At 29, running a busy restaurant and doting on my cat Jasper was the rhythm of my everyday life — familiar, steady, a little lonely. That all shifted the weekend I decided to attend a concert with my girlfriends, where I met Trevor. He was funny, sweet, and had this way of making even Jasper purr like he’d known him for years. After a few years of being single,
I finally felt seen and truly happy. Even my mom, Fiona — with her classic lines like, “You’re not getting younger, Amara,” — would’ve approved. But things took an unexpected turn when Trevor, just a few weeks into our relationship, said he wanted to meet my mom. I hesitated, unsure why I felt uneasy. Still, I agreed. We got dressed up, wine and flowers in hand, and headed to her house. What was supposed to be a casual introduction turned into something I never saw coming…