Chapter 1

I stood there holding my box of expensive dried wild Morel mushrooms gift set and tea, my fingers so stiff they were starting to cramp.

I glanced at my boyfriend, Raymond Smith.

He looked just as uncomfortable.

He leaned closer and whispered, "My mom has always stayed home and never had to deal with much. She cries easily, so don't let it bother you. I'm sure she isn't trying to pick on you."

I forced a smile while screaming inside.

This was what he called "crying easily"? This was "a little naive"?!

My future father-in-law, Jason Smith, had seen it all before. He got up from the couch, pulled his wife Brandy into his arms, and patted her back. "Don't cry, Dee Dee. This is her first time here. Don't scare her, okay?"

Still sniffling, Brandy peeked out from his arms and looked at me the way a child might study a newly hired nanny.

"Call her Sis," Jason reminded me.

I took a deep breath, set the gifts on the cabinet by the entryway, and forced myself to say something. "Hello, Sis. It's nice to meet you. I brought you some gifts."

Brandy brightened. She slipped out of Jason's arms, padded over in her slippers, and rummaged through my gifts. "What did you buy? Did you get Dee Dee any candy?"

She opened the bag, saw the dried mushrooms and pouted.

"But Dee Dee doesn't eat this."

My smile was about to crack.

Raymond hurried to calm things down. "Mom, Fran bought that supplement for you. She picked it out herself."

Brandy huffed and pushed the mushrooms aside. She then curled up on the couch with her knees to her chest and said, "Dee Dee is thirsty."

Jason went to pour her a glass of water immediately. Before handing it to her, he even blew on it and checked the temperature.

I sat on the couch uncomfortably the entire time. Brandy kept sniffling and glancing at me, even after we had talked for more than ten minutes.

Raymond and Jason passed her tissue papers and snacks without missing a beat. Looking at how practiced they were, they must have been doing this for more than a decade.

I gave halfhearted answers and swallowed every comment that I wanted to say.

Dinner finally began.

Trying to put me at ease, Raymond served me first and served the steak on my plate.

Brandy slammed her fork and knife onto the table.

"My son already forgets his mother the moment he finds a wife!" Her eyes turned red, and her voice shook. "You always served me first in the past!"

The table went silent for a beat.

Jason quickly put a steak on her plate. "Don't cry, Dee Dee. There are plenty left."

Brandy cried harder. "No! I want one from my son! He doesn't love Dee Dee anymore!"

Jason spent ten full minutes trying to calm her down. She finally quieted down after Raymond put three more well-sliced pieces of steak onto her plate. Even then, she sniffled as she ate and glared at me through her tears.

My fork and knife hung in midair. I had taken one bite of the steak, but I could neither swallow it nor spit it out.