It seems so pointless and ungrateful for me to even complain about what most people would say is nuts, but I have a theory that my fifteen year old son isn’t my son.
Updated 2/9/2020 – I’m not saying that I think he was either switched at birth or that my wife cheated on me back then, but he and I don’t click at all.
Don’t get me wrong; he looks like me, sounds like me and even acts like me at times, especially when he’s angry or finds something amusing.
People are always praising my wife and I for raising such a perfect, well-mannered, intelligent and good-looking boy who cares about the world and all creatures great and small.
If you ask me, he’s a little too perfect.
Even when he loses his temper he’s thoughtful and soon apologizes.
Some would say that we have a perfect life.
We’re well off and we live in a beautiful home which is taken care of by my wonderful wife.
Some say we’re so lucky that it hurts.
But I’d give anything to have what other people have, even if it meant being poorer.
I enjoy seeing the trials and tribulations of others.
That’s what life is supposed to be all about, but my wife doesn’t agree.
She loves how perfect her “little angel” is and goes on and on about how wonderful he is.
It makes me want to vomit and scream.
The only time she ever lost her temper was six months ago, when I told her about a vivid dream I had. It started with my son being a year old again.
I went into his room and saw the window open with the curtains flying and flapping about.
I went over to close the window when I felt the hairs on my neck prickle.
I slowly turned around and saw an evil looking shadow person leaning over the crib.
My instincts kicked in and I raced over to the crib but the creature grabbed my son up and leapt out of the window.
I yelled for my wife as I ran down the stairs to apprehend the creature as my son screamed in terror.
When I made it outside she came up behind me with our son on her hip.
Both were smiling sweetly at me.
After that dream, I woke up crying and saying that I finally knew what happened to our son; that we’d been left with a changeling from the other side.
My wife was so enraged she slapped me across the face.
She was so hurt that she began to cry.
I comforted her and tried to shake the dream off.
I’ll never forget the next morning at breakfast when my son gave me the strangest smile.
He said, “I love you, Father.
You know that, right?”
I gulped and nearly choked on my coffee because I was so chilled by the undertone of his trained voice.
“Yeah, I know that Daniel.
I love you too.”
I watched as he stared right through me with his pale green eyes, before he looked back at his eggs with a satisfied smile.
Just yesterday, we went to a crazy New Age festival which my wife loves to attend.
She and Daniel put on crazy hats and danced with the other nuts while I sipped some God-awful herbal smoothie.
I nearly choked when I saw a boy watching me from the other side of the field.
Something about his eyes and the wistful way he looked at me pulled at my heartstrings.
I started to move towards him but in an instant he was gone. I could’ve sworn I saw a dark figure leading him away.
I was then distracted by Daniel who gave me an almost threatening look.
“Father, aren’t you going to join in?”
He asked in a menacing tone.
When I saw the pained look in my wife’s eyes I gave in and took his hand.
“Sure.” I smiled.
I keep telling myself, “Someday soon.”