I Laid My Son to Rest 15 Years Ago – When I Hired a Man at My Store, I Could Have Sworn He Looked Exactly Like Him

“You knew it was mine?” I asked.

He nodded. “I applied because I wanted to tell you the truth. I just didn’t know how.”

Karen looked at him through red eyes. “So you lied instead?”

“I tried to say it many times,” Barry said. “But when I got close, I froze. I’m sorry.”

“You knew it was mine?”

No one spoke for a long time.

Finally, I pushed back from the table.

“I need some air.”

Then I walked out, and Barry must’ve left, cause he wasn’t around when I returned.

I barely slept that night. Memories of my son haunted me.

But Barry also featured. I thought about everything he’d told us.

He wasn’t around when I returned.

***

When morning came, I drove to the store as per usual.

Barry was already there. When he saw me, he looked nervous.

“Morning,” he said quietly.

“Come with me,” I replied.

We stepped into the office. I sat down.

“Do you know why I hired you?”

He shook his head.

“Because you looked like my son,” I said.

Barry was already there.

His eyes widened.