Joey stared at his birthday cake, his face blank. Then, suddenly, tears rolled down his cheeks.
“My birthday was yesterday,” he whispered.
My stomach dropped. Yesterday? But the documents said today. What else had I been kept in the dark about?
“Do you want a boy or a girl?” the adoption worker had asked.
“I just want to be a mom.”
That was the only thing I knew for sure. I wasn’t the kind of woman who dreamed of making homemade baby food or dressing in matching pajamas. But I knew I could be the kind of mother who changed someone’s life.
And that someone was Joey.
He didn’t know it yet, but the day had come. For weeks, during every visit, he had inched closer to me, gripping the hem of my sweater with his tiny hands. His dark eyes always asked the same question: “When?”
That day, I walked into the foster home carrying a plush dinosaur—big, soft, with tiny, funny arms. The moment Joey saw it, his fingers twitched, but he stayed still. I knelt beside him.
“Well, Joey, are you ready to go home?”
His eyes flicked from the dinosaur to me.
“We’re never coming back here?”
“Never. I promise.”
He hesitated, then slowly reached for my hand.
“Alright. But just so you know, I don’t eat green beans.”
I bit back a smile.
“Noted.”
And just like that, I became his mom. I knew adjusting wouldn’t be easy. But I had no idea how many secrets Joey carried with him.
Joey’s birthday was just a week after he moved in.
I wanted to make it special—his first birthday in his new home, our first celebration as a family. I planned everything. Balloons, decorations, a mountain of presents—enough to make him feel loved, but not overwhelmed.
The day started perfectly.
We made pancakes together—or more accurately, we destroyed the kitchen. Flour dusted the countertops and even Joey’s nose. He giggled, clapping his hands to send another puff of flour into the air.
“Are we making pancakes or redecorating?” I teased.
“Both!” he said proudly, stirring the batter.
After breakfast, we moved to presents. I had chosen them carefully—action figures, dinosaur books, and a giant toy T-rex. But as Joey unwrapped them, his excitement seemed to fade.
“Do you like them?” I asked.
“Yeah. They’re cool.”
That wasn’t the reaction I expected.
Then came the cake. I lit the candle and grinned at him.
“Alright, birthday boy, time to make a wish!”
But Joey just sat there, staring at the candle, his face unreadable.
“Sweetheart? This is your day. Make a wish.”
His lower lip trembled. His hands curled into fists.
“This isn’t my birthday.”
I froze. “What?”
“My birthday was yesterday.”
I felt sick. “But… the documents said today.”
“They made a mistake. My brother and I always celebrated together. But I was born before midnight, so we had two birthdays. That’s what Grandma Vivi said.”
My heart clenched. It was the first time he had mentioned his past.
“Your brother?”
Joey nodded. “Yeah. His name is Tommy.”
I swallowed hard. “I… I didn’t know. I’m so sorry.”
He sighed and put down his spoon.
“The last time we had a birthday, I was four, and then he was four. Grandma Vivi threw us two separate parties. With friends. And then… they took me away.”
Only a year ago. His wounds were still fresh.
“I wish I could be with him right now,” Joey whispered.
I squeezed his hand. “Joey…”
He rubbed his eyes quickly and stood up.
“I’m kinda tired.”
I nodded. “Okay, let’s get some rest.”
As I tucked him in, he pulled a small wooden box from under his pillow and handed me a folded paper.
“This is the place. Grandma Vivi always took us here.”
I unfolded it. A simple drawing. A lighthouse. My breath caught.
I had spent so much time planning our future together. But now I knew—I had to heal his past first.
Finding that lighthouse wasn’t easy.
Google didn’t care about Joey’s memories. It just spat out endless lists: tourist attractions, historical sites, abandoned lighthouses.
“There has to be a way to narrow this down,” I muttered.
I adjusted the search filters and scrolled through images until—
“That’s it!” I turned my laptop. “Joey, does this look familiar?”
His eyes widened. “That’s the place!”
“Alright, buddy. Let’s go on an adventure.”
We packed sandwiches and set off.
On the way, Joey traced his drawing absently. I could see the worry in his eyes.
“What if she doesn’t remember me?”
I squeezed his hand. “How could she forget?”
He didn’t answer.
The coastal town was busy with tourists. I slowed the car.
“Let’s ask someone.”
Before I could park, Joey leaned out the window, waving at an older woman.
“Hi! Do you know where Grandma Vivi lives?”
The woman frowned, looking between us. I braced for suspicion.
But then she pointed. “Oh, you mean old Vivi! She lives in the yellow house near the cliffs. You can’t miss it.”
Joey turned to me, his eyes shining. “That’s it!”
I swallowed hard. “Guess we found her.”
The house sat on the edge of a rocky cliff, the lighthouse standing tall nearby. I knocked on the door.
An elderly woman answered, her silver hair pulled into a bun. Her sharp eyes softened for a second—before turning wary.
“What do you want?” she asked.
“Are you Vivi?”
“Who’s asking?”
“I’m Kayla. My son, Joey, is looking for his brother, Tommy.”
Her face hardened. “There are no brothers here.”
“Oh… I’m sorry.”
But before I could say more, Joey stepped beside me.
“Grandma Vivi!” He held up his drawing. “I brought Tommy a present!”
Vivi’s grip on her teacup tightened. Then, she whispered, “You should leave.”
Joey’s face fell.
“Please,” I begged. “He just wants to see his brother.”
Vivi sighed. “You shouldn’t dig up the past.”
Then she shut the door.
I wanted to knock again. To demand answers. But Joey just stared at the door, then placed his drawing on the step.
We turned to leave.
But then—
“Joey! Joey!”
A boy came running.
Joey’s head snapped up. “Tommy?!”
They crashed into each other, hugging so tightly I thought they might never let go. Behind them, Vivi stood in the doorway, her eyes glistening.
And, slowly, she nodded.
An invitation.
We weren’t leaving just yet.
