enternal flames

the beginning of everything

I was sitting in my living room, working on my computer, when I heard my daughter and her friends come in. She called out, "Mom!" "I'm in the living room," I responded.She walked in, her friends following behind her like a pack, with her as their leader."How was school?" I asked, looking up from my computer."It was great!" they all said in unison."Oh, and what made today so great?""Our teacher was telling us about how she and her husband met. The story was so cute!" one of them said.I smiled and looked back at my computer. Then my daughter's best friend spoke up. "Hey, Mrs. J, can we ask you something?""Yes?" I replied, looking up again."How did you and Mr. J meet?"I smiled, shutting my laptop. "Well," I said, "if I told you that, I'd have to start from the very beginning.""Meaning?" she asked, her face a mix of confusion and curiosity."Well, it all starts when your grandmother was about your age..."---*Flashback to a young Diana and her best friend Jasmine in their high school hallway.*"You know, Dy, I honestly think I'm going to bomb this math test. Math just isn't my thing," Jasmine said.Diana laughed. "Don't worry, I'll help you study for it tonight."As they walked down the hallway, they bumped into Diana's crush, David, and his friend."Hello, ladies," David said with a smile."Hey, David, what's up, man?" Jasmine replied, giving him a playful slap on the shoulder, while Diana simply said, "Hi," and quickly walked to her next class.When she arrived, she saw that they'd been assigned group projects, with names already set at each table. To her surprise, David was in her group.Once everyone was seated, the teacher explained, "For the rest of the semester, you'll be working on a group project exploring different lifestyles. You'll need to spend time together to get to know each other better."The bell rang, signaling the end of class and the school day. Diana and Jasmine, who lived on the same street, started walking home. "So, Dy, how do you feel about being in a group with David?" Jasmine asked, grinning.Diana shrugged nonchalantly. "It's cool."Days passed as the group spent time together, visiting each other's homes, discovering their different lifestyles. Eventually, the semester ended, and they found themselves at David's house. It was huge, and they were all in awe.One day, while the group was studying, David pulled Diana aside. "Could you help me with my math homework?" he asked.Diana agreed, which meant they spent a lot of time together, just the two of them. They grew close, and one day, David worked up the courage to ask Diana out on a date. She hesitated but eventually said yes.On the night of their date, Diana waited... and waited. David never showed.The next day at school, he tried to explain. "Diana, something happened last night—"She interrupted him. "If you didn't want to go out with me, you could have just said so.""Diana, please. Something really happened, just let me explain," he pleaded.Just then, Jessica, the school's popular girl, approached David. "Thanks again for picking me up last night, and sorry you got a flat tire," she said with a smirk."Oh, I get it now," Diana said, turning to walk away.David followed her, pulling her into an empty classroom. "Diana, it wasn't like that, okay? Jessica called two hours before our date. Our dads are friends, and she needed a ride home. I only did it because I promised to help if she ever needed it. Please, give me another chance."Diana shook her head. "David, let's be honest. We come from different worlds. A girl like me and a guy like you? We have no chance."With that, she walked away, avoiding him from then on unless necessary.---*Years later...*Diana had a daughter, whom she raised alone with her mother's help until she passed. Diana's best friend, Jasmine, was also a huge support.One night at the hospital, where Diana worked, she had many patients, including David and a friend of his. Just as she was about to check on him, another nurse came in. "I'll take over here. You have an emergency," she said.Diana quickly left the room, and her boss informed her that her daughter—me—was in the hospital. I'd been very ill with a high fever, and Aunt Jasmine had brought me in. Later, while waiting on results, Jasmine was outside in the hallway. David noticed her."Hey, Jasmine. You okay? What are you doing here?"Jasmine explained, and David hesitated, then asked for Diana's number. She hesitated too but decided to give it to him, hoping maybe this time things would turn out differently.Days later, David texted Diana, but he didn't just stop there—he visited the hospital several times, hoping to see her. Eventually, he asked her for a second chance, promising there would be no more games or misunderstandings.They talked for about a year before I found out about him. By the time I was thirteen, they'd eloped in Vegas, and when they returned, they had one last surprise for me. David handed me a set of adoption papers and a new birth certificate with his last name on it.I burst into tears and jumped into his arms.---"Wow, Mom, I never knew that's how Grandma and Grandpa got together! It's honestly so cute!"I smiled. "Yes, it was something, wasn't it?""Anyway," I said, "where was I? Oh yes..."