Mother Never Comes Home – 23 Years Later, Her Family Discovers Why

His family got shaken up when the mother suddenly disappeared. She went missing and never returned, causing the husband to care for the family on his own.

They never found out what happened to the mother until 23 years later, when the husband went on holiday and made a shocking discovery. Mother never comes home; 23 years later, her family discovers why.

It was finally time; the last child moved out of the house. Now all the kids were studying at college.

Henry thought it was time to enjoy a lovely holiday. He deserved this holiday like no other because the last 23 years of his life were not just a simple walk in the park.

Twenty-three years ago, his wife suddenly disappeared. This meant Henry needed to take care of the family alone.

It took some time for the family to learn to live without their mother, and they also wondered what happened. No one expected it would be Henry who would find out the truth behind her disappearance.

Shortly after Henry waved his youngest son off to college, he felt he deserved a break. Ever since his wife’s disappearance, he spent all his time and effort raising his five children, so a vacation was a luxury Henry couldn’t afford before.

He always worried the kids wouldn’t be okay without their mother. While packing, he sat down on the bed for a moment.

Next to him on his bedside table was an old picture of him and his wife, Lucy. He still missed her so very much and wondered the same desperate question every day.

“Will I ever see you again?” He mumbled.

Since Lucy disappeared, Henry couldn’t be with another woman; she was the only one for him. He remembered that day in December like it was yesterday—the day he lost his soulmate.

Usually, she greeted him when she came home and they would discuss their day, but this time it stayed silent. He remembered the kids playing cheerfully, not aware their mother was gone.

Then the horn of the taxi woke him from his daydream.

“Coming!” Henry yelled while grabbing his stuff and walking to the front door.

It was time for that vacation he deserved.

“Finally, some rest,” Henry mumbled.

At least, that is what he thought. His destination was Lake Como in Italy. It was his favorite place in the world because he would visit it yearly with his dear Lucy.

But this time was different—very different. It was 23 years since he had seen this place for the last time, and now he went without Lucy.

During the flight, Henry’s thoughts kept returning to his wife and her disappearance. Henry immediately felt something was wrong, so he contacted the police, but after three days, they still couldn’t find her.

He would never forget the face of the police officer who told him they stopped the search. From the window of the plane, he saw Lake Como below him.

What a special place it was. High mountain peaks surrounded the crystal blue water.

The image brought him back to all the fond times he spent there, unaware that something would be different this time and that those memories would confront him. As he stepped out of the plane and set foot on Italian soil, he felt the sun’s warmth on his face and the fresh mountain air filling his lungs.

The view that greeted him was nothing short of magical and hit him with a wave of nostalgia. Was it the right decision to come here?

The memories of those happy times flooded his mind. It brought sadness to his heart. It was the tradition of him and his wife, but that experience was taken from him.

How could he enjoy this vacation without her? He was not aware this vacation would change his life in ways he couldn’t have expected.

The taxi made its way through the narrow roads that led to Lake Como.

“Wow,” Mumbled Henry.

It was like nothing changed over the last 23 years. Little towns were dotted along the shoreline, each more charming than the previous, and the air filled with a recognizable scent.

Did he remember all these years? The scent lingered in his memory. Was he able to recognize something like that after all this time?

Henry shrugged as he watched the buildings disappear in the distance. Not much later, the taxi stopped, and they arrived at his location.

He shook the thoughts out of his head and got out, ready to relax. Henry paid and thanked the driver, after which he entered the beautiful lake house.

Henry didn’t know what he would like to do when he arrived here. Lucy always planned their vacation, and he never went alone before.

So he decided to go somewhere nearby, not knowing how important that decision would be. Before going to bed, Henry took a quick glance at the map.

His cottage was quite remote, but a large city was nearby: Varenna.

“Varenna,” He read out loud.

That would be his first activity of the vacation: exploring Varenna. He couldn’t remember if he went there before, but he would soon find out.

From the moment Henry set foot in the city, memories flooded his brain. This was the place where he walked around with Lucy.

The two young parents couldn’t keep their hands off of each other. Daydreaming, he walked down a narrow alleyway toward the center.

All of a sudden, Henry was scared to death. A sudden smell reached his nostrils.

It was the same smell he had recognized before while in the taxi. Was he mistaken, or did he really know this smell really well?

It was like he was in some sort of trance. What was that smell again? It was so specific.

Henry’s mind was racing. He didn’t care if he looked like an addict who was finally allowed to enjoy his addiction again.

He held his nose up in the wind and sniffed. Where did it come from?

He moved around frantically, trying to locate the source. He needed to know what it was.

Then his nose led him to a small neighborhood where he saw several open windows.

“Uhhuh!” He exclaimed happily.

When he got closer, it became apparent the smell came from one of them. But which one?

He got right under them, and suddenly he realized it. He knew what the scent was.

“No, it can’t be.” He shook his head furiously.

The thought that went through his head was impossible; it just couldn’t be true. This scent smelled exactly like Lucy’s apple pie.

The memory brought tears to his eyes but also a slight smile. What a coincidence this was, but was it really?

As quick as the smile appeared, so fast it disappeared again. He suddenly realized something: Lucy’s apple pie was extremely unique.

It was a family recipe passed down for generations, and the smell was so distinctive due to its special herbs. Those herbs were sold at a particular shop in Mexico.

Lucy once told him that her great-grandmother grew up on a plain in Mexico where these special herbs would grow. The herbs would create a sweet and herbal scent which was very recognizable.

All this information rushed through his head. What was going on?

This couldn’t be a coincidence like he initially thought. The whole idea of the vacation was for Henry to relax and enjoy some free time, but since he smelled the apple pie, his body felt tense and his mind was racing.

He couldn’t just let this go; he needed to know what was happening. So, before Henry knew it, he knocked on the door.

Henry didn’t really think things through and was surprised by his sudden action, but he couldn’t walk away now. He heard some stumbling on the other side of the door as footsteps approached.

Henry thought the matter would soon be clarified, but what he didn’t know was that his life was about to change. A young woman opened the door.

Henry couldn’t help but feel disappointed. A small part of him had hoped to see Lucy open that door.

The swing of the door caused another wave of apple pie scent to be sent in his direction. Then, a small voice disrupted his thought.

“Can I help you?” The young lady asked.