FORBIDDEN STEP

I couldn't tear my gaze away. His curly dark brown hair shimmered with a captivating warmth in the sunlight. His eyes, an arresting oceanic hue, drew me in with each mesmerizing blink. Chiseled to perfection, his face seemed almost divine, as if sculpted by the gods themselves.

For the first time, I felt an unfamiliar sensation coursing through me. My heart pounded in my chest, its rhythmic thud echoing through every cell. The world around me melted away, leaving only an intense, deafening silence.

It was only a month ago when my mom broke the news to me. "Ava we need to talk " she said as she carefully led me to the black couch in the dimly lit living room, her eyes locked on mine with a mix of concern and reassurance.

I could hear the creak of the old wooden floor boards , the soft hum of the refrigerator as the scent of fresh coffee wafted through the air but my attention was fixed on my mom's tense expression.

She had been staying out longer than usual lately but I just assumed it was due to the frequent patients she oversees. My mom worked as a nurse in a closeby clinic and sometimes she would have to take on two shifts when there was a high number of patients.

"Ava it doesn't matter what I tell you now, I just want you to know that I love you and I will always put you first" mom said quietly, confusion clouded my mind as I tried to guess what her next words will be.

" There was a night in the hospital, a man came in for his checkup and after that he introduced himself as Lucas Wilson . He asked for my contact which I reluctantly gave to him cause I keep my relationship with clients professional but he was so nice and couldn't take no for an answer".

Weeks passed and as we kept in touch and he would spare two days a week from his company to take me to a restaurant, the bar and sometimes we would just take a walk in the park". I raised an eyebrow unsure were this was going .

The next words my mom said made my heart sink. "He asked me to marry him and I said yes" my mom said, her voice laced with concern I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. The air seemed to have been sucked out of the room, leaving me breathless and disoriented.

"Mom, what...?" I trailed off, unsure of how to process this bombshell.

My mom's eyes locked onto mine, filled with a mix of concern and reassurance. "Ava, I know this is a lot to take in. But I want you to know that I've thought this through, and I truly believe Lucas is a good man. He cares about us, and he wants to be a part of our lives."

I shook my head, trying to clear the fog. "But...Dad?" The word felt like a betrayal on my lips.

My mom's expression softened. "Oh, sweetie, I know this isn't easy. But your father's been gone for a long time, and I've been alone for even longer. I deserve to be happy, Ava. And Lucas makes me happy."

I felt a lump form in my throat as I struggled to comprehend this new reality. My mom, happy with someone else? It was a concept I'd never considered before.

"What about me?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

My mom's face lit up with a warm smile. "You'll always be my number one priority, Ava. Nothing will ever change that. But I want you to have a chance to get to know Lucas, to see the good in him. I think you'll really like him."

I nodded, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside me. I wasn't sure what to think or feel, but I knew one thing - my life was about to change in ways I couldn't even imagine.

As I sat on the couch, my mind wandered to the father I never knew. Mom had told me he died in an accident when I was just a toddler. I didn't remember him, but the ache of his absence lingered. I never got to meet him and up till now I still don't know what he looks like. Mom made sure there were no pictures or traces of him and when I asked her why she had no pictures of my dad she'd just say " Pictures bring up memories that are meant to be forgotten" .

Mom's eyes would cloud over whenever I asked about him, and I learned to avoid the topic. Now, as I faced the revelation about Lucas Wilson, I couldn't help but wonder what my dad would think if he were here.

It had been just Mom and I for as long as I could remember. Forever, it seemed, we'd been a team of two, navigating life's ups and downs together.

The dimly lit living room, with its familiar creaks and groans, had been our sanctuary, our safe haven. But now, as Mom's words hung in the air, I felt the weight of that solitude shifting, like the first tremors of an earthquake.

I trudged upstairs to my room, feeling like I was carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. My mom's words kept echoing in my mind: "Lucas makes me happy." But what about me? What about the life we'd built together, just the two of us? . I never once imagined a new addition to the family, my family.

I pushed open the door to my room, and the familiar scent of fresh laundry and old books enveloped me. My room was my sanctuary, a place where I could escape the world outside. The walls were painted a soft, creamy yellow, and the floor was covered in a plush, white carpet.

My bed, with its patchwork quilt , fluffy pillows and stuffed teddies was a cozy haven where I spent countless hours reading and dreaming.

I flopped down onto my bed, surrounded by the comforting clutter of my room. There were stacks of dog-eared books, a collection of seashells from our summer vacations, and a few favorite stuffed animals from childhood. I stared blankly at the wall, feeling a pang of sadness and loss.

My mom's voice drifted up from downstairs, calling out to me. "Ava, my love are you okay? Do you need some time alone?"

I nodded to myself even though she couldn't see me, my eyes welling up in tears. Yeah, I needed some time alone. Time to process this new reality, time to figure out how I felt, and time to wonder what the future held.