The day my son brought his girlfriend home for the first time was supposed to be a happy one.
It was supposed to be a milestone, a moment we would all cherish.
The house was quiet, the kind of stillness that only came late at night. I was in the kitchen, wiping down the counters for the third time when I heard footsteps behind me.
“Mom,” Ryan’s voice was soft, hesitant. “You still up? Why?”
I turned to find him leaning against the doorway, barefoot, hands shoved into the pockets of his sweatpants. His hair was slightly damp from his shower, sticking up in uneven tufts. He still dried it the same careless way he had as a kid.
“Couldn’t sleep,” I admitted. “So, I thought I’d clean the kitchen. What about you?”
“Same,” he exhaled a small, nervous laugh. “But I wasn’t about to clean. I took a shower, thinking it might help.”
I gestured toward the fridge. “Ice cream?”
His lips twitched. “We still have the good kind?”
“Excuse me, sir,” I said, grinning. “Like your mother would have anything else? Do you even have to ask?”
I grabbed the tub of chocolate fudge brownie ice cream, holding it up. “Good enough for you, kid?”
He grinned, taking out two spoons from the cupboard.
We settled at the kitchen table, each armed with a spoon, passing the tub back and forth.
“She’s really special, Mom,” Ryan said after a moment, his voice quieter now. “The girl I’m dating, I mean. I just got off a call with her.”
“I can tell,” I smiled. “You’ve been buzzing lately. I’m glad you’re happy. It’s difficult to find your person before your thirties. Especially when you’re still in college.”
He laughed, shaking his head. “I don’t know what it is… but it’s different with Sophie. I care about her. Not just in a dating way, but like… I want her to be part of my world, you know?”
Ryan had always been independent, never one to wear his heart on his sleeve. Seeing him like this, soft, open, and vulnerable, made my chest ache in the best way.
“She’s lucky to have you,” I said, reaching over to squeeze his hand. “When am I going to meet her?”
“I’m thinking… tomorrow?” he said hopefully. “But no sappy stuff when she gets here.”
I laughed, tossing a napkin at him. “Fine, but I’m really excited to meet her.”
“You’re going to love her. The only weird thing about her is that she loves Brussels sprouts. With bacon,” he grinned.
And in that moment, he looked so young. So sure.
I didn’t know that by this time tomorrow, his entire world, our entire world, would shatter.
The next day, I spent the entire afternoon preparing dinner. I wanted it to be special. I made all of Ryan’s favorite dishes and made sure to include Brussels sprouts just for Sophie. The house smelled amazing, warm and welcoming, just the way I liked it.
Then, the doorbell rang.
Ryan practically leapt to answer it. “Hey, you made it!”
Sophie stepped inside, and from the moment I saw her, I liked her. She was polite, sweet, and maybe a little shy, but she had an easy warmth about her. She helped me carry dishes to the table without being asked, complimented my decor, and even laughed at my attempt to embarrass Ryan with baby pictures.
For the first thirty minutes, everything was perfect.
Then, she saw the photo.
It was just a framed picture on the shelf. One of the few I had of all three of us together—Ryan, my husband Thomas, and me. It had been taken last year on vacation, a rare moment when Thomas wasn’t working or traveling.
Sophie’s entire face changed.
Her posture went rigid, her smile vanishing so fast it was as if someone had flipped a switch.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she placed her fork down.
“Sweetheart, are you okay? Did you eat something you shouldn’t have?” I asked.
Sophie swallowed, glancing between Ryan and me as if debating something. Then, she took a deep breath.
“I’m so sorry… but I need to tell you something.”
A strange coldness settled over me.
She turned to Ryan, her hands gripping the edge of the table.
“This man…” she pointed to my husband in the photo, her voice shaking. “I know him.”
Ryan let out a confused laugh. “Yeah! That’s my dad! I’m sorry you haven’t had a chance to meet him yet. But he’s always working. It’s usually just Mom and me.”
Sophie’s eyes filled with tears. “No, you don’t understand. Ryan…”
A pit formed in my stomach.
“What, Sophie? What’s going on?” Ryan asked her.
She looked at me, her voice breaking. “He’s been having an affair with my mother. For the past four years…”
The room spun.
I gripped the edge of the table, trying to make sense of the words.
“No,” I murmured. “That… that’s not possible. It can’t be!”
Sophie’s voice was barely a whisper. “He lives with us.”
Ryan shot up from his chair. “What the hell are you talking about, Sophie?”
“Ryan,” I warned.
Sophie hesitated. “And… my mom is pregnant.”
Silence.
Then, as if I weren’t already drowning, a wave of icy realization hit me.
Everything made sense. The endless work trips. The late nights. The unfamiliar scent of shampoo when he came home. I had ignored the signs, excused the little things.
And now? Now, I had to face the truth.
Ryan turned to me, desperate. “Mom, say something.”
I inhaled deeply, my voice eerily calm. “Where?”
Sophie wiped her eyes. “What?”
“Where do you live, sweetheart?”
“You… you want to go to my house?”
“Yes,” I said, already grabbing my coat.
Ryan’s face darkened. “I’m coming with you.”
“Me too,” Sophie whispered. “I’m so sorry.”
And so we went.
When we arrived at Sophie’s house, my heart pounded in my chest. I stepped out, my breath steady, but inside, I was a hurricane.
Then, the door opened.
Thomas stood there, fresh from the shower, a towel slung around his neck.
He smiled. Actually smiled.
Until he realized it was me.
His face drained of color. “Laura…”
I crossed my arms. “So, what kind of business trip did you have this time, Thomas?”
His jaw clenched. “I… I can explain.”
“Perfect,” I said smoothly, stepping inside. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
And just like that, his entire world collapsed.
And I was ready to watch it burn.
