Eliza stood before her late husband John’s grave, a black umbrella shielding her from the hot sun. Her eyes were red and swollen, and her nails dug into her palms as she tried to hold back her tears.

“I promise to protect our son,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “Our young man will live a happy life, and who knows, I might even get to visit you with our grandchildren soon one day.”

As she turned to leave, she saw her only son, Adam, in a tight embrace with a woman with hair as gray as hers. Even though she couldn’t see the woman’s face, she knew she wasn’t young.

“Adam needs all the comfort he can get,” she thought, lowering her gaze back to the ground. Soon, it started raining, and a voice from behind distracted her.

“Mother,” Adam said gently, “it’s time to go home.”

Eliza nodded, her heart heavy with grief. She knew she had to be strong for her son.

He led a busy life, and had traveled from far away when he heard of his father’s death. After the funeral, she asked him to stay over for a couple of weeks, and he agreed.

***

She was in the living room when Adam emerged from his room in a suit.

“You look nice. But…this looks too formal to be just going out with friends,” she pointed out, her eyes twinkling with curiosity.

“Yes, mother,” Adam admitted. “I’m going out with my girlfriend, Helen. I’m sure I’ve mentioned her before.”

Eliza’s excitement over the television show she had planned to watch vanished instantly.

“How long have you guys been dating? Does she not want to meet your mother?”

Adam had an honors degree and a good job, and there was nothing he did that she wasn’t proud of. But at one point, he’d been so engrossed in his studies and career that she had doubts about his sexual orientation.

Adam smiled nervously. “Mother, trust me, you’ll meet her when the time is right.”

“Right now couldn’t be more right,” Eliza insisted.

But no matter how much she pressured him, he stubbornly refused to tell her anything more about Helen.

“At least bring it up on your date,” Eliza pressed. “Ask her what she thinks about meeting me.”

If I tell him about my plans to spoil my future grandchildren, it would only make him hesitate even more.

“Trust me, meeting her won’t affect your relationship. You can still move it at whatever pace you want,” she assured him.

“Fine, mother, you win. You’ll get to meet her,” Adam relented, his eyes darting between her and the wall clock. He was running late.

“But you’ll meet her only when she’s comfortable to meet you, yes?”

Eliza quickly agreed. However, her excitement surged as she realized the need to make a good impression on her son’s girlfriend.

“What do young women of his age like?” She googled, exploring gifts like a $300 lipstick in shock.

“I should do a little shopping for food items. At most, she should agree to visit me this week,” Eliza muttered, eager as she made a list.

Adam returned late, and Eliza chose to wait until after he had eaten the following day to inquire, “So, what did she say?”

“You’re not even going to ask me if the food I just ate is digesting properly?” Adam teased, earning a severe glare.

“She agreed and said Saturday is perfect for her,” Adam informed her. “Mum, you might meet her and think that she isn’t the conventional choice for—”

“Don’t worry about it. If you love her, what reason could there possibly be why I wouldn’t feel the same?” Eliza replied with excitement.

“I know, but as I said, she’s not exactly—”

Before Adam could finish, Eliza hurried off, muttering ingredients for Saturday.

Eliza spent two days grocery shopping and bought a big jewelry present for Helen.

At the supermarket, after buying the gift, she struck up a conversation with an older woman who had also bought a huge present.

“That looks like a very big and beautiful gift,” Eliza complemented.

“Thank you. It’s for someone special to someone special to me,” the woman replied.

The woman was standing in the cashier’s queue before Eliza and left before her.

Eliza wanted to have a friendly chat with her. But without dwelling on the missed opportunity, she headed home, eager to prepare for the much-awaited meeting with Adam’s girlfriend and her future daughter-in-law.

Friday whirred by in a blur of excitement as Eliza prepared for Helen’s visit. The garden was meticulously groomed, with new flowers enhancing its beauty.

“You seem even more excited to have her over than I do,” Adam commented.

“I have to make a good first impression on her. I hope you’ve been saying only good things about me,” Eliza warned.

“Mother, we both know there’s nothing bad to be said about you,” Adam reassured, earning a hug from Eliza.

“Hurry off. There’s still so much to do and so little time,” Eliza said.

Saturday arrived, and Eliza, already dressed, eagerly awaited Helen’s arrival. The doorbell rang, and she rushed over to answer, only for her brows to furrow in confusion.

“Is this Helen’s mother?” Eliza wondered as she opened the door to find the older woman from the supermarket with Adam.

“Mum, meet Helen. This is my girlfriend,” Adam announced.

Eliza’s smile stiffened. Helen appeared twice Adam’s age.

“Mother, aren’t you going to invite us in?”

“Sure. Please come in,” Eliza responded, concealing her shock.

In the garden, Eliza tried to compose herself as they sat down.

“Adam, this IS Helen, right?” Eliza asked, hoping for a joke.

“Yes. This is Helen, my girlfriend,” Adam confirmed.

“It’s nice to meet you, Eliza. Adam has told me so many good things about you,” Helen greeted.

Ignoring the compliment, Eliza couldn’t hide her disdain. “Helen, right? You’re going to be what? Seventy, seventy-two next year?”

“No. I’ll be fifty-two,” Helen calmly replied.

“So tell me, what work do you do, or are you already retired?” Eliza asked as calmly as she could, even as she boiled inside.

“I have a blog,” Helen replied, and Eliza huffed under her breath.

“Children?” Eliza asked.

“I don’t have any,” Helen responded with a shake of her head, and Eliza nodded to show that it was something she expected.

“Mum, trust me. Helen is pretty great. She has a huge blog with thousands of followers,” Adam defended, picking up his tablet to show Eliza.

“Yes. It’s called ‘Help from Helen.’ I help women in difficult situations,” Helen added proudly.

“Really? Cause I have a problem I need help with,” Eliza said, refusing to see the tablet. “My son suddenly brings home a woman old enough to be his mother. Please help me, Helen! What do you think I should do?”

“Mother!” Adam exclaimed, but Helen boldly responded, “I would advise you to support your son and trust him to find his own happiness and not be too rigid and stand in his way.”

Eliza lost it and sprang to her feet. “Who do you think you are? A woman in her twenties falling in love for the first time? You’re nothing but a washed-up old woman trying to cling to a younger man in her later years.”

“Mother,” Adam softly called out, attempting to stop her, but Eliza continued her verbal attack.

“You think I don’t know that a woman like you can never love my son, and he can never love you in return. In ten to twenty years, you’ll look like his dead grandmother. What do you think will happen then? You don’t have children, and that’s why you think you can steal and use my only son!”

“I love your son, and he loves me!” Helen yelled as she got to her feet.

Eliza continued her insults. Finally, Helen grabbed her gift and walked out without saying a word.

“Helen!” Adam yelled, trying to follow, but Eliza stopped him.

“Mother, please move. You’ve already said enough hurtful things about her for one day,” Adam implored, but Eliza continued to block his path.

“Don’t go after her. How many children do you think she can have at 50? She’s just making me look bad!” Eliza declared, hoping to dissuade Adam from chasing after Helen.

But Adam decided to go after Helen, leaving Eliza fuming.

Eliza tried to cool off by watching TV but couldn’t. She got on her phone and found Helen’s blog online. Surprisingly, Helen was live, describing her day.

“They don’t know her. They don’t know the kind of woman she is,” Eliza thought, furious at the care and love Helen received in the comments.

Eliza began typing a scathing comment, accusing Helen of dating her son for money. Helen tried to defend herself, but the comments turned against her.

{This is shocking. If she was a mother, would she accept such a thing for her son?}

{The only reason I could ever think someone her age would date a young man like that is money. If she’s not giving him some, then she’s getting something from him.}

Overwhelmed, Helen ended the live session.

Eliza closed her phone with a smug smile, satisfied with the damage she had caused to Helen’s blog. But her contentment turned to worry when her son, Adam, remained unreachable for a week.

Lonely and concerned, Eliza visited her husband’s grave. “He brought an old woman, John. How am I supposed to accept that?” Eliza cried, desperate for support.

As she dried her tears, she spotted Helen approaching.

“What do you think you’re doing here? You came to meet me under the pretense of mourning?” Eliza yelled.

“I didn’t come here to look for you; this is a coincidence,” Helen tried explaining, but Eliza wasn’t listening.

“I’ve heard of women like you with innocent faces who go around—”

“I’m no longer with your son. Leave me alone!” Helen retorted and walked away, leaving Eliza stunned.

Suddenly, Eliza noticed a nearby epitaph, “Loving and devoted husband to Helen.”

Shocked, she realized her grave mistake and raced after Helen.

“Helen! Please wait!”

“What do you want? Haven’t you said enough?” Helen yelled in tears as Eliza stopped her.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know you lost your husband and all the things I—” Eliza began but was cut off.

Helen just walked away.

Eliza was regretting her actions now. When she checked Helen’s blog later, she realized Helen hadn’t come live since their heated exchange on the blog.

Eliza, feeling terrible, recorded a video seeking Helen’s help, admitting her shame and embarrassment.

“I know you’re the only one who can help me. Please!” Eliza begged. She posted it on all social media channels. But the next day brought no messages from Helen.

In the evening, a knock surprised Eliza. Opening the door, she found Helen holding the same present she’d taken away.

“Hello, Eliza. My name is Helen. I’m Adam’s girlfriend,” Helen introduced herself, surprising Eliza with her bravery.

“Come in. I’m yet to cook anything, but there are enough snacks we can nibble on while we talk,” Eliza welcomed her, realizing Helen’s big heart.

The plan was to cook together and show Adam that everything was good between them. While they were still in the kitchen, loud knocks on the front door distracted them.

“Are you expecting someone?” Helen asked.

“No, and it can’t be Adam since he has the keys, but I should at least check,” Eliza responded, drying her hands.

“I’ll go with you,” Helen offered.

As they approached the door, it swung open, revealing Adam, who was concerned after seeing Eliza’s video.

“I thought something happened to you. Why were you asking Helen—”

Adam lectured his mother before freezing at the sight of Helen.

“Helen? What’s going on here?”

“Your mum needed help making a blueberry pie, and I’m Helen. It’s my job to help. I was planning to call you the moment we were done—”

Before she could finish, Adam interrupted her with a hug.

Eliza, realizing her misjudgment, apologized to Helen.

“I smell something burning,” Helen said, pulling away from Adam, and rushed to save the pie.

Happy for her son’s newfound happiness, Eliza looked forward to the future with his new girlfriend.

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If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a single dad who is horrified when his children start disappearing one by one within a week. The father has to find his kids before it’s too late.

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