My Son’s Secret Plan Led Me to Love

My leg was hurt, so I moved in with my son, Andrew, and his wife, Kate. It wasn’t a happy house. Kate never really liked me being there, and she wasn’t shy about showing it. I tried to help out, but she always brushed me off with a sharp word. It was lonely and frustrating. Then, something unexpected happened. Our quiet neighbor, Mr. Davis, invited me over for dinner. I had no idea that this simple invitation was the start of something big, something that would completely change my life.

Mr. Davis and I hadn’t talked much before. He seemed like a serious, quiet man. But that night at dinner, we discovered we both loved jazz music. We talked about our favorite musicians, and then, he surprised me by asking me to dance. As we moved slowly to the music, something inside me felt different. A feeling I hadn’t had in a long time.

Over the next few weeks, Mr. Davis and I spent more time together. We’d chat, go for walks, and just enjoy each other’s company. I learned he was kind and thoughtful, not at all like I first thought. I started to really care for him.

Then, Thanksgiving came. The house was full of the smell of turkey, but I wasn’t feeling thankful. I overheard Andrew and Kate talking. What they said made my heart sink. They had set me up with Mr. Davis! They had given him a record player to “encourage” him to go out with me. They thought it would make me happy, and Kate was stressed with the pregnancy and having me around.

I was so angry and hurt. I felt like they had tricked me. I confronted them, and Andrew admitted it. He said they thought it would be good for me. Then, Mr. Davis, whose first name was Peter, spoke up. He said it was true, they had made the deal. But, he added, his feelings for me were real. He said he had fallen in love with me, not because of the record player.

Even though I was upset, I knew I felt the same way about Peter. What we had was real, despite how it started. It was a confusing mix of hurt and happiness.

It took some time, but we worked through it. From that Thanksgiving on, Peter and I were together. We celebrated future Thanksgivings with music and love. It was a strange way to start a relationship, but it turned into something wonderful.