In a bid to calm her mother’s mounting stress, Mila fabricates a harmless yet precarious lie about having a boyfriend. This seemingly small deception quickly balloons into an elaborate charade when her mother insists on meeting her supposed partner. Faced with no other options, Mila calls upon her best friend to help perpetuate the lie, only to have events spiral beyond her control.

My name is Mila, and my relationship with my parents, especially my mother, is profoundly close. We communicate nearly every day, and my mom takes an intense interest in every facet of my life, with a particular focus on my love life.

I am twenty-six years old, still single, contrasting sharply with my mother’s life at my age when she was already married and pregnant. As she grew older, health issues began to plague her, exacerbated by stress—a condition her doctors urged her to mitigate. However, knowing my mother, reducing stress was easier said than done, especially when her main source of concern was my lack of a romantic relationship.

In an attempt to soothe her worries, I lied about having a boyfriend, which initially seemed to alleviate her stress.

Though I was uncomfortable with the deceit, it appeared to be a necessary evil for the sake of her well-being. I also harbored hopes of soon meeting someone, rendering the lie unnecessary.

However, a routine phone call with my mother soon cornered me into a tighter spot.

“Hi, Mom. Yes, all is good here. Just grabbing some breakfast and getting ready for work…” I answered, while my coffee brewed in the background.

“How’s Jacob doing? When can we meet him?” she inquired, bypassing pleasantries to focus on “Jacob,” my fictional boyfriend.

“Mom, I’d really like you to meet him, but you’re in another city, and our work schedules are just so hectic.”

“I expected as much. But I’m visiting this weekend, and there’s no room for argument!” she declared, and my heart sank as I nearly dropped my phone.