapidly and after two years we were united in marriage.
Lily was impulsive and had a strong desire for new experiences and cuisine. I felt protected, but she was everything I wasn’t. In addition, my husband encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and see the world from her perspective.
Lily was very boisterous and happy on the day of the accident. She described herself as “on call” because her best friend Maisie was due to give birth that day. When the afternoon came and the storm rolled in, Maisie was in labor. “Ethan,” she said. “I have to see the hospital!
Maisie and I have to be there. Would you like to participate?” Maisie was another member of our household, so I wanted to go. Even as young children, she and Lily had been best friends and had always been close. Saying, “I wish I could,” But I have one more meeting to finish. How about we meet later at the hospital?”
Lily nodded and hurried into the kitchen to make me a cheese sandwich and toasted it right before she left. “Now I won’t feel guilty about leaving you before dinner,” she said with a laugh. In less than 60 minutes, the paramedics called me. My Lily had an accident.A police officer stated, “Visibility would be compromised,” as Lily’s body was being loaded. “It’s a storm. My whole life changed after that. Joy was missing. Lily took all the brightness with her when she died.
However, three years later, I finally plucked up the courage to give online dating a shot in the hopes of rekindling a relationship. I had trouble making new friends after Lily. I just didn’t think I could handle the idea of having to let people in and tell them all about Lily.
I was sitting on the couch watching TV and scrolling through Tinder. And I stopped as I scrolled through all the happy faces. And there she was. Lily smiled at me with her beautiful face. It pierced my body like an iron pick. “What the hell?” I asked in the deserted lounge.
The bill was supposed to be for Caroline, but as I studied her face, I noticed my wife staring at me.
It seemed like a betrayal of her memory when I swiped right. However, I had to find out. How did my wife’s picture get on Tinder? Who took her picture? My phone surprised me with a beep indicating a match. Is this some kind of cruel joke? are you who are you I wrote with trembling fingers.
My spine tingled as an immediate reaction occurred. Ethan? God, God! Are you there?
My stomach flipped. I didn’t want to talk to my wife in any way. This couldn’t be Lily. I saw her fall to the ground. I made as many trips as I could to her grave.
So who was it?
And yet something changed even though I was sick. I kept messaging about the mystery surrounding my wife’s photos and she revealed personal information about my life that I shared with Lily.
She brought our vacation to Italy.
Remember the day you stole a bottle of wine from the room service cart in the hallway? Did you finish all the cheese too?
She lifted the scar on my hand.
I assume that scar is from when you and Malcolm were surfing?
One thing that really confused me though was when she revealed an excerpt from Lily’s wedding vows.
I felt a jolt of wonder and an eerie feeling that Lily was with me.
I texted the unknown person back and forth for the rest of the evening. As we talked, I felt more and more uneasy. She had too much knowledge about Lily, me, and our lives together.
I agreed to the meeting because I was desperate and needed answers.
Caroline and I met in a cafe in the afternoon.
My heart pounded opposite her. Except for her personal smile, she was exactly like my Lily. When she was in person, her eyes told a distinct story.
As she drank her coffee, she commented, “Ethan, you must be so confused.”
“Tell me about it,” I said.
“Ethan, I know it’s unbelievable. I find it weird too. Of course, I’m not Lily.”
Caroline, I’m her twin. I doubt Lily even realized we were separated at birth.
However, we were both adopted as soon as we left the hospital where we were born. At that time, our mother was eighteen and unable to raise us.’
From what I understand, Lily was unaware of her adoption. There was no way she would hide it from me. Lily couldn’t know if I didn’t.
Caroline remarked, “I don’t think Lily knew I existed.”
“She would try to find me, wouldn’t she?”
I said nothing. Caroline was asking questions and I didn’t know how to answer.
“I was looking for our birth mother and learned that Lily had passed away. According to my adoptive parents, I was adopted a long time ago. But it wasn’t until now that I felt compelled to look.”
Caroline continued her story by telling me how her parents handed her the adoption papers for Lily and urged her to find her.
Caroline admitted, “I suppose I should have known I was a twin.” “I always felt like something was missing. Twins are joined from birth, right?”
“I think so,” I replied.
She said: “And then I discovered Lily’s blog.”
I slapped my forehead. In this way, Caroline got to know every personal detail of our lives. Although Lily worked as an editor, she also enjoyed writing for herself. So she started a blog – a kind of virtual diary.
“Her blog has lots of ideas and anecdotes. That’s how I got to know her,” Caroline noted.
It felt weird sitting next to Caroline. She also shared other blog stories, times in Lily’s life that brought back memories for me. I laughed out loud for the first time in a long time.
We had the impression that Lily was trying to contact us remotely.
Caroline and I talked for hours, finding similarities in our lives that didn’t seem like coincidences.
It was both powerful and comforting.
I felt that Caroline was the connection to Lily that I believed was lost forever.
I felt a sense of closure I didn’t realize I needed as we said our goodbyes and began walking separately to our cars.
Since Lily was my longtime friend, the anxiety of her passing will never really go away. However, the arrival of Caroline started a new chapter.
I believe I have finally begun to heal.
Caroline and I continued to meet to get to know each other better. I also brought her to Lily’s grave several times.
Although I’m not sure where our connection will lead, I’m glad I found a new way to connect with Lily.
How would you answer if you were me?
Here’s another story for you: before a routine day revealed a surprising truth hidden in her own home, Ellen’s life was the picture of domestic bliss with her husband George and their daughter Lily.
After Ethan’s unexpected encounter with Caroline, the twin he never knew his late wife had, his journey to healing and understanding takes an unexpected turn. Despite his initial shock and confusion, Ethan finds comfort in Caroline’s presence, realizing that her connection to Lily offers a unique opportunity to keep her memory alive and explore the depths of their shared past.
Through candid conversations and shared memories, Ethan and Caroline form a bond that transcends time and loss. Together, they uncover the hidden sides of Lily’s life, from her blog to her deepest thoughts and desires, shedding new light on the woman Ethan loved and lost.
As Ethan and Caroline continue to navigate their newfound connection, they find comfort and closure in each other’s company, creating a bridge between past and present that allows them to move forward with renewed hope and resilience. Although the pain of Lily’s passing never completely went away, Ethan found a sense of peace in knowing that her spirit lived on through the enduring bond he shared with her sister.
In the end, Ethan’s journey served as a poignant reminder of the power of unexpected connections and the healing potential of embracing the unknown. Through Caroline, Ethan found a path to acceptance and understanding, turning his grief into a source of strength and renewal.
As Ethan looked to the future with newfound optimism, he carried Lily’s memory in his heart, forever grateful for the gift of love and connection that emerged from the most unlikely of circumstances. And in Caroline, he found not only a sister but also a companion on the road to healing and reconciliation.