Chapter 2

Alexandra's POV

My dad's cooking always brought back fond memories of my childhood, and it was nice to feel that connection again.

But something was missing from this bonding moments, my mother. She had always been the one to set the table, making sure everything was just right.

I wished she could have been here with us, enjoying the meal and the conversation, But I knew that was impossible. My mother had passed away a few years ago, and her absence was still felt deeply. I tried to push the sadness away, focusing instead on the moment I was sharing with my dad.

My dad cleared his throat and looked at me with a mixture of nervousness and excitement.

"I have something to tell you, but I'm not sure how you'll react," he said, his voice shaking slightly. I felt a knot of apprehension form in my stomach, wondering what could be so important that he was this nervous to tell me.

"I'm all ears, Dad," I said, trying to sound reassuring. I knew whatever he had to say was weighing heavily on his mind, and I wanted to be as supportive as possible. He took a deep breath and finally spoke.

"I've been seeing someone, and I plan on getting married to her." The words hung in the air, and for a moment I was too stunned to say anything. I knew my dad had been single since my mom passed away, and I never imagined he would want to get married again.

"I'm not sure how to feel about that," I said, choosing my words carefully.

"It's also weird to think about you getting married to someone other than Mom."

"I understand," he said, his voice soft and understanding "It's been a while since she passed, and I know she'd want me to be happy," he continued, his eyes gazing off into the distance. He reached out and took my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"But I also know that this is new for you, and I understand if it's hard to process."

"But Dad, how could you do this to Mom?" I cried, tears threatening to spill down my cheeks. "How could you even think about remarrying someone else?"

"I know it's hard to understand, but I need to move on," he said, his voice gentle but firm. "I love your mother, and I always will. But she wouldn't want me to be alone forever. She would want me to be happy, just like I want the same for you."

"But you have me," I said, my voice breaking. "Isn't my love enough?"

"Your love is more than enough Alex," he said, his voice thick with emotion.

"But it's not the same kind of love as the love between a husband and wife. You can't replace what I had with your mother, and I don't want to replace it. But I can't stay stuck in the past. I have to move forward."

I was silent, absorbing his words. I knew he was right, but it still hurt. I just couldn't imagine someone else taking my mother's place in his life.

"You shouldn't have made plans to spend time together if you were just going to tell me you're remarrying," I said, my anger getting the better of me. I yanked my hands away from his and turned to walk away.

"Please, listen to me," he pleaded, reaching out to grab my arm. But I pulled away, not wanting to hear what he had to say. I stormed out of the backyard, leaving him standing there in shock. I knew I was being unfair, but I was too hurt and angry to think straight.

The only place I could think of to go was Summer's house. I needed a friend right now, and she was the only one I could turn to. I was too angry and upset to go home.

"So, are you getting a new stepmother?" Summer asked as we sat on her fluffy pink bed. Her tone was sympathetic, but I could tell she was curious.

"I don't know," I said, sighing heavily. "But I don't want that to happen. What if she tries to replace my mom, or what if she and my dad get into arguments with me in the middle?"

I couldn't help but let my imagination run wild, picturing all the ways this woman could ruin my life.

Summer placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"Hey, don't get ahead of yourself. You don't even know if your dad's going to marry this woman, let alone if she'll be a nightmare. Maybe she'll be a wonderful addition to your family."

I knew she was right, but I couldn't help but feel pessimistic.

"I just don't want things to change," I said quietly. "I'm finally getting used to the way things are now, and I don't want to have to start all over again."

"I get it," Summer said, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. "

I knew she was just trying to help, but her words didn't ease my worries. I felt like I was teetering on the edge of a cliff, and one wrong move could send me plummeting.

My phone rang, and I saw it was my dad calling. Summer gestured for me to pick up, but I just shook my head. I couldn't bring myself to talk to him right now.

"Just answer the call," Summer said gently. "I know you're upset, but he's probably worried about you."

I ignored her and let the call go to voicemail. I didn't want to deal with this right now. I just wanted to be alone with my thoughts.

"Come on, you can't ignore him forever," Summer said, trying to reason with me.

Suddenly, my phone rang again. This time, it wasn't my dad. Instead, it was my mom's sister, Aunt Layla.

"Hi, my little Alex," she said cheerfully. "How are you doing?"

"Hi, Aunt Layla," I replied, my voice sounding flat and unenthusiastic. "I'm doing fine."

"You don't sound fine," she said, her tone full of concern. "What's going on?"

I hesitated, not sure if I wanted to share what was on my mind. But Aunt Layla had always been a good listener.

"Dad's planning to remarry," I said to Aunt Layla, my voice trembling.

"What?" she exclaimed, her tone filled with disbelief. "I can't believe he would do that. I know he loved your mom. Why would he want to get remarried so soon?"

She was clearly shocked and upset by the news. I could understand why - my dad's decision felt like a betrayal of my mom's memory.

"Johnson can't be serious about this," she continued, her voice rising. "He can't just replace your mom with some stranger. No way am I going to let that happen."

I could tell that Aunt Layla was really fired up about the situation. She was protective of me and had always been there for me, especially after my mom's death. It was comforting to have someone in my corner, but I also didn't want her to start a fight with my dad.

"I'm not happy about this. I want you to come stay with me. You don't have to deal with your dad's new girlfriend if you don't want to."

I was touched by her offer, but I didn't want to leave my home and my school.

"Thank you Aunt, but I'll think about it. I know it's going to be hard, but I'm not going to let Dad's choices define my life."

"If you ever decide to come and stay with me, just let me know," Aunt Layla said, her voice warm and reassuring. "I'll come and pick you up from your dad's house."

I smiled, touched by her offer. "Thank you, Aunt Layla. I'll keep that in mind."

"Take care, Alex," she said. "And don't be afraid to call me if you need anything."

"Bye, Aunt Layla," I said as I ended the call. I felt a bit better after talking to her. Even though I didn't know want my decision should be.

"So, what are you going to do now?" Summer asked, concern evident in her voice.

"I'm not sure," I admitted, my mind racing with thoughts of what to do next. "I just need some time to think."

My phone beeped, it was a message from Roland. I heart immediately skipped a beat. The message said he wanted to see me in his house.

"I have to go somewhere Summer" I stood up from the couch, pocketing my phone. Summer got up as well, reaching out to touch my shoulder.

"Are you sure you're okay?" she asked, her eyes searching mine.

"I'll be fine," I assured her, offering a weak smile. "I'll call you later, okay?"

With that, I turned and left the room.

I walked through the massive doors of Roland's mansion, my heart beating a little faster as I stepped inside. The last time I had been here was years ago, when my family was going through a tough time financially. Roland had been a great help to us then.

I froze in my tracks as I saw Roland and his ex-wife, Amber, kissing in the living room. My heart sank, my stomach twisting in knots. I felt as if the world had stopped spinning, and all I could do was stand there in shock.

I didn't want to interrupt their moment, so I started to turn around, intending to leave without them noticing.

But just as I was about to make my escape, Roland called out my name. "Alex!" he said, breaking away from Amber. I knew I couldn't ignore him, so I turned to face him.

"I thought you wouldn't come," Roland said as he straightened his shirt. He glanced at his ex wife, Amber who seemed to understand his unspoken request for privacy.

"Would you like anything to drink, Alex?" she asked, her tone kind and apologetic.

I shook my head. "I'm fine, thank you," I said, forcing a smile.

She nodded and left the room, leaving me alone with Roland. I looked at him expectantly, my stomach churning with a mix of anger and hurt.

"I heard you ran away from home after your dad told you he was getting remarried," Roland said, a look of concern on his face. I sat down on the couch, unsure of how to respond.

"Yes, I did," I said finally, my voice quiet. "And I don't plan on going back."

"You have to understand your dad's perspective," he said gently. "And you should want him to be happy."

I knew he was right, but it was still difficult to accept. I couldn't imagine my dad with anyone but my mom.

"You're right," I said, then decided to change the subject. "I see you're back with your ex-wife," I said, trying to sound nonchalant.

Roland's expression changed, a shadow passing over his face.

"Yes, we're working on things," he said, a slight hesitation in his voice. "It's been hard, but we're trying."

I wasn't sure what to say, so I just nodded.

"But this isn't about me," he said, placing a hand on my shoulder. "It's about you, Alex. You need to accept your dad's decision, and give your new stepmom a chance. You might be surprised by how much you have in common."

I felt my eyes welling up with tears. I knew he was right, but it was still hard to accept. Without thinking, I moved closer to him and wrapped my arms around him in a tight hug, Roland returned the embrace.

"Your dad also told me that your stepmom would like to meet you tomorrow," Roland added, his eyes searching mine for a reaction. My stomach clenched at the thought of meeting the woman who would be replacing my mom.