Shawn, a guy I dated earlier that year, had done the same. Before him, it was Victor. All these men knew about my past and my daughters. So what was going wrong?
I was determined to find out. The next day, I met my colleague and friend Jose at work and poured my heart out.
“Jose, it’s like a pattern. Every time a guy meets my daughters, he just vanishes,” I explained, feeling tears prick my eyes.
Distressed woman covering her face with her hands | Source: Pexels
“Come on, Melinda, it can’t be that bad,” Jose said with a chuckle.
“I’m serious. I need your help,” I insisted.
He agreed to help me. A few weeks later, I brought Jose home for dinner, introducing him as my “new boyfriend.” Veronica and Casey’s smiles vanished immediately.
“Jose, why don’t you talk to the girls and get to know them?” I said, leaving them at the dining table as usual. I waited in the kitchen, my heart pounding.
A couple holding hands | Source: Unsplash
When I returned, Jose’s face was paler than usual. He was gripping his fork nervously and would barely look at me.
After dinner, he left quickly, and I knew something was up. That night, after the girls went to bed, I called Jose.
“Jose, what happened?” I asked, barely able to keep my voice steady.
“Melinda, we need to talk in person,” he said. My heart sank.
A startled man holding his head | Source: Pexels
The next morning, I hurried to the office, finding Jose before our shift started.
“Tell me,” I demanded. “What happened last night? What did the girls say?”
“Melinda, your daughters… they think you and Roger will get back together. They’re scaring off your boyfriends on purpose,” he confessed.
I froze. “What do you mean?”
Close-up of a sad woman with eyes downcast | Source: Pexels
“They told me horrible things about you. That you’re terrible at cooking, taking care of them… cleaning. They said you’re a shopaholic and have sleepwalking issues. They even said you’ve brought home seven guys this week alone,” Jose explained.
Tears streamed down my face. “None of that’s true, Jose.”
“I know. But they’re doing it because they want you and Roger to get back together. You need to talk to them,” he advised gently.
A teary-eyed woman closing her eyes | Source: Pexels
That evening, I stormed home, my heart heavy with hurt. Veronica and Casey were playing in the living room, oblivious to the storm brewing inside me.
“Girls, we need to talk. Now,” I said firmly, gathering them. They exchanged nervous glances but said nothing.
“I know what you’ve been doing. Lying to my boyfriends to scare them away. Why?” I demanded, my voice breaking.
At first, they denied it. But when I threatened to cut off their pocket money and vacations, they finally confessed.
Two young girls sitting on the floor facing each other | Source: Pexels
“Mom, we just want you and Dad to get back together. We need both our parents. We need our old life back,” Veronica said, tears streaming down her face.
I felt like my heart was shattering into a million pieces. “But why didn’t you tell me this before?” I asked, choking on my tears.
“We were scared you’d be mad,” Casey whispered.
Close-up of a young girl looking up | Source: Pexels
I took a deep breath, gathering them in my arms. “I understand, but you can’t do this. It’s not fair to me or to those men. We need to have a real conversation about this.”
We sat together, talking late into the night. I explained that while I understood their feelings, I also needed to move on and find happiness.
“But, Mom, is it really too late to get back together with Dad?” Veronica asked, her voice small and hopeful.
Unhappy teen girl looking up | Source: Pexels
I sighed, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “I don’t know, sweetheart. But what I do know is that we need to support each other and be honest. No more lies, okay?”
