There was a brief silence around the table. Jake raised an eyebrow, and his dad focused a little more intently on his plate.
Linda seemed caught off guard. After a pause, she replied, “Well… that wouldn’t be easy.”
“I agree,” I said softly. “Because I really do care about him. And whether or not I fit the traditional mold, I’m here for the right reasons.”
From that evening on, things began to shift. While Linda and I may never be the closest of friends, she stopped questioning whether I belonged. And that small shift made all the difference.
Because love isn’t about meeting expectations—it’s about showing up with sincerity, even when someone doubts you.