1
Dallas
My mother didn’t say she was in love.
She didn’t blush like a teenager or giggle the way women do in movies when they’ve finally met “the one.” She just sat across from me at the kitchen table, hands folded, eyes steady, like she was preparing to give medical results.
“Dallas,” she said, “Xavier asked me to marry him.”
The sentence didn’t explode. It didn’t burst or echo.
It just landed, heavy as a stone dropped in water, sinking into everything I thought made sense.
I looked at the ring first—a thin gold band, modest, unassuming, the kind of ring that said I’ll behave for the rest of my life. It wasn’t romantic. It wasn’t passionate. It was polite.
My mother was not a polite woman. Not since grief taught her how to hold herself together with barbed wire.
“How long?” I asked.
My voice sounded normal. Fake. But normal.
Her shoulders softened, relieved I hadn’t flipped the table. “A while,” she said. “Long enough to know he’s good for me.”
Good for me.
Not good for us.
My jaw tightened. “And when was the plan to tell me?”
Her face shifted with guilt—barely, but I caught it. “We kept it quiet at first. I didn’t want to jinx anything. I didn’t want to get your hopes up.”
“My hopes?” I repeated, letting out a short laugh. “Mom, I wasn’t hoping for anything.”
She exhaled. “Dallas—”
“Is he moving in here?” I cut in.
“No.” A beat. “We’re moving to his house.”
The air left my lungs.
Moving.
A new house.
A new city.
A new life.*
No one asked what I wanted. No one asked who I loved or what I needed. My friends—my boyfriend—my entire adult life routine. Gone. Overnight.
My mother reached for my hand across the table. I didn’t move mine. She took it anyway.
“We deserve a new start,” she whispered. “You and me.”
I swallowed something bitter. “What’s wrong with the old one?”
She didn’t answer. She squeezed my fingers instead—it didn’t feel comforting. It felt final.
And then she said the part that changed everything:
“He has a son”
A son?
Am I supposed to feel comfortable living with two strange men?
My mom didn't care about that, at least she was happy and honestly, a part of me wanted to be happy for her, she's been through a lot since my father passed away
“We are moving into their house tomorrow morning, all I want is the best for you baby girl” she added
I pulled away my hand immediately after I heard those words, “and you're telling me now, you don't even know what's best for me” I screamed at her.
I walked straight into my room, trying not to take a glance at her.
For the first time in a long while, I saw my mum genuinely happy, it was as though she lost faith in men till Mr. Mystery came into the picture.
I fell face down on my bed, let out a loud scream.
I wanted this to be a dream, I didn't want to start a new life elsewhere - with people I don't even know
I forced myself to sleep but I couldn't, I rolled over on the bed mistakenly laying on my phone when I noticed it was vibrating.
“ Hey D, I've been trying to reach you for the longest time, what's going on” Eva, my best friend said over the phone
“I'm moving into my mum's new husband's house tomorrow and can you imagine that he has a son” I said exhaustively
“ Tomorrow, why the short notice, I'm so sorry D.
I'll miss you, don't worry I'll come to visit you often”
“Have you told Noah” she added
I had forgotten I have a boyfriend, the news came as a shock to me
“ I'll call him right away” I said calmly as I ended the call and texted him
“ I'm leaving for California tomorrow morning, my mum is getting married”.
I waited for some minutes and yet no reply
I didn't want to double text so I went to bed.
The night was so long, I couldn't sleep. I walked to the kitchen to make something to eat, I was so exhausted and I couldn't sleep. I stayed awake all night watching movies and trying to pack my things.
That morning, my mum had a permanent smile on her face as she was carrying her boxes outside.
While I was sitting down on the couch, I heard Noah's voice exchanging pleasantries with my mum
“She's inside” I heard her say while pointing at the door
Noah walked in quietly and sat down with me
“I sorry babe, I didn't know what to say after seeing your message that's why I'm here”
I didn't want to talk so I won't cry
All I did was hug him, the hug lasted for minutes
“Dallas, we have to go now” my mum said
Noah stood up, walked me to the car and kissed me good bye.
