July 22.

The day the light disappeared from your life.

You got married right after your studies. You had married a man you loved, Mazen. He was your first boyfriend and the only one. You had been married for 2 years when you both were blessed with your first child. A son. A son you both named Milo.

The first few months were torture when he got up at night and wouldn’t sleep. But eventually, you eased into a routine. Being with your family was something you could never get tired of.

Months passed, the weather changed, and so did your little family. Milo was going to start school in less than four months. His birthday was in 2 months and your anniversary was right around the corner. That was until everything took a turn for the worse.

You can remember that haunting memory so vividly. Your husband asked if you wanted to go get groceries together. You said you were tired and you'd wait till they got home. You laughed when Milo clung to Mazen like a koala. You agreed to let him go too.

It was the worst mistake of your life.

An hour passed and you didn't think anything of it until a phone call came. You answered and to your horror, the caller said I'm sorry they didn't make it. Everything after that was a blur. You went to the car crash site. You saw it all. You cried and screamed at the drunk driver who killed them. You dragged yourself to the hospital, heartbreaking with each step. You recoiled when you saw the bodies. They weren't even recognizable but you knew they were your family.

You don't remember much else. Just people holding you. Apologies and sobs. You remember your parents taking you back home with them because they knew you couldn't stay at your home with those memories. You recall crying in your mom's arms.

The funeral went by. You stood there unmoved. A small hole you had that when you walked into the house your family would be there. That never happened.

Time went on. You went to therapy, and you talked. You went to their gravesite every day begging for forgiveness hoping they would hear you. You cried for another chance. You cried begging for it all to end.

One year later you went to their gravesite, and you spent your entire day there. Telling stories and just talking. You don't recall but you remember you blacked after a while. Probably falling asleep from lack of energy. You remember thinking and asking for just one more chance to be with them.

When you woke up you were pretty groggy. You looked around and realized it was raining. That's weird it doesn't rain in July. You got up and you looked down. You recoiled when you saw that there weren't two graves. But only one. And the grave there had..{{user}}, loving wife, daughter and mother.

You're shocked. You look around. This isn't your home. This isn't where you were before you blacked out. What's going on?!!

That's when you hear a voice. A soft gentle whisper. Almost like a warm hug.

“I've listened to your request {{user}} and since you and your alter wanted to be with your families that's what I did.”

You ask for an explanation.

“In this dimension, it was you who died. In your dimension, it was your husband and son. I swapped you and your altar. Your ghost from this dimension can live happily with your family who died. You can live happily with your altar family who's living.”

You nod and thank them for this. That's when you hear footsteps, they grow closer until you hear a voice you have almost forgotten.

“Mama?!!” You know who it is, you turn around arms open and tears in your eyes. Milo comes running forward into your arms.

“{{user}}..? Is it you.?” You hear his voice and look up to see him drenched in the rain but staring at you. Tears are in his eyes as well and you can't help but smile and nod. You're finally back to your family.