Ted stood behind his desk, carefully preparing for his lesson. Teaching was his way of finding purpose again after losing his wife. The pain of her death had been unbearable, pushing him to leave his old life behind and move to a new city for a fresh start.

Just ten minutes into the lesson, a knock came at the door. Ted glanced up, but before he could respond, the door creaked open. The principal walked in, guiding a small, nervous-looking boy by the shoulder.

“Mr. Wilson, good morning. This is Marvin,” he said, placing a gentle hand on the boy’s shoulder. “He will be joining your class starting today.”

Ted turned to the boy with a warm smile. “Marvin! I’m so glad you’re here,” he said. “You can pick any seat you like, wherever you feel most comfortable.”

Marvin glanced around the room, shuffling his feet. After a moment, he picked a chair near the back and sat down, eyes fixed on the floor. The principal gave Ted a quick nod and quietly left the room.

Ted clapped his hands together. “So, Marvin,” he said, “would you like to tell us something about yourself?” Marvin shook his head.

Ted smiled. He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a small, colorful ball. Holding it up, he smiled at the class. “Alright, everyone, let’s make a circle,” he said.

The children eagerly shuffled their desks aside and formed a loose circle on the floor. “We’re going to play a game,” Ted explained. “When you catch the ball, share one thing about yourself. Then toss it to someone else.”

As the ball started to move around, Ted noticed Marvin sitting quietly at the edge. When the ball landed in his hands, he hesitated but eventually shared, “I like dinosaurs.”

Over time, Marvin started to open up more. Ted noticed how Marvin would stay after class to ask questions or just talk. The boy seemed to enjoy school now, and Ted found himself growing more certain that teaching was exactly where he belonged.

One day, Ted planned a Career Day for the class. The kids were buzzing with excitement, and parents filled the room, holding hands with their children.

Ted glanced around, noticing one empty seat. Marvin was not there yet. This felt strange. Marvin was always the first to arrive, sometimes even before Ted himself. Frowning, Ted reached for his phone to call Marvin’s parents, worried that something might have happened.

Just then, the classroom door creaked open. Ted looked up and saw Marvin standing in the doorway, beaming from ear to ear. “Sorry we’re late!” he called out cheerfully.

But Ted froze, his heart pounding. Behind Marvin stood a woman, and his hands started to shake. It was her. It couldn’t be, but it was. She looked exactly like his late wife, like seeing a ghost come to life.

“Tracy…?” Ted whispered, his eyes wide as he stared at the woman.

The woman blinked, looking puzzled. “I think you have me confused with someone else. I’m Amanda,” she said calmly.

Marvin stepped forward and grinned. “This is my mom! She writes books,” he added proudly.

Ted forced a smile, trying to hide his shock. “That’s… really cool,” he managed to say.

Amanda smiled warmly. “Marvin talks about you all the time. He says you’re an amazing teacher. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.”

Ted stood there, his mind spinning. He nodded slowly, unable to process what was happening. He kept telling himself it had to be a coincidence. But then, during her presentation, he saw it—a small scar on her palm. Ted’s breath caught in his throat.

It was her. It had to be. He remembered that scar. They had been hiking in the mountains when she slipped on a rock. The gash on her hand was deep, and he had to stitch it up right there. Tracy had laughed through the pain, teasing him that he could be a surgeon someday.

After Career Day ended, Amanda walked up to Ted. Marvin stood by her side, eyes bright and hopeful, like he was waiting for something big to happen. Ted wasn’t ready for this, for whatever came next.

Amanda smiled warmly at Ted. “Marvin can’t stop talking about you. He says you’re his favorite teacher. He really wants you to come over for dinner. He’s excited to show you all his dinosaur books,” she said. “So, we’d love to have you join us tomorrow evening.”

Ted froze. His mind raced. A part of him wanted to shout at her, to demand why she was pretending. How could she act like nothing had ever happened between them?

He almost said no, almost turned and walked away, but then he paused. Maybe this was his chance to find out the truth. He took a deep breath.

“I’d be happy to come,” he replied, forcing a small smile.

“YAY!” Marvin shouted, jumping up and down. “This is going to be awesome!”

“Great,” Amanda said. “We’ll be expecting you. See you tomorrow.” She turned to leave, Marvin holding her hand.

“Wait,” Ted said suddenly. “Can I ask… how did you get that scar on your hand?”

Amanda glanced at her palm, then shrugged. “I honestly don’t remember. It feels like it’s always been there.”

Ted nodded, his stomach twisting. He watched them walk away, his mind filled with questions.

The next day, Ted couldn’t focus on anything else. His mind kept circling back to dinner at Marvin’s house. He needed answers. He grabbed a bottle of wine, hoping it was a polite gesture, and a small dinosaur figure he had bought for Marvin.

When he arrived at their home, he stood outside for a moment, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Then he saw Marvin’s face pop up in the window. The boy’s eyes lit up as he waved excitedly. Ted managed a shaky smile and sighed. He had to do this.

He walked up to the door and rang the bell. Moments later, a friendly-looking man opened it. “Mr. Wilson, right? I’m Mike, Marvin’s dad,” he said, extending his hand.

“Nice to meet you,” Ted said, shaking Mike’s hand firmly. Mike stepped aside and waved him in.

“Please, come in. Let me take that,” Mike said, gesturing to the bottle of wine Ted was holding.

“Oh, yes, of course,” Ted replied, handing it over. He hesitated, then added, “I also brought something for Marvin.” He reached into his bag and pulled out the small dinosaur figure. “Thought he might like this.”

Mike’s face lit up with a big smile. “He’ll love it! Marvin is crazy about dinosaurs. He knows all their names, even the ones I can’t pronounce,” he chuckled. “Come on in. Amanda has everything set up in the dining room.”

Ted stepped inside, glancing around. His eyes caught a photo on the wall. It showed a woman with a small child, and below it was a label: “Marvin’s First Photo.” But the woman wasn’t Amanda.

He followed Mike into the dining room, where she stood, arranging plates. Ted’s heart skipped a beat. There she was, the woman he thought he had lost forever.

“Finally, you’re here,” Amanda said, looking up with a smile. “We’ve been waiting for you.”

They all sat down at the table, the smell of freshly cooked food filling the room. Ted stared at the dishes, his heart heavy. The meal was so familiar. It was exactly like the dinners Tracy used to make for him.

Marvin chatted away, talking excitedly about dinosaurs. Ted nodded and listened, trying to focus. After a while, Marvin yawned and headed off to his room. Now, it was just Ted, Mike, and Tracy at the table.

Ted cleared his throat. “Can I ask a question?” he asked.

Mike looked at him and nodded. “Of course, go ahead.”

Ted hesitated. “Who’s the woman in the photo? I saw it in the hallway. I hope it’s okay that I ask.”

Mike’s face softened, and he gave a small sigh. “Oh, you mean the one labeled ‘Marvin’s First Photo’? That’s Marvin’s biological mom. She passed away when Marvin was just three years old.”

“I’m sorry,” Ted said. “I thought Tracy… I mean, Amanda, was his mother.”

Mike gave a small smile and nodded. “She is,” he said gently. “Amanda and I met two years ago.”

Ted’s mind was spinning. “How did you two meet?” he managed to ask.

Amanda spoke up. “Mike was working at the hospital where I was,” she said simply.

“At the hospital?” Ted’s eyes widened in confusion.

She nodded. “Two years ago, fishermen found me unconscious on the riverbank in a small village. They took me to the hospital. When I woke up, I had no memory of who I was or how I got there. That’s where I met Mike.”

“The day I met Amanda was one of the best days of my life,” Mike added, squeezing her hand. “We moved in together, and Marvin accepted her as his own. Then we decided to start fresh here.”

Ted felt a wave of shock wash over him as the pieces fell into place. He remembered that day so clearly. They had been hiking on a narrow trail along the river when Tracy slipped.

She had fallen into the rushing water below. Ted had climbed down, yelling for help, searching desperately. For days, search teams scoured the riverbanks, but they never found her. The current had been so strong, everyone believed she was gone. She was declared dead.

Yet here she was, sitting across from him, alive. She had survived. But now, she had a new life, a new family. Ted’s heart ached as he looked at her. She seemed so happy, so content. And he was just a stranger to her, sitting at the table, unsure of what to do next.

Ted sighed. “It’s getting late. I should go,” he said, pushing his chair back and standing up.

“Of course,” Mike replied, standing as well. “I’ll walk you out.”

Ted stepped out into the cool night air. He headed toward his car, his mind spinning.

“Mr. Wilson!” A voice called from behind. It was hers—Tracy’s. He kept walking, staring straight ahead. He didn’t think he could face her.

“Mr. Wilson!” she called again. “Ted!” she called out, her voice saying his name in that familiar way, the way only she could. He froze, unable to take another step.

Slowly, he turned around. Tracy—no, Amanda—stood there, her eyes searching his face. “I know this might sound strange,” she began, “but I feel like you know me. You called me Tracy before. Why?”

Ted’s heart ached. He wanted to tell her everything. To shout that he was her husband. But then, he remembered the way Mike and Marvin looked at her, how happy they were. She had a new life now. “No,” he said, his voice low. “I was mistaken. I’m sorry.”

He turned and walked away, knowing it was the right thing to do, even if it tore him apart.

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