I stared at the mauve lace dress my mom had picked out for me. It hung on my closet door, delicate and soft, the kind of dress she thought would be perfect for tonight's dinner. I sighed and grabbed it, slipping it over my head. The fabric hugged my waist, and the skirt fluttered as I twirled absentmindedly in front of the mirror.
After brushing my hair until it fell straight over my shoulders, I added a light layer of foundation and dabbed concealer under my eyes. I finished with a matte lipstick, just a soft, subtle shade. Nothing too dramatic. As I adjusted the dress one last time, I grabbed my phone and a matching pouch, slipping into a pair of white flats with little ribbons on them.
The moment I made it downstairs, I stopped. My mom was standing in front of the mirror in the hallway, putting on her makeup. She was wearing a beige dress, elegant and understated, with a diamond necklace that caught the light. She looked beautifulâreally beautiful. I had seen her dress up for dinners and parties countless times before, but tonight there was something different about her. The way she carried herself, the confidence she exuded.
"You look stunning, Mom," I said, unable to keep the awe out of my voice.
She smiled, her eyes meeting mine in the mirror as she filled in her eyebrows. "Thanks, honey. You look lovely yourself."
I chuckled softly. Watching her apply makeup was oddly satisfying. There was something almost soothing about the precision in her movements, the way she transformed with each stroke. "Hey, I have a question," I said, swaying a little as the flowy skirt of my dress brushed against my legs.
She glanced at me, raising a brow. "What's that?"
"What happened to Luke?" I asked.
Her hands paused briefly as she applied her favorite shade of red lipstick, the one that always made her look bold and confident. "Luke?"
"Yeah, Lukeâthe guy you were dating a while ago."
"Oh, Luke." She sighed, her gaze still on the mirror. "He turned out to be married. I found out I was his side chick."
I blinked. "What? Are you serious?"
She nodded, not even flinching as she continued with her makeup. "It's true. I didn't know, of course, until it was too late."
I scratched my chin, trying to process that. "What about Eric? Daniel? Tristan?" I listed off a few more names, the ones I could remember from her string of past relationships. "And the others?"
She rolled her eyes playfully, glancing at me in the mirror. "Felicity, those were all in the past. Let's not go down that list, okay?"
"I just hope Liam's different," I said, watching her as she rummaged through her makeup bag. "Maybe he'll be the one, or..." I hesitated, "you could, you know, take a break from dating?"
She chuckled but turned to face me, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "I'm just trying to find the right one, sweetie. Isn't that what we all do?"
"I guess," I replied with a shrug. "I just hope he treats you better than the last ones did."
She smiled softly, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry about me. I've learned to stop wasting my tears on the wrong men. I'm stronger than that now."
I nodded, the weight of her words sinking in. "But you really didn't cry? Not even when you found out about Luke?"
She shook her head, putting her makeup away. "Crying over men who lie and cheat is a waste of my time. Tears should only be for someone who's worth them, someone who deserves that part of you. Like your father was for me, once upon a time."
My throat tightened at the mention of my dad, and I wasn't sure how to respond. She gave me a small, reassuring smile before grabbing her purse.
"Shall we go?" she asked, breaking the silence.
I nodded, and we headed out the door. As we got into her car, I pulled out my earphones, trying to focus on anything but the whirlwind of thoughts spinning in my head. I scrolled through my music app and landed on The Neighbourhood's I Love You album. Sweater Weather started playing, the familiar tune comforting me as I stared out the window.
About halfway through the drive, Mom pulled into a small gift shop parking lot.
"What are we doing here?" I asked, pulling out my earphones.
"I ordered something for Liam. I just need to pick it up real quick."
I trailed behind her into the shop, aimlessly browsing through the display of accessories. A shop worker approached me, startling me a bit.
"Can I help you with anything?" she asked with a bright smile.
"Oh, no thanks," I said quickly, smiling back. "Just looking."
As she walked away, my phone buzzed. I glanced down at the screen and saw a message from Cayden.
Cayden:Â Dinner date tonight?
I rolled my eyes, chuckling.
Me: I'm actually going out with my mom tonight.
I sent the message, then glanced up as my mom paid for the giftâsome kind of watch for Liam. My phone buzzed again.
Cayden:Â Tonight?
Me:Â Yeah, we're going to Everest Restaurant. We're running a bit late, though.
His next message came almost instantly.
Cayden:Â Don't.
My brows furrowed at the single word response. Don't? What was that supposed to mean?
"What's wrong?" my mom asked as we got back into the car.
"Nothing," I muttered, typing back a quick reply.
Me:Â Don't, what?
I stared at the screen, but he didn't reply. My mind started to overthinkâWas something wrong? Should I be worried?
I tried to shake off the feeling, cranking up the volume in my earphones as we drove the rest of the way to the restaurant.
By the time we arrived, we were twenty minutes late, thanks to the traffic. As we walked inside, I was immediately hit by the warm, inviting aroma of steak and pasta. The restaurant was cozy, upscale, but not pretentious. The kind of place you go when you want to impress someone.
The hostess greeted us with a polite smile. "Table for two?"
"No, we're meeting someone. He has a reservation under Liam Anderson," Mom explained.
I froze. Anderson? My pulse quickened as the hostess led us to a table. I tried to brush off the sudden anxiety creeping up my spine, but something didn't feel right.
As we sat down, I pulled out my phone, scrolling back through old messages from Cayden. He had never mentioned his dad's name before. Could it be...? No, it couldn't be.
The chair across from me scraped against the floor as my mom stood up. "Liam!" she said, beaming.
I looked upâand my heart sank. Standing there, looking just as surprised as I was, was Mr. Anderson. My school principal. Cayden's dad.
The blood drained from my face as everything clicked into place.
"Hailey?" Mr. Anderson's voice was laced with confusion. "What are you doing here?"
My mom turned to me, equally confused. "You know each other?"
I swallowed hard, nodding. "Yeah... He's my principal."
"Oh," my mom said, glancing between us. "I didn't know."
Before I could say anything else, Mr. Anderson smiled awkwardly. "Well, I guess this is a surprise for all of us."
I forced a smile, but my mind was spinning. My mom sat down, oblivious to the storm building inside me.
"We have some news," she said, lifting her left hand to show off a sparkling diamond ring. "Liam and I are engaged."
I stared at her, my throat tightening. Before I could fully process the bombshell, Mr. Anderson added, "And I brought my kids with me tonight. I thought it'd be good for everyone to meet."
My heart nearly stopped.
My eyes darted toward the entrance just as Cayden walked in, his little brother trailing behind him. The moment our eyes met, the tears I had been holding back spilled over.
"Oh, no..." I whispered, stepping away from the table.
"Hailey, waitâ" Cayden started, but I shook my head, backing away.
"This is too much," I choked out, my voice cracking. Without another word, I turned and ran out of the restaurant, tears blurring my vision as I fled.