When Amara meets Trevor during a concert, she believes she has finally found someone who makes her happy and less lonely. But when Trevor asks to see her mother, Amara realizes that her mother, Fiona, and Trevor have a common history.At 29, I was operating a busy restaurant while also caring for my pet. People ordered their favorite cocktails, while picky consumers complained about less ice or smaller serving sizes. And the nights were spent playing with my cat, Jasper.
This was my life until one weekend when I decided to change things up by taking time off work to attend a concert with my pals. That is where I met Trevor. I had been single for a few years before meeting Trevor, so I had been wanting to meet someone for quite some time. “You’re not getting any younger, Amara,” my mother, Fiona, would say in typical mom-speak. Naturally, I would roll my eyes and giggle in return, but I agreed with everything she said.
“I’m not saying get married,” she would remark deep into her scripted speech. “I just want to make sure you aren’t lonely when you get home.” “I mean, Jasper can only do so much.” When I met Trevor, we hit it off right away; he was the person I had always wanted to meet. His sense of humor surpassed mine and would make me laugh uncontrollably. And Jasper adored him.
“It’s the way they make you laugh, that speaks volumes of who they are,” my mother used to remark. Again, she was not mistaken.However, a few weeks into our relationship, Trevor caught me off guard.”I really want to meet your mom,” he continued, his eyes serious. I paused. Even though I was pleased with Trevor’s progress, it felt too soon. I wasn’t ready to take him home and present him to my mother, let alone my brother.
“Aren’t we moving a bit too fast?” I responded, trying to hide my fear with a laugh. I didn’t understand why I felt so scared about everything. Trevor was kind, charming, and always took great care of me, but taking him to my childhood home made me nervous.”No, not at all,” he said, dismissing my anxiety with a smile. “I just want to know you better, and your family too.”
I watched him play with Jasper, who drank up all of the attention. This made sense. Trevor appeared to be in for the long haul. Moving too quickly or not, there was only one way to find out if he was the right person for me. I needed to let him meet my mother. I called my mother and informed her that Trevor wanted to meet her. To my surprise, she was thrilled with the idea and quickly wanted to invite him home for supper.
“It will be perfect,” she said.That Saturday, I took my time getting ready before Trevor and I left for my mom’s place. He asked me a hundred questions about her, attempting to create an image of the woman he wanted to impress.”Do you think she’d like me?” he inquired hesitantly, clutching a bottle of wine and a bouquet as we exited the car.
I was overjoyed since it was finally the moment I had been waiting for. My mother knew me better than anyone else; if Trevor was a good match for me, she would know right away. If not, she’ll undoubtedly murmur it to me while we’re doing the dishes after dinner. We stood by the door, waiting for Mom to let us in.I expected polite pleasantries and a smirk from her when she realized how hard Trevor had worked. Instead, there was a strong sense of recognition and disbelief.
“Trevor, is that really you?” My mother gasped, her voice high. Trevor, on the other hand, appeared astonished. His eyes widened, and his mouth had dropped. “Mrs. Thompson?” he asked, the words almost passing his lips. “It’s really you!” I stood there, a spectator on my own porch, watching their reunion play out.”Mom, do you know Trevor?” I said.”Oh, Amara,” Mom answered, her voice full of sorrow. “Of course, I do.”
The story started with Mom pouring a glass of wine for each of us. “Years ago, just before you were born, I volunteered at a children’s home. It was part of my community service while I was accumulating hours as a counselor. Trevor was one of the children at the first household I was placed in. We had a special bond because he was much older than the other youngsters.”
“I helped you hand out the plates for dinner, didn’t I?” Trevor recalled. “Yes, you did!” Mom exclaimed, surprised at Trevor’s memory. “But then I got a long-term job and had to move away with my sister. That’s when Trevor and I lost contact. Over the years, I have always remembered you playing in the yellow bouncy house on Christmas.”Trevor smiled.
“I always wondered why you didn’t come back,” he replied. “You were a lot younger than most of the people who volunteered, but you had such a maternal instinct about you — I would have jumped at the opportunity to come with you!” My mother inquired about Trevor’s life between then and now as I prepared the table. “I was adopted soon after,” he claimed. “Awesome parents. They did send me to boarding school, which was a positive experience. It provided me numerous opportunities.”
My mother clung to Trevor’s comments, and I could tell it made her happy to see him so successful in his work as a software engineer.Mom’s dinner was a success, and Trevor enjoyed the home-cooked meal so much that he chose to do the dishes after. Later, as we drove back to my house, Trevor spoke of my mother as if he had spent his entire life wanting to see her again.
“But it was just the bonus, Amara,” he replied. “That Fiona Thompson ended up being your mother. I just wanted to learn more about you and the people that matter to you.” The evening served as a reminder of how unpredictable life is—and how interconnected we all are. Mom adores Trevor and is already hoping that our children will have his eyes. But Trevor and I have chosen to take it slowly and see where things go. We discovered something unusual: a shared past and a newfound family that Trevor easily fit into.
