STEP-DADDY MINE

CHAPTER 3~MEETING IRIS

~Ella~

I stared up at the fancy building in front of me, a sigh leaving my lips as I contemplated taking the next step forward. Last year, if someone told me I’d be reconciling with my mother and moving in to stay with her, I would’ve called their bluff because of how absurd that sounded.

I was five years old when I last saw her. I’m not sure most kids that age remember what they did or what happened to them, but my last encounter with my mother etched itself in my brain from that age. It was the day she walked out on Dad. I vividly remember that day when my little, naive self chased her, crying that I was hungry and wanted Mommy.

I had cried my eyes out when she told me she was leaving and never coming back. I didn’t fully understand the gravity of her words then, but I had always been clingy to my mother. I loved her. And when she shoved me aside to close the door of the fancy car that came to pick her up, my little self still stood and ran after the car until I fell and scraped my knees.

Dad had picked me up and tried to console me, and I ended up crying myself to sleep that night. Over the years that followed, I would sit on the porch of our house, hoping my mom would come back.

My naive self couldn’t fathom how the mother who gave birth to me could vanish like that. I was fifteen when it finally dawned on me that she was never coming back. I was twenty when she reached out to Dad for the first time, asking to reconnect with me.

And if I’m being honest, there’s a lot of resentment in my heart toward her. But she’s been relentless in her pursuit for the past four to five years in seeking forgiveness. We started talking a lot more last year, after I had cursed her out so many times and blocked her on many occasions. Eventually, Dad got through to me and convinced me to give her a chance. And I love my dad. He has never steered me wrong, so I took his advice, and here we are.

I grabbed the handle of the only suitcase I had packed. Despite agreeing to move in with her for the time being, I wasn’t keen on packing up my life and moving it over here. I don’t trust her not to bail on me again. After graduation, I packed up everything I owned and took some back to Dad’s place, leaving the rest with my best friends, Jana and Jane.

There’s a part of me that still thinks this is a bad idea and won’t work out, but I guess there’s no harm in trying. Besides, my mother said her fiancé might have a spot for me in his company. I can start as a paid intern. If I perform well, I'll be retained as a permanent staff member after six months. So, we’ll see how that goes.

I dropped my bag, ready to knock on the door when it pulled open. “Ella?” A woman who looked like the older version of the Mother I remembered stood in the doorway, her eyes widening as I took her in.

“Yes?” I replied because the urge to call her 'Mom' wasn’t even there. Ever since we started talking on the phone, I’ve only ever called her by her name.

“Oh my god,” she gasped before throwing her arms around me and pulling me in for a hug.

I stood stiffly, not quite sure why she wanted to hug me. This was our first time seeing each other in twenty years. I thought I’d feel some type of familiarity when I saw her again, but I felt nothing.

Still, I ended up wrapping my arms around her, and it all but made the hug more awkward. “I am so excited to see you. Oh my god. This is wonderful,” she rushed out, her face beaming with joy as she pulled away from the hug.

I tried to keep my expression neutral and not let the confusion I was feeling show. For the life of me, I couldn’t understand her excitement. This woman abandoned my dad and me when I was five, and now, twenty years later, she’s suddenly excited to reunite with me?

“I’ve missed you so much. I know I made mistakes in the past, and if I could turn back time, I’d go back and make things right. I’m so happy you finally decided to move in with me. You don’t know how much I…”

“Can we go in?” I asked, cutting her off. “It’s cold out here,” I added, rubbing a palm down my arm.

I wasn’t really cold, but I honestly couldn’t care less about what she was saying. And she can say she missed me all she wants, but I don’t believe her. Besides, we’ve done this same song and dance over the phone. I have heard her apology so many times I lost count, and it doesn’t really mean much to me.

“Of course, sorry. I’m just so happy to see you.” That joy was back on her face as she bent to pick up my luggage. “Where are the rest of your things?” She asked, looking behind me.

“I only brought this. There wasn’t really anything worth moving, just clothes. I can buy new ones here,” I replied smoothly, not in the mood to listen to her whine about not forgiving her yet.

I honestly don’t know if I’ve forgiven her in the past, but as my dad said, it won’t hurt to try and work things out with her.

She nodded, leading me inside the house. The inside looked a lot fancier than I expected. I knew it wasn’t hers from our previous conversations. The house belonged to the man she’ll be marrying soon. He asked her to move in after proposing three months ago, so they could get used to living together. And according to what she’s told me, this is probably her fourth or fifth marriage since she left twenty years ago. The man she abandoned us for then ended up cheating on her with their house help. I’ve never asked her details about her life after me, but she tends to overshare.