I thought my mom’s wedding at seventy would be a simple, sweet ceremony. You know—some music, a few tears, maybe a little dancing. I never expected her to grab the microphone and shock everyone with a wild rule for whoever caught her bouquet.
Honestly, I wasn’t in the mood for games, so I stepped back, trying to avoid the whole thing. But somehow… it still landed—right in my hands.
That all started a few weeks before, when I stood in the kitchen, arms crossed, watching my seventy-nine-year-old mother zoom around like she was planning a royal gala. She moved from one end of the table to the other, fixing place cards, adjusting napkins, muttering about centerpieces and candlelight like lives depended on it.
She looked… radiant. Not just beautiful, but glowing with energy I hadn’t seen in years. Meanwhile, I was stuck trying to understand how this was even happening.
“Mom,” I said slowly, “are you serious? You’re seventy-nine years old and you’re getting married?”
She barely glanced up, just smiled that same mischievous smile she always had when she was about to do something insane.
“Oh, don’t make that face, darling. This isn’t the end of the world. It’s the beginning of a brand-new life!”
She had that sparkle in her eyes again—the same one she had when she was in her twenties. That dangerous twinkle that made arguing with her totally pointless.
“But why, Mom? You’ve been perfectly fine on your own for years!”
“And who says I want to stay alone?”
Typical. My mom had always done whatever she wanted.
“I know that after your disaster of a marriage, you’ve stopped believing in love, but I haven’t. Harold is perfect for me. He makes me laugh. He makes me feel alive again.”
I let out a sigh. She was fearless. Stubborn. Impossible to convince. And if she had made up her mind, there was no changing it.
“So the wedding is already… planned?”
“Guests are invited, the dress is picked, the menu is finalized.”
“This is insane.”
“This is life, sweetheart,” she said with a smirk. “And you should start living it again instead of hiding behind all that cynicism.”
My jaw tightened. She had a talent for twisting the knife—especially when it came to my divorce.
I couldn’t help but think back to the day my marriage ended. I had walked into our home expecting a normal night. Instead, I saw his bags by the door. He told me, flatly, that he’d fallen for someone younger. Someone fun. Someone who wasn’t me anymore.
Since then, love felt like a scam. A trick played on women who still believed in fairy tales. I rebuilt myself from the ground up—no more fantasies, no more heartbreaks. I didn’t need love. I didn’t want it.
“You know,” my mother said suddenly, dragging me back to reality, “I’ve planned something fun for my favorite girls at the wedding.”
“Girls?”
“You, my dear, and my lovely granddaughters.”
She grinned. That twinkle in her eyes had returned—and I did not like it.
“Mom.”
“Trust me,” she said, waving me off. “You’re going to love it.”
I seriously doubted that.
The day of the wedding arrived. I was halfway to the venue, a beautiful estate surrounded by trees and flowers… when life smacked me in the face with a flat tire.
No gas station. No signal. No passing cars. Just me, my dress, and my terrible luck.
I got out, stared at the useless tire, cursed under my breath, and was about to call roadside assistance when a shiny pickup truck rolled up and stopped.
A man leaned out. “Got a problem, lady?”
I rolled my eyes before I even looked at him.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, and had that annoyingly cocky grin I already hated. His dark hair was a mess, but he wore it like a crown.
“My tire’s flat,” I said dryly.
“Oh, that’s an easy fix. Five minutes, tops.”
“Are you a mechanic?”
“Nope. But you’re not gonna ask for a license while I’m fixing it, are you?”
I glared. “Listen, Mister—”
“Nick.”
“Listen, Nick, I’m not in the mood for jokes.”
He grinned. “Sounds like you need a few jokes.”
Just then, the truck door swung open and a voice snapped, “Are you serious, Nick?!”
A tall blonde woman glared at us from the passenger seat. She looked ready to explode.
“Just a minute, Julie!” he called.
She shot me a hostile glare before huffing and slamming the door shut.
Great. Just what I needed. A charming stranger with a girlfriend and a hero complex.
When I finally arrived at the wedding—late, frustrated, and ready to bite someone—I was surprised. The place was stunning. The music was playing. My mother looked absolutely thrilled, and Harold looked like a kid on Christmas morning.
The guests were dancing and laughing, and for a moment, I started to relax.
Until my mom stepped up to the microphone.
“Ladies and gentlemen!” she announced. “It’s time for the bouquet toss!”
The crowd whooped. My nieces ran up, elbowing each other.
“And whoever catches it will receive… my cherished sapphire ring!”
Gasps. Cheers.
“But there’s one little condition,” she added, raising a finger. “Whoever catches it must go on a date with someone of my choosing!“
“Nope,” I muttered, stepping back.
She winked at me. I saw it. That evil glint in her eyes.
She turned, adjusted her stance… and launched the bouquet straight at me like a heat-seeking missile.
I couldn’t even dodge. It hit me square in the chest.
People screamed, cheered, clapped. My mom looked like she’d won the lottery.
“This is a joke,” I whispered.
“A deal is a deal!” she sang, grinning.
“Mom… who is my ‘date’?”
“Nick, dear!” she called sweetly. “Come on up!”
I froze. My eyes widened.
And there he was. Nick, striding through the crowd like a rockstar, looking way too pleased with himself.
“Looks like fate wants us to have dinner,” he smirked.
Behind him, Julie scoffed loudly, arms crossed like an angry cat.
I turned to my mom. “Absolutely not.“
She grabbed my arm and whispered, “Please, sweetheart. Just this once. For me. As a wedding gift.”
Before I could say anything else, she vanished into the crowd.
Nick leaned closer. “So… when’s our big date?”
“Let’s get one thing straight. I’m doing this only because I don’t want to ruin my mother’s wedding. One date. That’s it.”
“Perfect. Name the time and place.”
“Saturday. 7 p.m. Vincenzo’s.”
“Ooo, fancy,” he teased. “I’m honored.”
I grabbed my purse and left without even waiting for the cake.
Saturday night, I got to the restaurant early—on purpose. I wanted to finish and go home.
Nick walked in right on time. He wore a crisp button-down and a cocky smile.
“You showed up,” he said, sliding into the chair. “I was half expecting a note that said ‘never again.’”
“Trust me. I considered it.”
We talked. He cracked jokes. And, damn it… I actually laughed. Just a little. He was annoyingly charming.
Then his phone buzzed.
He declined the call. A moment later, it rang again.
With a sigh, he stood up. “Give me a sec.”
I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. But I heard it.
“Julie, it’s okay… yeah, I know. Just calm down.”
Another pause.
“Yeah, I’ll be there soon. Just sit tight.”
He returned, looking tense.
“I’m sorry. I have to go.”
“Let me guess. Julie?”
“Yeah.”
“Of course.”
“I’ll explain later.”
“You won’t need to. We’re done here.”
He hesitated but walked out without another word.
I stared at my cold coffee, shaking my head.
Of course he was a player. My mother had set me up with a charming, joke-cracking, ditch-you-mid-date-for-his-girlfriend kind of guy.
Typical.
Then the flowers started arriving.
Every. Single. Day.
Huge bouquets. Red roses. Daisies. Sunflowers. One even had a tiny cactus with a card: “Because you’re tough. – Nick”
My coworkers were obsessed.
“Secret admirer?”
“More like a persistent stalker.”
I ignored every bouquet. But then came my mom’s voice on the phone:
“Dinner. My place. Tonight.”
“Mom, I’m busy.”
“Nope. No excuses. You skipped cake. You owe me.”
I should’ve known something was up.
I walked onto the patio, saw the grill smoking, and thought maybe—just maybe—this was just a normal dinner.
Until I saw him. Nick. Flipping burgers.
And then… Julie walked out behind him.
I turned to leave. My mother grabbed me.
“Oh, sweetheart! You made it!”
“Mother. What is he doing here?”
“I invited him,” she said innocently. “You two got off on the wrong foot.”
“I got to know him just fine.”
“Then you won’t mind staying for dinner,” she said sweetly, dragging me forward.
Nick looked up and smirked. “Look who finally stopped dodging me.”
Julie rolled her eyes. “Can we eat already?”
“Actually,” my mom clapped, “Nick has something to say.”
He sighed. “I want to introduce someone.”
He turned to Julie. “This is my daughter.”
“…What?”
Julie crossed her arms. “Yeah, yeah. I’m his kid. Big shock.”
My jaw dropped. My head spun.
Nick explained softly, “My wife passed when Julie was six. It’s been just the two of us.”
“Someone doesn’t like sharing me,” he added, nudging her.
Julie groaned. “You’re annoying.”
“You inherited it.”
She turned to me. “You’re not that bad. If you can handle him, you should go on another date.”
Nick grinned. “See? Even my kid approves.”
I smirked. Just a little.
“Maybe. But first—I want a burger.”
“Now that is the best thing you’ve said all night.”
And just like that… something started to change.
Maybe my mom’s insane plan wasn’t completely crazy after all.