Eight-year-old Diane tugged on her mother’s sleeve as Erika hoisted her packed bags into the car.
“Mom, I want to go with you!” Diane pleaded, her small voice trembling.
Erika knelt down to Diane’s level, forcing a smile. “I’m sorry, sweetie. I’m going on a business trip this time. You can’t come. But listen—when I come back, we’ll go to Disneyland together, just the two of us.”
Diane’s heart sank. “But… where will I stay?”
“You’re going to stay with Aunt Karina and Uncle Roger! Isn’t that exciting?” Erika said brightly. “My sister loves you so much, and she’s going to take great care of you.”
Diane’s lips quivered, but she nodded reluctantly. Erika drove her to her aunt’s house, exchanged quick goodbyes, and left.
“You’re going to have so much fun here that when your mom comes back, you won’t want to leave,” Uncle Roger said with a wink.
And Diane did have fun at first—playing in the backyard, baking cookies, and reading bedtime stories with Aunt Karina.
But days turned into weeks. Erika called only occasionally, promising gifts, telling Diane she would be back soon—but she never came. Weeks turned into months, months into years. Diane grew used to living with her aunt and uncle, though every morning she hoped for her mother’s return.
Then came a phone call that changed everything.
“I’m sorry, Diane,” Erika said, her voice unusually soft. “I’m staying here because I met a wonderful man. We’re getting married. Italy is beautiful.”
Diane’s heart skipped. “Ok… so I’ll come live with you in Milan, right?”
Erika sighed. “Not right now. You have to finish school. Things are different here. I think it’s best if you come for college. How does that sound?”
Diane swallowed hard and agreed, though disappointment washed over her.
She had hoped to see her mother’s new home, meet her stepfather, and catch up on the lost years. But more years passed, and Diane realized the truth—her mother didn’t actually want her there. She blocked Erika’s calls and whispered to Aunt Karina, “I’m never speaking to that woman again.”
Aunt Karina and Uncle Roger had become her real parents, and Diane knew nothing could change that.
Yet during her senior year, Aunt Karina appeared at Diane’s bedroom door, phone in hand.
“Sweetheart, it’s your mother. Please… take this call. She really wants to see you,” her aunt urged.
Diane hesitated but finally nodded. “Okay,” she said, bracing herself.
“Hello?”
“Darling!” Erika’s voice burst through the line, cheerful and excited. “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 together. It’s so exciting! Also… you’re going to love Italian boys—they’re the cutest and flirtiest!”
Aunt Karina squeezed Diane’s hand. “You never know, honey. This could be your chance to see Europe, and maybe, just maybe, patch things up with your mother.”
Reluctantly, Diane packed her bags and flew to Milan. Her stomach twisted with unease. Her mother had been a stranger for so long—could this visit really go well?
From the moment they reunited, Diane sensed tension. Erika frowned immediately. “What are you wearing?” she asked, her voice sharp.
“Hello, Mother… I just got off a plane. I wore comfortable clothes,” Diane answered, confused.
“That won’t do. You can’t meet my husband like that. I’ll give you something when we get to my house.”
In the car, Erika talked endlessly about her life but never asked Diane a single meaningful question—unless it was to critique her.
“You’re… fatter than I expected, but that’s fine. We’ll get you on a diet,” Erika muttered, more to herself than Diane.
At dinner with her stepfather, a powerful and wealthy businessman, Diane was forced into a fancy dress she hated. Her stepfather barely spoke beyond polite greetings. Erika, on the other hand, acted as if she were the perfect, doting mother.
“Honey, you’ll be staying here from now on. You’ll have the best time. This city is so much better than our little town back home,” Erika said, beaming.
Diane froze. “Wait… I thought this was just a visit, then we’d decide on college.”
Erika’s expression turned matter-of-fact. “No, you’re staying here. My husband always wanted kids, and since I’m too old now, you’ll have to do.”
Diane’s chest tightened. This trip wasn’t about her—it was about showing her off. She had had enough.
“Mom… can you give me money for a taxi? I want to explore downtown,” Diane asked, keeping her voice steady. Erika hesitated but nodded, unwilling to appear unreasonable in front of her husband.
Instead of exploring, Diane took a cab straight to the airport. She exchanged her ticket for the next flight home, heart pounding with relief. Hours later, she was back at Aunt Karina and Uncle Roger’s house.
“What are you doing here, sweetheart?” Aunt Karina asked, worry etched across her face. Uncle Roger hugged her tightly, equally astonished.
“I couldn’t stay there anymore,” Diane said, tears streaming. “You guys are my parents. She just wanted to show me off because she can’t have more kids.”
“Oh, honey,” Uncle Roger whispered. “You always have a home with us.”
Diane smiled through her tears. In that moment, she knew her instincts had been right all along—and she had a family who truly loved her. She never thought about Erika again.
What can we learn from Diane’s story?
- Real family is about who is always there, who cares for you, and who loves you unconditionally.
- Trust your instincts. Diane’s gut told her that her mother wasn’t truly interested in her life—but she still gave her a chance. In the end, her instincts were right.