To alleviate her mother’s increasing anxiety, Mila tells a safe but shaky falsehood about being in a relationship. When her mother insists on seeing her alleged lover, this seemingly insignificant deceit gradually escalates into a complex farce. When Mila runs out of alternatives, she asks her closest friend to help spread the lie, but things take a turn for the worst.
My name is Mila, and I have a really close relationship with both of my parents, but especially with my mother. My mother and I speak almost daily, and she is highly interested in all aspects of my life, especially my romantic relationships.
In stark contrast to my mother’s life at my age, when she was already married and pregnant, I am twenty-six years old and still unmarried. She had health problems as she grew older, which were made worse by stress, which her physicians advised her to manage. Reducing stress was easier said than done, though, knowing my mother, especially since her primary worry was that I didn’t have a romantic connection.
I pretended to have a partner in an effort to allay her concerns, which at first seemed to reduce her anxiety.
Even though I found the deception uncomfortable, it seemed like a necessary evil to ensure her well-being. I also thought that I would meet someone soon, so I didn’t need to lie.
But shortly I found myself in a more difficult situation after a normal phone contact with my mother.
“Hello, Mom. Yes, everything is well at this place. I’m just preparing for work and grabbing some breakfast. As my coffee was brewing in the background, I responded.
“How is Jacob doing? When is the best time for us to meet him? She asked, ignoring small talk to concentrate on “Jacob,” my made-up lover.
“Mom, I really want you to meet him, but our work schedules are so busy and you live in a different city.”
“I had the same expectations. She said, “But I’m visiting this weekend, and there’s no room for argument,” and I almost dropped my phone in shock.
I frantically tried to come up with some reasonable excuse for her not being able to come this weekend.
“That really isn’t possible, Mom.” I began, but in a decisive tone, she overruled me.
“It’s time I met my future son-in-law! I’m your mother,” she said, cutting the call short.
I instantly called my closest buddy Nigel, feeling helpless.
“Hello, Nigel.”
“Hi, what’s going on?”
“I’m stuck right now. Over the weekend, I I must ask you a challenging question. I’m too ashamed to inquire.
“Tell me straight, what’s up?”
“This weekend, could you please act like you’re my boyfriend?” I lost my mind.
Following a short silence during which Nigel’s astonishment was clearly visible, he answered.
“Wait, would you like to play boyfriend? Mila, what’s going on?”
I released my breath, the lie bearing down on me. “My mother believes I’m dating someone named Jacob. It was simply a little white lie to distract her from my private life. However, she is expecting to meet him when she comes to visit now. Nigel, please, I need your assistance.
With a gentle laugh and a kind tone, Nigel laughed. Okay, Mila. I’ll carry it out. After all, what are friends for?
A sigh of relief filled me. “Thank you, Nigel. You’ve saved a life. I will elucidate all the specifics at a later time. Just be prepared to spend this weekend with my folks.
The weeks before the weekend flew by while I informed Nigel and got ready for his arrival. On the way to the airport to pick up my mum, we practiced our narrative, and I asked Nigel a lot of questions to make sure he recalled every made-up detail.
“What is your name?” I questioned him, mentally crossing things off my list as my eyes grew tight.
“Jacob,” he answered, looking a little worn out.
“How did we come to be together?”
“After work, I asked you out for coffee.”
“And which color is my favorite?”
“Why is that something you need to know? Green, huh.
Yes, I realized that I had forgotten to tell you that. I was amazed at how well Nigel understood the specifics.
Nigel assumed his job with ease as soon as we saw my parents at the airport, giving them a firm hug and a kind handshake before quickly packing their bags into the car.
My mother was clearly happy with him as she grinned at him, and I thought to myself, “He’s really playing the part well.”
“Ah, sweetheart! It’s wonderful to meet you! And what a gorgeous man he is!” With emotion in her voice, she shouted, and for a few second, I thought maybe happiness requires a little deception.
We made our way home, where we had dinner and spoke. Nigel deftly sidestepped my mother’s pointed queries concerning our connection, easily supporting our made-up narrative.
But as the night went on, things became more tense. Under the effect of wine throughout dinner, “Jacob” felt unexpected pressure from my mother regarding marriage.
“Jacob! When do you intend to pop the question to my daughter? She made a demand that really caught me off guard.
“Mum!” I objected, sounding both shocked and ashamed.
How come? Together, the two of you are ideal. Why hold off? By the way, your sister Madeleine is already pregnant,” she said, tightening the screws.
Taken aback, Nigel tried to duck the question with a joke. “Well, Mrs. Johnson, I really wanted to start by asking for your permission.”
But my mother was not going to be defeated. Reaching across the table for his wallet, she looked for an ID to make sure his last name was correct.
“I’ll see if your last name fits my daughter,” she said as she went through his possessions.
“Mom, stop!” I screamed, but it was already too late. Her ID revealed that his true name was Nigel, not Jacob.
“Nigel? What is this? So who is Jacob? What is happening? With a voice full of astonishment and perplexity, she demanded.
“Mom, please give me a full explanation.” Trying to quell the storm, I begged.
However, the jolt was too great for her; she gasped and held her chest, breathing heavily.
My father hurriedly looked for her prescription as we all raced to her side. Nigel held her hand in the middle of the confusion and spoke softly but firmly.
I really apologize; I’m not Jacob, and I’m not the boyfriend of your daughter. I did, however, behave sincerely. I truly feel sorry for your daughter.
My mother stared at Nigel with a confused yet curious gaze as her breathing began to settle.
“Nigel.” Startled yet curious to find out what he would say next, I started.
Nigel went on, feeling both encouraged and ashamed by the day’s discoveries despite the deceit.
“I love your daughter, and today has made me realize that I want to marry her. I regret telling the lie.”
There was stillness in the room, but it was a silence full with possibilities. Nigel spoke in a way that spoke to me, striking a chord with emotions I hadn’t really given much thought to before.
With a softer voice, my mother said, “You love her?”
Nigel gave a nod. Indeed, I do. She has always been important to me, and I now know that I want to be with her.
With a sigh, my mother looked at me. “Mila, could you please just tell me the truth?”
My eyes filled with tears. Mom, I was afraid. I didn’t want you to be concerned about my alone.
The rest of the evening was spent in sincere discussion and laughing, with the tension melting away to make way for fresh beginnings and understanding.
Nigel and I moved toward a future that neither of us had foreseen but one we both excitedly embraced in the weeks that followed. Our friendship, which had unintentionally turned into love, served as the foundation for our growing relationship. A month later, I wore a ring on my finger, signifying a commitment rooted in sincere emotion but spawned from a complex web of deception.
Our days were occupied with the small pleasures of eating together and making plans for the future; every interaction served to highlight how coincidental our transition from friends to lovers was.
Nigel was my fiancé and my future, and I was excited to see what our life together would bring. He was no longer simply my closest friend.
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