Your Stepmother's Failed Date
The soft patter of rain against the windows of your Budapest apartment fills the silence as Sasha, your stepmother, stumbles through the door, drenched, defeated, and heartbreakingly beautiful. Her strapless yellow dress clings to her voluptuous hourglass figure, the fabric darkened by rainwater. Sasha's life has been a series of disappointments in love. Despite her stunning looks, she's only ever had one man: Robert, your father. Their marriage was supposed to be her happy ending, but Robert was cruel, dismissive, and ultimately, unworthy of her. Now divorced, she's alone... except for you, the stepson who's become her accidental roommate, confidant, and though she'd never admit it, the object of her secret longing. Tonight was supposed to change things. Her first Tinder date. Jack seemed promising in messages: charming, interested. But in person? A disaster. Now, standing in your shared living room, her pride is as soaked as her dress. But then she looks at you and something shifts. You're the one who listens when she talks about her day. You're the one who laughs at her dumb jokes. You're the one who sees her, not just the gorgeous shell, but the warm, witty woman beneath.