Found a New Family in the Mirror

My mom and dad, who revolved around my sister Barbara every single day, had no idea that I had another familyinside the mirror.

When the three of them went on a trip for three days, they finally remembered they had me.

But when Mom and Dad rushed home in a panic, they found me cleaned up and well-fed, looking healthy and plump.

The guilt and alarm on Mom's face gave way to sheer disbelief.

"Somerville, have you been taking care of yourself these past few days?"

I shook my head. "I've been staying inside the mirror these past few days. There's a mom and dad in there who took care of me."

A flash of disbelief crossed their eyes, followed by thunderous rage:

"You know Barbara has autism, and you're lying just to compete with her for our attention?"

All the exhaustion and suppression my parents had accumulated over the years poured out on me in that moment.

I was locked in my room, and Mom warned me viciously through the door.

"We're already exhausted taking care of Barbara. This family can't afford to raise two autistic children.

If you lie again, you won't be staying in this house anymore!"

I curled up in the corner, crying so hard I couldn't breathe.

Suddenly, a withered hand reached out from the mirror, gently stroking my head.

"If they abandon you one more time, I'll take you away."

The moment the door was pushed open, the mom in the mirror crawled backward into the mirror.

Mom stood quietly at the doorway, looking at me. "We're having guests over later. Come out and help."

I followed closely behind Mom, taking the plastic plate from her hands. My eyes couldn't help but land on the large cake in the center of the table.

"Don't just stand there. Hurry up and divide the cake."

Halfway through dividing the cake, I suddenly rememberedtoday was my birthday.

So Mom and Dad still remembered my birthday after all.

My nose tingled, and I wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes.

I suddenly remembered that before Barbara got sick, Mom and Dad had been really good to me.

When they took Barbara shopping at the mall, they would always bring me new clothes, instead of making me wear Barbara's hand-me-downs that never fit properly.

If I went away with the mom and dad in the mirror, would they be sad?

The next moment, Mom clasped her hands together, her voice full of happiness, shattering my fantasy.

"Barbara can finally call us Mom and Dad. Today is a day worth celebrating."

"When our relatives and friends arrive later, Barbara might even speak a few more words to other people."

I stood frozen in place, the corners of my mouth slowly drooping.

The doorbell rang, and relatives flooded in.

Barbara was surrounded in the center like a star.

"Barbara, I heard you can speak now. I'm Uncle Dexter."

"I'm Aunt Bella. This is a gift for you."

Under everyone's excited gaze, Barbara pressed her lips together, nervously clutching the hem of her dress, refusing to speak.

Seeing the relatives' enthusiasm waning, Dad quickly shot me a look, signaling me to help Barbara out of this situation.

I squeezed into the middle of the relatives, sweetly greeting them one by one.

"Let me serve you some cake."

While eating the cake, the relatives smiled and praised me:

"Somerville has such a sweet mouthso likable."

"If I had a daughter as articulate as Somerville, I'd laugh in my sleep."

Only Aunt Colleen had an indifferent expression, deliberately raising her voice. "Articulate? I think she's clearly just competing for attention."

"She's five or six years old. When my son was her age, he could recite Shakespeare's poems backward. What's so impressive about knowing how to greet people?"

"She's just showing off in front of someone with autism."

Mom's expression darkened as well. She scolded me sternly, "Somerville! You always have the most to say. Barbara finally spoke, and you still have to steal the spotlight."

Dad's smile faded as he shot me a cold glance. "Put away those petty thoughts of yours. Stop trying to get attention this way."

Seeing me keep my head down in silence, Dexter asked with a half-smile:

"Somerville, tell mewho taught you to compete for attention at such a young age?"

I pursed my lips, my eyes reddening as I instinctively looked toward Mom and Dad.

Mom and Dad's eyes flickered for a moment, as if they'd just remembered what they'd demanded of me.

Ever since Barbara's autism got worse, Mom and Dad had been forcing me to talk more in front of Barbara every single day.

Each time, I'd talk until my voice went hoarse, but Barbara would still show no response.

Mom would sob, clutching her chest, venting all her frustration on me.

"Talk more in front of Barbara! Talk! Hurry up and talk!"

"What's the point of having a mouth if you don't use it? Mouths are for talking, aren't they?"

"But you? You don't think about Barbara at all. All you do is make her angry."

But Barbara's "kindness" to me was secretly stuffing candy in my mouth when she knew I couldn't eat sugar.

I was only three back then. All my teeth rotted, and the pain kept me awake every night.

In the end, not only were all my baby teeth pulled out, but I also got scolded by Mom and Dad.

Dad would often say to me sternly, "Somerville, the therapist said someone in the family needs to guide Barbara to speak and give her positive feedback."

"You have both the responsibility and the obligation to help Barbara and set a good example for her."

But I've already been trying so hard to guide Barbara. Why are Mom and Dad still not satisfied?

Just as I faced the relatives' interrogation, clutching my hands and not knowing how to answer, Dad handed me a plate of strawberries.

"Go eat your strawberries somewhere else. Talk less."

I took the strawberries, but Barbara suddenly snatched them away, raised her hand and smashed them on the floor, then opened her mouth to let out a piercing scream.

Mom and Dad's faces went pale. Barbara's autism was acting up again.

Mom, with reddened eyes, poked my forehead with her finger and scolded:

"Somerville, why are you so greedy? Barbara hasn't eaten yetwhy are you eating first?"

"You know Barbara lacks a sense of security. Everything in this house should prioritize Barbara. Barbara comes first."

Looking down at the smashed strawberries on the floor, a bitter taste rose in my throat.

I squatted down and picked up the strawberries from the floor one by one, placing them on the plate, my lips mumbling, "I know I was wrong. I don't want the strawberries anymore."

"I'll let Barbara have all the strawberries."

Seeing how obedient I was, Uncle Torres frowned curiously and asked, "Why has Somerville become so well-behaved? I remember when you were three, you were so protective of your food. Once something was in your hands, no one could take it away."

Hearing Torres's words of concern, a warmth rose in my heart, and my inner thoughts spilled out without defense:

"Because the mom in the mirror already gave me strawberries to eat..."

Meeting Mom and Dad's icy stares, I realized I'd said the wrong thing. I quickly covered my mouth with my small hands and shook my head, indicating I hadn't said anything.

Colleen didn't believe I'd really become obedient. A cold smile curved her lips. "Somerville sure knows how to act!"

"Deliberately pretending to be pitiful to gain sympathy, and even lying about having a mom in the mirror. Why don't you just say you're going to live in the mirror?"

Hearing Colleen's words, I froze.

How did Colleen know that the mom in the mirror wanted to take me away?

Mom caught the panic in my eyes and trembled with anger. "Somerville, didn't I teach you not to lie? Why are you spouting nonsense today?"

"Hurry up and tell everyone that the mom in the mirror is something you made up. It's a lie."

I instinctively glanced at the mirror in my room. The mom in the mirror poked her head out, staring at me with hollow eyes, her mouth curving into an eerie arc.

I timidly raised my head and stammered, "Mom, I'm not lying, and I'm not making things up..."

There really was another mom in the mirror.

But under Mom's stern, pressuring gaze, I swallowed the rest of my words.

Torres, who had grown up in a church, took my words seriously. He frowned and said to Mom:

"I don't think Somerville is lying. Maybe there really is something wrong with that mirror. How about I help you check the house?"

After Torres took out his religious artifacts from his bag, Mom's expression grew increasingly tense.

Just as Torres was about to ask me some questions about the mirror, Barbara's scream interrupted him.

Barbara picked up a shard of broken porcelain from the floor and slashed it across her wrist.

Mom instantly panicked, hugging Barbara in distress and stopping her from continuing to harm herself.

Dad looked at me with anguish, his eyes ice-cold. "Did you deliberately lie about having parents in the mirror to make Barbara feel guilty enough to cut her wrist?"

"We've been so good to you. How can you be so vicious and come up with such twisted ideas?"

I shook my head violently, tears blurring my vision. "Dad, I'm not lying..."

But Dad wouldn't listen to my explanation. He said goodbye to the relatives and drove Barbara to the hospital.

After the relatives left, I was the only one standing there in a daze.

I'd already tried my best. Why wouldn't Mom and Dad believe me?

Barbara's wrist wound wasn't deep, so there was nothing serious.

But Mom and Dad still took turns staying by her side, afraid something else might happen to her.

I could only see them when they came home to cook for Barbara.

But whenever I got close, Mom and Dad would unconsciously push me away, distancing themselves from me.

"Somerville, stop hovering around us."

"You've already driven Barbara to cut her wrist. Do you have to see Barbara die before you're satisfied?"

I shook my head, looking completely wronged. "Mom, I don't know why Barbara cut her wrist either, but I really didn't want to see Barbara die."

Even when Barbara had emotional breakdowns and scalded me with hot water from her cup, or cut my bangs with scissors, I never resented her.

After all, Barbara got sick because of me.

If I, the second child, didn't exist, Barbara wouldn't have gotten sick.

And Mom and Dad wouldn't have to frown all day long.

But hearing Mom say these things still made my heart ache.

Two days later, Barbara was discharged and came home.

After coming home, Barbara was much more active than before.

Besides calling out "Mom" and "Dad," she could also speak some simple sentences.

According to Mom, it was when she cried like a mess that Barbara felt sorry for her and started speaking.

But I'd been trying to guide Barbara to speak for years, and she never responded.

Why did Barbara start talking as soon as Mom cried?

Holding the doll the mom in the mirror had given me, I quietly pushed open Barbara's door.

But I saw Mom and Dad sitting at Barbara's bedside, gently coaxing her:

"Barbara, from now on, just rest and recover at home. No matter how much Somerville tries to compete with you for our attention, Mom will only love you."

"Dad feels the same way. That's why we've been deliberately ignoring Somerville these past few days to teach her a lesson."

Barbara's eyes reddened as she slowly spoke, "Don't... blame Somerville. She's still young."

"If only I didn't exist..."

Hearing Barbara say this made Mom and Dad both angry and distressed.

Dad put his arm around Barbara's shoulder and gently promised, "Silly child, don't talk nonsense. You'll always be Mom and Dad's precious treasure."

"Somerville has complicated thoughts. We're planning to send her to Colleen's house for discipline for a while. Once you're better, we'll bring her back home."

The doll in my hand slipped and fell to the floor.

A flash of panic crossed Mom and Dad's faces at being caught.

Seeing me remain silent, Dad simply decided to come clean. "Since you've already heard, your mom and I won't hide it from you anymore."

"Colleen called yesterday and kept nagging us to send you over for education for a while."

My body felt heavy, like it was filled with lead. With tears in my eyes, I looked up and met Mom and Dad's gaze:

"Mom, Dad, just because Barbara is sick, are you going to pretend you don't love me and completely abandon me?"

Dad turned his head away, unwilling to look at me.

Mom snorted impatiently:

"Didn't you insist there are parents in the mirror who love you more than us? Then just take the mirror and go live at Colleen's house."

After Mom finished speaking, she kicked me out of Barbara's room and slammed the door shut.

I listened to the laughter coming from inside the room, a dull pain spreading through my chest.

Perhaps they were the happy family of three, and I was just the unwanted outsider.

I silently returned to my room. The mom in the mirror had already prepared a fragrant lunch waiting for me.

She unfolded her withered, shriveled body and smiled at me:

"Come eat. After you eat, come with Mom. Your dad is still waiting for you inside the mirror."

I nodded with vacant eyes, obediently eating the meal the mom in the mirror had made.

Halfway through the meal, my tears couldn't be held back anymore and fell in large drops onto my rice.

I sobbed quietly and asked the mom in the mirror, "Before I go, can I say goodbye to Mom and Dad?"

The mom in the mirror grinned eerily. "Be quick. I'm about to take you away."

I wiped my tears, picked up the pen on the table and wrote a farewell letter to Mom and Dad, then ran to them and hugged them. "Mom, Dad, goodbye!"

Mom looked at the letter and threw it in the trash like garbage.

Dad's face was tense. "Don't think that by retreating, we'll compromise and not send you away."

"Colleen will be here in 5 minutes. Go pack your things."

I nodded heavily.

Although I was already prepared to leave, my heart still ached faintly.

I returned to my room without taking anything, just sitting on the bed in a daze, looking at this home where I'd lived for six years.

It suddenly felt so unfamiliar.

At least in the mirror, there were parents who loved me, and there was no Barbara who disliked me.

Living with Mom and Dad in the mirror should be happier than now, right?

The next second, Colleen arrived at my bedroom door and shouted:

"This door won't open. Somerville must have locked it."

Mom and Dad outside the door knocked frantically, cursing:

"Somerville, you've really gotten bold. Now you even dare to lock the door."

"Colleen is here to pick you up. Open the door right now!"

"Even if we have to tie you up today, we'll drag you out and fix your bad habits!"

Seeing that I wouldn't open the door no matter how much they scolded, Mom and Dad got furious and kicked the door open.

At that moment, I was standing obediently in front of the mirror, waving goodbye to them one last time.

Mom and Dad's faces turned ashen as they glared at me, about to step forward and discipline me.

The next moment, a pair of withered hands reached out from the mirror behind me.

Mom and Dad's faces instantly went pale. In panic, they shouted at me, "Somerville, come here quickly!"

But I turned around and threw myself into that embrace without hesitation.