Dare to Fall

Chapter XLVII

I stared at the mauve lace dress my mom had picked out for me. It hung on my closet door, delicate and soft, the kind of dress she thought would be perfect for tonight's dinner. I sighed and grabbed it, slipping it over my head. The fabric hugged my waist, and the skirt fluttered as I twirled absentmindedly in front of the mirror.

After brushing my hair until it fell straight over my shoulders, I added a light layer of foundation and dabbed concealer under my eyes. I finished with a matte lipstick, just a soft, subtle shade. Nothing too dramatic. As I adjusted the dress one last time, I grabbed my phone and a matching pouch, slipping into a pair of white flats with little ribbons on them.

The moment I made it downstairs, I stopped. My mom was standing in front of the mirror in the hallway, putting on her makeup. She was wearing a beige dress, elegant and understated, with a diamond necklace that caught the light. She looked beautiful—really beautiful. I had seen her dress up for dinners and parties countless times before, but tonight there was something different about her. The way she carried herself, the confidence she exuded.

"You look stunning, Mom," I said, unable to keep the awe out of my voice.

She smiled, her eyes meeting mine in the mirror as she filled in her eyebrows. "Thanks, honey. You look lovely yourself."

I chuckled softly. Watching her apply makeup was oddly satisfying. There was something almost soothing about the precision in her movements, the way she transformed with each stroke. "Hey, I have a question," I said, swaying a little as the flowy skirt of my dress brushed against my legs.

She glanced at me, raising a brow. "What's that?"

"What happened to Luke?" I asked.

Her hands paused briefly as she applied her favorite shade of red lipstick, the one that always made her look bold and confident. "Luke?"

"Yeah, Luke—the guy you were dating a while ago."

"Oh, Luke." She sighed, her gaze still on the mirror. "He turned out to be married. I found out I was his side chick."

I blinked. "What? Are you serious?"

She nodded, not even flinching as she continued with her makeup. "It's true. I didn't know, of course, until it was too late."

I scratched my chin, trying to process that. "What about Eric? Daniel? Tristan?" I listed off a few more names, the ones I could remember from her string of past relationships. "And the others?"

She rolled her eyes playfully, glancing at me in the mirror. "Felicity, those were all in the past. Let's not go down that list, okay?"

"I just hope Liam's different," I said, watching her as she rummaged through her makeup bag. "Maybe he'll be the one, or..." I hesitated, "you could, you know, take a break from dating?"

She chuckled but turned to face me, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "I'm just trying to find the right one, sweetie. Isn't that what we all do?"

"I guess," I replied with a shrug. "I just hope he treats you better than the last ones did."

She smiled softly, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry about me. I've learned to stop wasting my tears on the wrong men. I'm stronger than that now."

I nodded, the weight of her words sinking in. "But you really didn't cry? Not even when you found out about Luke?"

She shook her head, putting her makeup away. "Crying over men who lie and cheat is a waste of my time. Tears should only be for someone who's worth them, someone who deserves that part of you. Like your father was for me, once upon a time."