The Reunion That Broke My Heart
When Diane was eight years old, she watched her mother, Erika, pack her suitcases with excitement. Clothes, heels, and perfume bottles filled the bed, and little Diane stood by the door, clutching her favorite stuffed bear.
“Mom, I want to go with you,” Diane said softly, her big brown eyes full of hope.
Erika turned around with a forced smile. “I’m sorry, child. I’m going on a business trip. You can’t come with me this time. But when I come back, we’ll go to Disneyland together. Just you and me, okay?”
Diane’s heart lifted a little. “Really?”
“Of course,” Erika said, kissing her forehead. “Now, be a good girl for Aunt Karina and Uncle Roger. You’ll have so much fun!”
That afternoon, Erika drove her to her sister’s house. Aunt Karina welcomed them with open arms and a warm smile. Uncle Roger bent down to Diane’s level and said cheerfully, “You’re going to have so much fun here that when your mom comes back, you won’t want to leave!”
Diane laughed shyly, believing every word.
But days turned into weeks. Then months.
Erika called less and less—sometimes once a week, then once a month. Every time she called, she’d say, “I’ll be back soon, baby. I’m bringing you gifts from Paris, from Rome, from everywhere!”
But no gifts ever came. And neither did Erika.
Years passed. Diane got used to her life with Karina and Roger. They took her to school, celebrated her birthdays, and tucked her in at night. They became her real parents, even if no one said it out loud.
Still, deep down, Diane kept hoping that one day, her mother would come back for her.
Then, one evening, the phone rang. Diane was twelve. Aunt Karina picked it up, listened for a moment, then handed the receiver to her. “Sweetheart, it’s your mom.”
Diane’s heart skipped. “Mom?” she said.
“Hi, darling!” Erika’s voice sounded cheerful and far away. “I’m so sorry, but I’m staying in Italy. I met a wonderful man, and we’re getting married! Isn’t that exciting? Italy is beautiful.”
Diane tried to smile through the ache in her chest. “Ok… but then I’ll come live with you in Milan, right?”
There was a long pause. “That’s not possible right now,” Erika finally said. “You have to finish school. Everything here is different. But maybe when you’re older, you can come for college. How does that sound?”
“Sure, Mom…” Diane whispered, feeling her throat tighten.
She hung up the phone and sat silently for a long time. That night, she realized the truth—her mother wasn’t coming back. Not now, not ever.
From that day, Diane stopped waiting. She blocked her mom’s number and told Aunt Karina, “I never want to talk to that woman again.”
Karina didn’t argue. She just hugged her tight and said, “You’ll always have us, Diane. Always.”
Years went by. Diane grew into a smart, strong young woman. Uncle Roger taught her how to drive, and Aunt Karina helped her pick prom dresses. Life was good—until her senior year, when Aunt Karina came into her room holding the phone.
“Sweetheart, it’s your mother. Please, take this call,” Karina said gently. “She really wants to see you.”
Diane sighed. “Fine.” She took the phone and said coldly, “Hello?”
“Darling!” Erika’s voice was overly cheerful. “It’s been so long! I think it’s time for you to come to Milan. Your stepfather wants to meet you, and we’ll tour colleges! You’ll love Italy—and Italian boys, they’re the cutest and flirtiest!”
Diane rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. Aunt Karina urged her to go. “You never know, honey. Maybe this is your chance to see Europe and fix things with her.”
So, Diane packed her bags and flew to Italy. As the plane landed in Milan, she felt nervous but hopeful. Maybe her mother had changed. Maybe they could start over.
But the moment they saw each other, Erika’s face twisted in disapproval.
“What are you wearing?” she asked, frowning.
Diane blinked. “Hello, Mother. What do you mean? I just got off a plane. These are comfortable clothes.”
Erika sighed dramatically. “That won’t do. You can’t meet my husband looking like that. I’ll lend you something decent when we get home.”
The car ride was long and awkward. Her mother talked nonstop—about her expensive clothes, fancy dinners, and rich friends. The only times she mentioned Diane were to criticize her.
“You’re fatter than I expected,” Erika said suddenly. “But that’s fine. We’ll get you on a diet and fix that.”
Diane clenched her jaw, staring out the window.
When they arrived, Erika handed her a fancy dress and ordered her to wear it for dinner. “My husband is an important businessman, Diane. You need to make a good impression.”
The dinner was painfully formal. Her stepfather, a tall man with gray hair and sharp eyes, greeted her politely, then barely spoke again. He only asked, “Pass the salt,” once, and that was it.
Meanwhile, Erika played the part of the perfect mother—smiling, fussing, pretending to be loving.
“Honey,” Erika said sweetly during dessert, “you’ll be staying here from now on. This city is so much better than our little town back home.”
Diane’s fork froze midair. “What? I thought I was just visiting—and we’d talk about college plans.”
Erika waved her hand. “That makes no sense. You’re staying here. My husband always wanted children, and since I can’t have more, you’ll have to do.”
Diane stared at her mother in disbelief. “You invited me here to be your substitute child?”
Erika smiled faintly, as if she hadn’t said anything wrong.
Something in Diane snapped. She smiled sweetly and said, “Hey, Mom, can I borrow some money for a taxi? I want to explore downtown a bit.”
Erika hesitated, glancing nervously at her husband, then nodded. “Fine, but be quick.”
Diane grabbed her bag, walked out, and never looked back. Instead of going downtown, she went straight to the airport, exchanged her ticket, and boarded the first flight home.
When she arrived at Karina and Roger’s doorstep hours later, her aunt gasped. “Diane? What are you doing here?”
Her uncle rushed to the door. “Sweetheart, what happened?”
Diane’s eyes filled with tears. “I couldn’t stay there. She only wanted to show me off to her husband because she can’t have kids. You guys are my real parents.”
Roger hugged her tightly. “Oh, honey. You know you’ll always have a home with us.”
And from that day forward, Diane stopped calling Erika “Mom.” She didn’t need to—because she already had parents who loved her unconditionally.
What can we learn from Diane’s story?
- The people who stay by your side through everything are your real family.
- Trust your instincts—if someone has already broken your heart once, be cautious before giving them another chance.