At 37, I thought I could finally date in peace until my Mom crashed dinner with a list of rules… and somehow ended up on a date with my boyfriend.
I always knew I had a mom. But sometimes, it felt like my mom was my whole life. I was 37, but that didn’t stop her from asking me every single day:
“Are you wearing warm socks?” or “Are you sure he looked at you with respect and not… interest?”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
I worked in a museum, adored art history, lived in my own apartment, had a bank account, and had two degrees… Yet every time I saw “Mom calling” on my phone, I instinctively straightened my posture.
She controlled everything. From when I should go to bed to what color I painted my nails.
Once, I ordered salmon delivery, and 20 minutes later, she called.
“I saw him go into your house. Was that him?”
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“Mom, are you spying on my house?”
“I just sat in the car nearby. In case of suspicious movement.”
She had binoculars. And a notebook. She called it “just in case.”
As a child, it was cute. At 20, it got annoying. By 30, I began to question our “normal.”
At 37, I met Theo.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
For the first time in my life, I didn’t tell her right away.
It was my first grown-up secret. And, of course, it lasted exactly three days. Until Mom ruined everything.
But I’ll tell you that in a moment.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
***
I was preparing for my dinner with Theo. I baked a pie I found online, not from Mom’s sacred recipe book.
Even if it came out a bit burnt and the chicken was a little dry — those were my mistakes. My life.
I could already imagine my mother’s face if she saw the meal — a guaranteed explosion. I smiled quietly to myself while checking the candles.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
A week earlier, she declared, “I want to meet him. In person. At my house. At the table. With my questions.”
“Mom, let me be an adult for once. I’ll decide when to introduce you.”
She backed off for once. It felt odd, but I didn’t think much of it. Big mistake.
That night, Theo came over for the first time. He brought tulips, non-alcoholic wine (knowing I was tired after work), and a cake from the bakery I always visit during lunch.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“I just wanted to get everything right,” he smiled, setting the plates.
“Theo, with you, it always feels right.”
Something warm and calm bloomed in my chest. We talked for hours. Laughed. Dreamed.
“Imagine… a little house by an old lighthouse,” he said.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“And in the basement — an archive of old love letters.”
“You’d preserve them, and I’d write new ones.”
Candles were burning low. Music hummed softly. He touched my hand.
“I thought after all the heartbreaks, nothing would ever happen again. And then you came along…”
And at that exact moment…
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“ACHOO!”
From the closet. We froze.
“You’re not alone?” Theo shot me a look.
I got up. Opened the closet.
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“Mooom?!”
She sat in the dark. With a headlamp. And a thermos.
“What… what are you doing?!”
“Oh, hi! I was just checking if you’re storing things in your closet without lavender,” she mumbled, not even trying to sound convincing.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“You broke into my apartment?!”
“I was just making sure. Listening. Evaluating. I didn’t interfere!”
Theo, somehow, still managed to smile politely.
“Good evening. I’m Theo. Very nice to meet you.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“Theo. Short. Like most male patients,” Mom said, sitting on the couch. “Sit. Let’s get to know each other.”
I wanted to run. But Theo sat down. Bravely.
And the interrogation began.
“Do you have a job?”
“Yes. I teach literature…”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“Do you work 9 to 5?”
“Flexible hours.”
“So, no structure. Got it. Do you drink alcohol?”
“A glass of wine, sometimes…”
“Sometimes means regularly.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“Mom…”
“Quiet, Eliza. I’m asking.”
Then she turned back to him again, “How many women before my daughter?”
“I… excuse me?”
“Are you deaf?”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“No, I just think that’s a bit…”
“You should always think. Before approaching a woman with serious intentions.”
Theo looked at me. As if to ask, “Is this a joke?”
I tried to say with my eyes, “No. This is my life.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
Mom stood up. “Now, a test.”
“What?” we both said.
“Wipe the table. With a sponge. No streaks. If there’s even one mark — you’re not for her.”
“Mom, enough!”
I was desperate and angry. But to my greatest surprise…
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
Theo stood up, went to the kitchen, found the sponge… and wiped. It was perfect. She checked the surface and ran her finger across.
“Hmm. Survived. For now.”
Then, Mom dramatically handed Theo a paper. He smiled while skimming it, then slowly, he frowned before handing it to me.
“I think I should go. I’ll call you.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
He left. Just like that. I finally looked down at the letters she wrote in thick black marker.
RULES FOR DATING MY DAUGTER
1. Have a job.
2. Understand I don’t like you.
3. I am EVERYWHERE.
4. You make HER cry — I make YOU cry.
5. Be home 30 min early.
6. SHE is my PRINCESS. Not your conquest.
7. I don’t mind going to jail.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Celebritist
Daugter. With a typo. That said it all.
“Mom, it’s time for you to go.”
“Oh, sweetie, if he leaves at the first sign of trouble, is he even a man?”
“He didn’t leave me. He said he’d call.”
“Same thing.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“Maybe he just didn’t enjoy being around you?”
“You’re overreacting.”
“You crossed the line, Mom! Please, leave. I want to be alone.”
Mom’s words echoed in my head.
Has Theo really left… forever?
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
***
Three days passed. No texts. No calls. I caved and sent him a short message:
“I’m sorry for how everything went. You didn’t deserve that.”
Seen. No reply.
And then — a knock at the door. I opened it, my heart racing. It was him and he was there with flowers.
“Come on. I’ve planned a date… for you and your Mom.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
I blinked. “What?”
“Just trust me.”
We picked up my Mom. She barely got in the car before starting her usual commentary.
“Where are we going? I have to defrost the freezer!”
“Surprise,” Theo smiled.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
The first stop? His lecture.
Mom and I sat in the back. Theo stood in front of a class full of students, talking about love in literature.
“To be with someone doesn’t always feel poetic. But it’s always worth it.”
“Oh, I might fall asleep here,” Mom whispered.
“Mom. Shhh.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“If he’s trying to seduce us both with lectures — he failed.”
I gave her a look. But I held on. I knew this wasn’t all Theo had planned.
Next stop — a boat ride. On the lake, with a plaid blanket, strawberries, and tea in a thermos. (Yes, the exact tea Mom liked. He remembered.)
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“Yet another romantic coma,” Mom muttered, but this time, she was chuckling.
As we floated, Theo turned to her gently.
“So, Barbara. What are your hobbies?”
She raised an eyebrow.
“Hobbies? Suspicion. Avoiding scams. Crosswords when I can’t sleep.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
“I bet you’re good at them.”
“I once found three typos in The New York Times. Sent them a letter. And you didn’t find one.”
“You planted that typo?”
“Of course, sweetie — it was a test for your Theo.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
“A test? For spelling? Mom, he’s a university professor!”
“No, more like a test for politeness,” she smirked. “He passed.”
Then she leaned to move closer to the edge… and slipped.
SPLASH.
She fell right into the water. I gasped. Then, she laughed so hard I nearly joined her.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“YOU LAUGHING? I COULD DROWN!”
Theo jumped in without hesitation. Swam straight to her, helped her out, and wrapped her in a blanket. Soaked, shivering, furious — but secretly touched. Back on land, she was about to stomp away.
“I need to go home. I’m done.”
Theo calmly said, “There’s a sports store nearby. Time for a wardrobe refresh.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
He disappeared. Came back ten minutes later with two matching athletic outfits. One for me. One for Mom. She held hers suspiciously.
“How did you guess my size?”
“Easy. You’re built perfectly for a Medium. Athletic and classic.”
She smiled. Barely. Quietly. But I saw it. She loved attention.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
We changed. And then — the climbing wall.
“Last challenge, I promise,” Theo grinned. “Climbing wall. One climbs, the other keeps the rope. Trust exercise.”
“Oh no. I’m 60!”
“Exactly. Perfect age for adventure.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
To my absolute shock, Mom went first. Halfway up, she shouted:
“THEO! IF I FALL — I’M HAUNTING YOU!”
She didn’t fall. She reached the top. And when she came down, her eyes were gleaming.
“Okay, professor. Not bad.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“To end the day,” Theo said, “I’d like to make you both dinner. My place.”
Mom looked at me. “I have no choice. I need to see where this man lives. Maybe I’ll discover his secret lair.”
***
Theo’s house was beautiful. Clean. Warm. It smelled like citrus and cedar. I’d never been there before. And I was stunned.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
“Did you buy this on a teacher’s salary or rob a bank?” Mom asked, peeking into the kitchen.
“Started saving in high school. Plus I teach online courses on the side. Hard work pays off.”
“Well, look at you,” she muttered. Then, louder, “Does the fridge clean itself, or are you just this weird?”
Theo just laughed.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
We sat on the terrace. Theo grilled steaks nearby while the sun dipped low. Mom leaned back. Actually relaxed.
“You know… he’s not so bad, honey.”
“Really? Wow. Mom, you’re on fire today.”
“I was too distrustful. Because your father left. And I didn’t want you to get burned like I did.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“But Mom, it’s my life. I need to make my own mistakes. Walk my own path.”
“Theo is wonderful. It’s obvious he loves you. I mean, he jumped in a lake to save his future mother-in-law.”
We both laughed.
“And he could’ve dropped me on that climbing wall. But he didn’t. That’s some nerve control.”
Theo joined us, carrying two plates.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“Hungry?”
“Always,” Mom said.
“Even for this? Because I have one more course.”
Theo knelt on one knee.
“Eliza, these past three months have been the best of my life. You’ve brought color back into everything. And your mom… we’re friends now.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“Almost,” Mom added.
“Not even the rule list could scare me away. I want to share my home, my life… all of it. And yes, even see your mom — but no more than twice a week.”
He laughed. I gasped.
“Will you marry me?”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
I blinked. Heart racing.
“Sweetheart,” Mom nudged me. “I’d have said yes already.”
“YES. Of course — yes!”
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***
Mom changed.
She started Pilates, bought her first floral swimsuit, and we no longer lived in a co-dependent loop. We were separate but always family.
Finally, our coffee dates felt like chats between old friends.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
She told me about her fitness class. I told her how Theo’d forgotten to take out the trash and called it a “creative delay.”
I finally became myself. And I think — she also did.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
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Four Years after My Husband Went Missing, a Dog Brought Me the Jacket He Was Wearing on the Day He Disappeared
Four years after Maggie’s husband vanished during a solo hike, she had come to terms with his loss. But when their old family dog reappeared, carrying her husband’s jacket in its mouth, Maggie followed it into the forest, uncovering a truth she never could have imagined.
I still remember the day Jason left four years ago. He had been depressed for a couple of months then, and it was the first time in a long while I’d seen him so excited, restless.
A man packing for a hike | Source: Freepik
He said he needed some time in nature, alone. “Just me and Scout,” he said, scratching the dog’s ears as our kids laughed.
“Are you sure you don’t want company?” I asked, holding our then-toddler son, Benny, while my four-year-old, Emily, clung to my leg.
Jason just smiled and shook his head. “Nah, I’ll be back before you know it. Promise.”
A man talking to his wife | Source: Pexels
But he never came back.
At first, I thought he’d gotten lost. Maybe hurt. The search teams kept trying to find him. Our friends, our neighbors, all showed up to help, calling his name, searching the mountains. It felt surreal, like a bad dream I couldn’t wake up from.
But days turned to weeks, and the search teams started looking at me with pity, as if they’d already made up their minds.
A search party | Source: Pexels
Eventually, they said, “We’ve done all we can.”
People started saying things like, “You’re strong, Maggie,” and “You’ll be okay.” But every word felt hollow. Jason wasn’t just missing; he was gone. After months, they declared him legally dead. I hated those words, but what could I do? Life had to go on.
A sad woman in her bedroom | Source: Midjourney
Over the years, little things kept Jason alive in our home: his old hiking boots by the door, his coffee mug with a chip on the rim, the wool scarf he loved. The kids sometimes asked about him, and I would tell them stories, trying to keep his memory alive.
Sometimes, late at night, when the house was silent, I let myself remember. I wondered if I could’ve done something different that day, maybe convinced him to stay.
A sleepless woman in her bedroom | Source: Midjourney
Then, one afternoon, everything changed.
It was a quiet Saturday, sunny with a light breeze. I was lying on a blanket in the backyard, watching the kids play, feeling a rare sense of peace.
Out of nowhere, something rustled near the bushes. I squinted, thinking it was a squirrel or maybe one of the neighbors’ cats. But then I saw a dog, thin and scruffy, walking slowly toward me.
A dog in the bushes | Source: Pexels
At first, I didn’t recognize him. But when I looked closer, my heart skipped. “Scout?” I whispered, hardly believing it. He was older, thinner, his coat dirty and matted, but it was him.
“Scout!” I called louder, sitting up, barely breathing. The dog stopped, looking at me with tired eyes. In his mouth, he held a green jacket, frayed and faded.
A black dog in the bushes | Source: Midjourney
I knew it instantly. I’d washed it a hundred times, seen him wear it on so many hikes. I couldn’t believe it. I felt my whole body tense, frozen between shock and hope.
“Scout, where did you come from?” I whispered, inching toward him. But as soon as I reached out, Scout turned and started trotting away, disappearing into the trees.
“No—Scout, wait!” I called, but he didn’t stop. Something inside me said to follow, even if I didn’t know where he was leading me.
A woman chasing after the dog | Source: Midjourney
“Kids, stay here! Don’t move!” I grabbed my phone and car keys, my hands shaking. “Mommy’ll be back soon, I promise.”
Emily looked up, concerned. “Where are you going, Mom?”
“I… I just have to check something, honey,” I managed to say, my voice barely steady. She nodded, her wide eyes watching me as I took off after the dog.
A shocked girl | Source: Midjourney
Scout kept a steady pace, leading me through the edge of our neighborhood and into the forest. I struggled to keep up, ducking under branches, slipping on damp leaves. My heart pounded as I ran, a mix of hope, fear, and disbelief fueling me.
“Scout, slow down!” I called, but he stayed just ahead, leading me deeper and deeper into the forest.
Scout paused briefly, looking back to make sure I was still there. His eyes seemed to say, Keep going.
A black dog | Source: Midjourney
I couldn’t tell you how long I’d been walking. My legs ached, every step heavier than the last, and the forest seemed endless, twisting around me as if it wanted me lost. Scout kept looking back, urging me on, like he was as desperate as I was.
And then, just as the light started to fade, I saw it.
A shocked woman in the woods | Source: Midjourney
The cabin sat low and quiet, blending right into the thick of the woods. It was so tucked away you’d miss it if you didn’t know where to look. Smoke drifted faintly from an outdoor fire pit, and a makeshift clothesline was strung between two trees. There were footprints in the mud outside. There was someone here.
“Jason?” I whispered, my voice almost too small to carry. My heart was pounding, my mouth dry. This couldn’t be real.
A small shack in the woods | Source: Freepik
With my breath catching, I walked up to the window. And there, inside, moving around like he’d never left, was Jason.
He looked… different. His hair was long and messy, a rough beard covering half his face. He looked wild, like he’d lived outside for months. And he wasn’t alone.
A man by a fire pit | Source: Midjourney
A woman was there with him, standing close, her hand brushing against his arm. Her hair was tangled, and her clothes looked patched and worn. She stood like she belonged there, like this was her home. Like he was her home.
My hand flew to my mouth as I stifled a gasp. My mind raced, trying to make sense of what I was seeing. No. No, this isn’t real. But every second I stood there, staring into that dirty window, the truth sank deeper.
A woman in front of a shack in the woods | Source: Midjourney
I pushed the door open, feeling a strength I didn’t know I had. It creaked loudly, and they both turned toward me, their eyes widening in surprise. Jason’s mouth fell open, his eyes darting over me like I was a ghost.
“Maggie…” he breathed, his voice calm, too calm, like he’d been expecting me.
“Jason.” My voice wavered, but I held his gaze. I glanced at the woman, then back at him. “What is this?” My heart felt like it was breaking all over again. “Where have you been?”
A shocked man in the woods | Source: Midjourney
He glanced at the woman beside him, who just stood there, looking at me like I was the one out of place. “I was…trapped, Maggie. That life wasn’t me. Out here, I’m free. I can breathe. I’ve found something real, something I couldn’t have…back there.” He gestured vaguely to the woods, as if that was his new life.
I stared at him, barely able to comprehend it. “You left us,” I said, feeling my voice crack. “You left your kids, Jason. They think you’re dead. I thought you were dead.”
An angry woman | Source: Freepik
He looked down, rubbing the back of his neck. “I…I know it’s hard to hear. But I’ve become one with nature now. Sarah and I…we’ve built a life. A simple, meaningful life.” His words sounded empty, robotic, like he’d convinced himself of this story so many times he believed it.
I took a step back, feeling the anger boil over. “So that’s it? You just walk away from everything? From your family? You didn’t even try to let us know you were okay?”
A man arguing with his wife | Source: Midjourney
He closed his eyes, sighing deeply, like I was the one causing him pain. “Maggie, you wouldn’t understand. That life felt like a prison. Now, I’m living it to the fullest.”
“A prison?” I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. “Is that what we were to you?”
“Maybe if you weren’t so obsessed with your cursed technology, you could come worship nature like we did,” Sarah hissed, looking at me like I was a lunatic.
A woman with a blank face | Source: Pexels
Jason opened his mouth to speak, but I raised my hand, cutting him off. I didn’t want to hear it. Didn’t want to listen to his empty excuses or hear how “free” he felt now. I wanted to scream, to cry, to tell him exactly how much he’d shattered our lives.
But looking at his empty, detached expression, I knew it wouldn’t matter. He’d made his choice long ago.
A man with a beard in a shack | Source: Midjourney
Without another word, I turned and walked out of that cabin. I didn’t look back. I didn’t need to. The Jason I loved was gone. Maybe he’d been gone long before that day he disappeared, and I was just the last one to realize it.
The walk back felt longer, heavier. Every step was one more reminder that I was leaving a piece of my life behind, a piece I’d never get back. I barely noticed the trees, the growing shadows, the ache in my legs. My mind was numb, my heart hollow.
A sad woman walking in the woods | Source: Midjourney
Back home, I wasted no time. I walked straight into a lawyer’s office the next morning, barely able to say the words, but knowing I had to.
“I want a divorce,” I said, my voice stronger than I felt. “And I want support. If he has any assets, my kids deserve them.”
The lawyer nodded, looking at me with sympathy. “We’ll make sure you and your children are taken care of, Maggie.”
A lawyer in his office | Source: Pexels
As I left, a strange calm washed over me. I’d spent years waiting, grieving, and wondering if Jason would come back. But I finally understood that he wasn’t coming back, and even if he did, he wasn’t the man I’d once loved.
Now it was my turn to choose. I needed to make a life for my children rooted in love, stability, and honesty. Jason had taken one path, but I was taking mine. And I was never looking back.
A smiling woman | Source: Pexels
Liked this story? Consider checking out this one: When her boyfriend moved in, everything seemed perfect, until he discovered her secret. Owning the home she lived in wasn’t something she thought would matter, but his reaction sparked a conflict neither of them saw coming, forcing her to choose between love and standing her ground.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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