Stella’s P. O. V.
Dinner with Mom feels different tonight. There’s an energy about her-a spark in her eyes I haven’t seen in years.
As we sit around the table, eating the pasta she made, she clears her throat. I glance up and catch the slight nervousness in her expression.
“There’s something I’ve been thinking to tell you both,” she finally speak up, her eyes swaying between me and Alex.
I pause, my fork midway to my mouth. “Mom, what is it?”
She sets her fork down and looks at me with a smile. “About a month ago, I reconnected with someone from my past… my college sweetheart.”
My fork clatters onto my plate as I sit up straighter. “Your college sweetheart?”
Mom nods, her cheeks tinged with a blush. “Yes. His name is Henry. We had to separate because my parents forced me to marry your father. But now…” She pauses, her eyes shining with a mix of emotions. “Now we’ve found each other again. He’s single, I’m single, and… we’ve been spending time together. It’s been wonderful.”
I glance at Alex, whose expression is unreadable, though I can feel he is also tensed.
“Mom, I’m happy you’ve reconnected with someone, but you’ve already been through so much. What if this turns out to be-”
“I know what you’re thinking, Stella,” she interrupts, her voice calm like always. “And I understand your concerns. Believe me, I’ve thought about this a lot. But Henry is nothing like… the others. He’s kind and makes me happy.”
Happy. That word makes my chest tighten. Happiness is something which my mother deserves, but she never got it. I truly want her to be happy, but the thought of her getting hurt again terrifies me.
I cross my arms, leaning back in my chair. “That’s what worries me, Mom. I don’t want you to get hurt again.”
Alex speaks up in a stern voice. “Mom, we’re glad you’ve found someone who makes you happy, but given everything that’s happened, we want to be sure he’s the right person for you.”
She chuckles, and I narrow my eyes at her reaction. “I expected this.” She reaches across the table and places her hand on mine. “I promise, I’ve been careful. But if it eases your mind, you are more than welcome to meet him. Test him, if you want.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Test him?”
“Yes,” she replies with a small smile. “I know you and Alex want to protect me. And honestly, I don’t mind if you two grill him a little. Henry understands my past and knows that my children’s opinions mean the world to me.”
I glance at Alex, who gives me a subtle nod of encouragement. I again turn my attention toward my mother. “If he’s anything like Dad-or Alex’s dad-”
“He’s not.” She quickly shakes her head. “Henry is a good man, Stella. But I understand your concerns.”
I take a deep breath. “We’ll meet him every week and test him for months.”
I just can’t take any risk this time with her. She has already suffered a lot. And I pray this time, she really gets the partner who fills her life with the joy she deserves.
She laughs, and I see the relief in her eyes. “Sure, you can. I don’t mind.”
Alex’s hand finds my back, comforting me with his touch as my mind spins with the thoughts. “We just want you to be happy, Mom,” he says. “And if Henry is the man for you, then we’ll support you.”
Mom gives us a warm smile. “Thank you. That means the world to me.”
The conversation shifts to lighter topics as we finish dinner, but my mind is already spinning because of lots of thoughts. I know Alex and I will have a private discussion about this later. I trust Mom, but that doesn’t mean I won’t do everything in my power to make sure Henry deserves her.
She’s already been through enough pain. If he’s going to be in her life, he’ll have to prove himself to me first. No matter what happens, I’ll protect her. We both will.
***
The next weekend, Alex and I sit at an Italian restaurant, waiting for Henry to arrive. Mom is excited, but I can’t stop myself from worrying about her. I just hope Henry is a good man for my mother. She really deserves to be happy.
Alex leans closer, and his hand brushes mine under the table. “Relax, Flower. We’ll get through this.”
I nod, but can’t bring myself to say anything. This isn’t just a casual lunch. This is the man who could become part of our family, and after everything Mom’s been through, I need to know he’s worth it.
The door opens, and Mom beams as she stands to greet Henry. He’s tall and well-dressed, with brown hair and kind eyes. I notice the way he looks at her, his expression soft and warm, and for a moment, my anxiety eases.
“Henry, this is Stella and Alex.” Mom gestures toward us.
He smiles, extending his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you both. Olivia talks about you all the time.”
Alex shakes his hand firmly, giving him a brief nod. I offer a polite smile. “Nice to meet you, Henry.”
As we sit, I study him closely. He seems confident, but not arrogant. When he looks at Mom, there’s a tenderness in his eyes that eases my tension a bit. But I still can’t stop worrying.
The waiter comes to take our orders, and once he leaves, Henry speaks. “I want to thank you both for agreeing to meet me. I understand how much Olivia means to you, and I want to assure you she means just as much to me.”
I cross my arms, leaning back slightly. “Mom’s been through a lot. Alex and I want to make sure you’re the right person for her. No offence, but her past marriages weren’t exactly… ideal.”
Henry nods, his expression filled with honesty. “I completely understand your concerns, Stella. Olivia is an incredible woman, and she deserves to have people in her life who care for her.”
Alex leans forward and asks in a firm tone, “You’ve been married twice, just like Olivia. Can you tell us more about that?”
Henry doesn’t flinch at the question. Instead, he takes a deep breath before speaking up. “Yes, I’ve been married twice. My first wife was a wonderful woman, but she passed away from cancer. After some time, I remarried-not for love, but to help a woman in need. She had been in an abusive relationship and had a young son. Tragically, she also passed away a few years ago due to illness. I have two sons-one is my biological son, and the other is my stepson. We’re close, and I’ve done my best to support them.”
He pauses, glancing at Mom with a smile before continuing, “But through all of that, I never stopped thinking about Olivia. She was the one I let go because of circumstances, not choice. When we reconnected, it felt like a second chance-one I don’t intend to waste. I want to give a happy ending to our love story.” He takes Mom’s hand in his and kisses her knuckles, causing her to blush.
They look so perfect together, but… I can’t stop myself from still doubting him. I exchange a glance with Alex. He nods slightly, but his posture remains tense.
I turn my gaze back to Henry. “We’re not doubting your feelings for Mom, but we’ve seen her suffer. We just want to be sure this time is different.”
“I appreciate that, Stella. Truly. You both have every right to protect her, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. Olivia is lucky to have a daughter like you-and a son-in-law like Alex.”
I raise an eyebrow, surprised by his choice of words.
Henry chuckles at the expression. “I’ve always wanted a daughter, and now I have the chance to be a father to you. That means the world to me.”
Something about his tone makes my chest tighten. He sounds genuine, and while a part of me still wants to hold on to my scepticism, another part of me wants to believe him.
I respond. “Thank you for saying that.”
The rest of the lunch goes smoothly. Henry shares stories about his sons and his restaurants all over the world, and I notice how easily he makes Mom laugh. Alex remains mostly quiet, but I catch him nodding along occasionally.
By the time we leave the restaurant, I think about Henry. He might just be the man Mom deserves-but that doesn’t mean we’ll let our guard down just yet.
As we part ways, Henry shakes Alex’s hand again, then turns to me. “Thank you for giving me a chance, Stella. I promise I won’t let you down.”
I nod with a serious expression. “We’ll see about that.”
He smiles, unfazed by my bluntness, and I feel a flicker of respect for him.
As Alex and I walk Mom back to her car, she turns to us. “Thank you both for meeting him. It means so much to me.”
Alex says, “We’re just looking out for you, Mom.”
It feels so good to see the growing bond between Alex and Mom. Now he cares about my mother as much as I do.
“And we always will,” I add, squeezing her hand.
She hugs us tightly, and deep inside, I feel like things might just be okay. But one thing is certain-Henry still has to prove himself, and Alex and I will make sure he does.