Before my mother interrupted dinner with a set of restrictions, I believed that I could finally date in peace at the age of 37. and managed to get out on a date with my boyfriend somehow.
Binoculars were with her. As well as a notebook. It was “just in case,” she said.
It was cute when I was a kid. It became bothersome at the age of twenty. By 30, I started to wonder what our “normal” was.
I met Theo at 37.
It was my first adult secret, and for the first time in my life, I kept it a secret from her. It lasted exactly three days, until Mom ruined everything, but I’ll tell you that in a moment. I was getting ready for dinner with Theo when I made a pie I found online rather than from Mom’s holy recipe book. Even though the chicken was a little dry and the pie turned out a little burnt, those were my mistakes. My life. I could already picture my mother’s face if she saw the meal—a surefire explosion. I grinned to myself while checking the candles.
She had said a week earlier, “I want to meet him. In person. At my house. At the table. With my questions.” “Mom, let me be an adult for once. I’ll decide when to introduce you.” She backed off. It felt strange, but I didn’t think much of it. It was a big mistake. That night, Theo came over for the first time. He brought tulips, non-alcoholic wine (knowing that I was exhausted after work), and a cake from the bakery I always visit during that time. “I just wanted to get everything right,” he smiled, setting the plates. “Theo, with you, it always feels right.” Something warm and calm bloomed in my chest. We talked for hours. We laughed. Dreamed. “Imagine… a little house by an old lighthouse,” he said.
Additionally, there is an archive of vintage love letters in the basement.
“I’d write new ones, and you’d preserve them.”
There were low-burning candles. Softly, music hummed. He made contact with my hand.
“I believed that nothing would ever happen again after all the heartaches. And then you appeared.
And right then and there…
out of the closet. We stopped.
“You’re not by yourself?” Theo gave me a glance.
I stood up. The closet was opened.
“Mooom?
She’s Hello! Without even attempting to sound credible, she muttered, “I was just making sure you’re keeping items in your closet without lavender.”
“My apartment was broken into?!”
“I wanted to be certain. listening. Assessing. I didn’t get involved!
Somehow, Theo was still able to grin courteously.
“Good night. My name is Theo. Nice to meet you.