Jake was gone, but Alex was sitting on a nearby bench.

He looked shocked to see me, wondering if the time machine had failed. But when he saw the date displayed on his smartwatch, he pumped his fist. "It worked!"

"But how come I didn’t disappear?"

"Dad will be with Sarah, so I won’t disappear! Am I Sarah's kid now? Oh no, I should call her Mom now!"

The truth was Alex wasn’t my biological son.

I just happened to take care of this kid who was abandoned by his mother, for the past fifteen years.

I pulled out a sticky note, wrote down my number, and gave it to him.

"Here’s my number. If you need anything, call me."

Alex sneered. "You're not my real mom. And you hogged my mom’s spot for fifteen years. I hate you. I don't need your help! My dad will be with my real mom. We'll never see each other again!"

I watched Alex walk away, feeling a sense of relief.

Good. He was never supposed to be a part of my life, anyway.

My phone buzzed in my purse.

I looked down. My lock screen was a photo of a fireworks-lit night sky, with a young man in a thin sweater warming the hands of a girl in a black coat.

That scene, from fifteen years from now, was in my dreams every New Year's Eve, only to be replaced by the harsh reality and tear-stained pillow in the morning.

The caller ID read: Chris.

It was like a sudden rain after a long drought. My eyes welled up, my hands shaking as I pressed the answer button.

The call connected, and I held it to my ear, listening to the voice I’d waited fifteen years to hear, as if it were a verdict.

"Hey, Dr. Karen, everyone said my cookies weren't sweet enough. Do you think you could swing by after work and give them a look?"

The funny, witty tone was the same. Before, I’d have laughed and called him cheesy. Now, my throat tightened, and a thousand words choked me.

He was always perceptive. He picked up on my distress and asked, a hint of panic in his voice, "Karen, what’s wrong? Where are you? I’ll come get you."

I forced myself to calm down. "Nothing, just got something in my eye. I'll get off work on time today, just be good for me."

He finally relaxed, sounding happy. "Yes, ma'am!"

I hung up, my heart pounding.

Fifteen years ago, I got the same phone call.

I turned Chris down, because I had to work late.

That night, the cops called. There had been a car accident near the hospital. A father and son were killed.

The officer handed me a little wooden box. "We found this in the passenger seat. I'm sorry for your loss."

I pressed the button, and the lid popped open. On top was a card, written in a childish scrawl: "Happy Thanksgiving, Mom! Dad’s cookies are delicious! Enjoy!"

The cookies were still warm. But the person who made them was gone.

My husband and son… died on their way to the hospital to spend the holiday with me.

The grief was unbearable. I was shattered.

I wanted to end it all, to jump into the ocean. And then, a cold, robotic voice spoke up.

It said: Marrying Jake will bring your husband and son back to life.

I found a sliver of hope in the darkness. But fifteen years went by, and nothing changed.

Then Alex invented the time machine, and I knew it was time for me to finally reunite with my family.

I opened the door to the apartment I hadn’t seen in fifteen years, my eyes blurry. I crept into the living room, afraid of shattering this dream.

In the kitchen, I saw two figures, focused on the oven.

"Dad, are they ready yet? I’m hungry."

"Five more minutes. Just wait. Maybe Mom will be home soon."

Yeah, I was home. Most important, they were here, and I wasn’t alone anymore.

I really had gotten them back.

My grip loosened, and my purse hit the floor. They both turned around.