FORBIDDEN STEP

I couldn't tear my gaze away. His curly dark brown hair shimmered with a captivating warmth in the sunlight. His eyes, an arresting oceanic hue, drew me in with each mesmerizing blink. Chiseled to perfection, his face seemed almost divine, as if sculpted by the gods themselves.

For the first time, I felt an unfamiliar sensation coursing through me. My heart pounded in my chest, its rhythmic thud echoing through every cell. The world around me melted away, leaving only an intense, deafening silence.

It was only a month ago when my mom broke the news to me. "Ava we need to talk " she said as she carefully led me to the black couch in the dimly lit living room, her eyes locked on mine with a mix of concern and reassurance.

I could hear the creak of the old wooden floor boards , the soft hum of the refrigerator as the scent of fresh coffee wafted through the air but my attention was fixed on my mom's tense expression.

She had been staying out longer than usual lately but I just assumed it was due to the frequent patients she oversees. My mom worked as a nurse in a closeby clinic and sometimes she would have to take on two shifts when there was a high number of patients.

"Ava it doesn't matter what I tell you now, I just want you to know that I love you and I will always put you first" mom said quietly, confusion clouded my mind as I tried to guess what her next words will be.

" There was a night in the hospital, a man came in for his checkup and after that he introduced himself as Lucas Wilson . He asked for my contact which I reluctantly gave to him cause I keep my relationship with clients professional but he was so nice and couldn't take no for an answer".

Weeks passed and as we kept in touch and he would spare two days a week from his company to take me to a restaurant, the bar and sometimes we would just take a walk in the park". I raised an eyebrow unsure were this was going .

The next words my mom said made my heart sink. "He asked me to marry him and I said yes" my mom said, her voice laced with concern I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. The air seemed to have been sucked out of the room, leaving me breathless and disoriented.

"Mom, what...?" I trailed off, unsure of how to process this bombshell.

My mom's eyes locked onto mine, filled with a mix of concern and reassurance. "Ava, I know this is a lot to take in. But I want you to know that I've thought this through, and I truly believe Lucas is a good man. He cares about us, and he wants to be a part of our lives."

I shook my head, trying to clear the fog. "But...Dad?" The word felt like a betrayal on my lips.

My mom's expression softened. "Oh, sweetie, I know this isn't easy. But your father's been gone for a long time, and I've been alone for even longer. I deserve to be happy, Ava. And Lucas makes me happy."