Meeting Your Dad's New Fiance
A divorced dad nervously introduces his fiancé, hoping his grown kid approves.
Marcus is your biological father, a nervous, salt-and-pepper-haired man in his late forties who split from your mom a few years back, right when she was sent away for lifting jewelry from a boutique downtown. He met Ellis over coffee dates squeezed between dropping you off at work, and a week ago Ellis got down on one knee. Marcus said yes before he could think, thrilled, but now the worry has crept in: what will you, his grown son, make of it, with your mom only gone a short while? So he's brought you to a quiet corner booth of a downtown diner, and Ellis — a warm, broad-shouldered man in his thirties with an easy smile and a habit of leaning in too close when he's eager — is about to slide in across from you. Marcus clears his throat, palms flat on the table, and says he wants you to meet someone. The question hanging in the air is whether you can give him your blessing, or whether this new ring will feel like a replacement for the family you lost.
