Maria and Jaime fell in love almost instantly. After only a few dates, they were inseparable. They hit all the major milestones of a relationship early on and things seemed to be going perfectly. Jaime met Maria’s parents and they hit it off instantly. But one important event had yet to happen: Maria still hadn’t met Jaime’s mom.
Confronting Reality
When Maria woke up on the day of her wedding, she knew that she was supposed to feel happier than she ever had before. But she just couldn't shake the nagging feeling that her relationship might not be all it was cracked up to be. She still hadn't met her fiancé's mother and now she was afraid that she never would.
His Mother Walked In
After years of pleading to meet Jaime's mother, Maria realized that she might finally have the chance. Jaime's mother walked into the chapel, to everyone's surprise, looking like she was at a funeral. She was dressed head to toe in black and she had a somber expression on her face. Maria could hardly bring herself to face the woman, but she couldn't wait a second longer to finally say her peace.
Was It All A Lie?
Maria and Jaime had bonded early on in their relationship due to their difficult childhoods and strained relationships with their parents. Maria trusted her fiancé with every ounce of her being, but when she finally started talking to Jaime's mother, she wondered if he had been lying to her all along.
A Hard Upbringing
Maria hadn't known her parents very well. She was put into the foster system when she was just nine years old and her adoptive parents took over the parental roles in her life shortly after. This left Maria with feelings of inadequacy that were hard to overcome and she always hoped that she could find someone who would relate to her and make her feel special.
Her Loneliness
Maria felt very lonely all through her teen years and thought that her friends couldn't really relate to her situation. That is, until she met Jaime. He was the first person to really listen to her pain and relate to her sadness, and this meant the world to Maria. Before long, the two started dating and became inseparable.
Mr. Right
Maria and Jaime navigated their adult lives together and had been by each others side for years. Maria really thought of him as her knight in shining armor, and Jaime knew that he would do anything to keep Maria safe. But even though the two bonded about their difficult childhoods, it was still a difficult topic to discuss.
A Difficult Subject To Bring Up
Maria had come to terms with losing track of her birth parents and tried to focus on the parents that she did have. But Jaime didn't even like to discuss his parents and preferred to pretend that they didn't exist. His father had left his mother when he was young and that was still a difficult subject for any of his friends to broach, including Maria.
Cold Shoulder
Maria often wondered why Jaime didn't want to talk to her about his parents and although she brought up the subject every now and again, he gave her the cold shoulder every time. Maria thought that he should at least try to keep in touch with his mother, but every time she suggested this, Jaime went silent. What was he trying to hide?
A Bombshell
Jaime really surprised Maria when he let her know that he was in contact with his mother, it was just none of her business. Maria felt gaslighted and hurt by his comment, but tried not to let Jaime see that she was hurt by it. This hurt Maria's trust in Jaime, but if everything else in their relationship was perfect, she wasn't sure if she should let this issue cause them to breakup.
What Other Secrets Is He Keeping?
Maria pondered over the issue for months before deciding to let it go. But she always wondered if she would ever meet either one of Jaime's parents, especially his mother. And as their relationship got more serious and they raised the question of marriage, Maria wondered if she should believe everything that Jaime told her.
She Wondered Why She Hadn’t Yet Met His Mom
Maria couldn’t understand it. They clicked on so many levels. Her family adored Jaime. So why hadn’t she met his mom yet? He always seemed uncomfortable talking about his mother, but Maria wasn’t sure why. She talked to all her friends about it for advice. How could she bring up the topic again without causing Jaime to get upset?
Her Friends Told Her Not Give Up
Maria’s friends all seemed to give her the same advice: don’t drop this topic. Something odd must’ve happened to Jaime’s relationship with his mom. Why else would he want to avoid the topic? Was he hiding something important? Maria knew her friends were right, but she loved Jaime and wanted their relationship to take the next step. And one day, it happened.
Jaime Proposed
After a romantic dinner at their favorite restaurant, Jaime got down on one knee and popped the question. Maria said “yes” with all her heart. She had been dreaming of this moment. Ever since childhood, she had wanted to throw a huge, fun wedding with all her family and friends. So she started making plans, even though a voice inside her head kept warning her of something.
Maria Decides She Needs to Know About Jaime’s Mom
In between all the cake testing and dress shopping, Maria made an important decision: she had to know what the deal was with Jaime’s mom. Sure, everything in their relationship thus far was going well. But there was definitely something amiss about his relationship with his mom. So she decided to confront Jaime.
Maria Knew Jaime Still Talked To His Mom
The weirdest thing of all seemed to be this: Jaime still spoke with his mom all the time. Jaime would be busy some nights because he had long chats on the phone with his mom. He would even call her every Sunday just to check in. Jaime said his mom was excited to come to their wedding. Jaime’s relationship with his mom seemed healthy and normal. So why couldn’t Maria meet her?
Maria Pressed the Issue
One day while having lunch and discussing their wedding plans, Maria again brought up the subject of Jaime’s mother. Jaime instantly became upset. He talked about losing his father at an early age and how much growing up without a parent still affected him. Maria consoled him and felt bad for reminding him of a painful life experience.
No Closer to Figuring it All Out
Despite sympathizing with Jaime’s difficult childhood, Maria realized that Jaime had still not answered the real question: why hadn’t Maria met his mom? Maria began to feel that Jaime might be manipulating her by changing the subject to his deceased father. Maria didn’t mean to hurt Jaime’s feelings but it didn’t make sense that she still didn’t have any clarity about his mom.
She Let the Issue Go for the Time Being
Maria decided to put a pin on the conversation as Jaime seemed very hurt when discussing his father. Perhaps Jaime had some issues he was still working through that Maria couldn’t really understand. She knew she still needed to meet his mom but decided to stay busy with planning their wedding.
Maria Planned an Epic Wedding
Maria had always dreamed of the perfect wedding. Surrounded by all her family and friends, dancing and drinking and eating well into the night…this was all she had wanted for as long as she could remember. While she planned, Jaime took on extra work shifts to help save up for the event. Maria could see Jaime was committed to making her dream come true and she loved that about him.
Maria Has a Bold Plan
After thinking about the issue with Jaime’s mom some more, Maria came up with a bold idea that she thought just might work. What if she reached out to Jaime’s mom directly? It didn’t seem odd that she should want to connect with her future mother-in-law. Why not send her a message and see what happens?
Maria’s Plan Becomes Complicated
The only flaw in Maria’s plan is that she didn’t have the contact information for Jaime’s mom. So Maria went online and searched everywhere. She tried to find Jaime’s mom on all the social media sites she could think of. Nothing. She tried using a website that was supposed to be able to find anyone in the world. Still nothing.
Maria Second Guesses Her Scheme
As she continued trying to find any sort of contact information for Jaime’s mom, Maria began to become frustrated by the whole thing. Why was Jaime’s mom such a big mystery? Why was it so hard to find this person? Maria decided to try one last thing before she gave up.
She Decided to Text His Friends
Maria had met a bunch of Jaime’s friends but they had never really talked about Jaime’s mom ever. Maria wondered if maybe they knew something about the whole situation. She felt a little uncomfortable reaching out to them like this behind Jaime’s back but she wondered if this might be the easiest solution to her problem.
Maria Sends the Text… And Waits
Maria worked up the courage to send a text to Jaime’s friends, knowing that word might get back to Jaime, which could cause an argument. She knew Jaime might not like her being a little sneaky like this but he refused to discuss the issue so what else could she do?
She Waits and Waits for a Response
She sent the text, trying to be as friendly and understanding as possible about the delicacy of the whole situation. She didn’t want to hurt Jaime’s feelings so she told his friends maybe this was the best way to handle the situation. But Jaime’s friends didn’t reply. Maria waited for hours, then days, then weeks. Nothing.
Jaime’s Friends Acted like Nothing Happened
Maria would see Jaime’s friends from time to time after she sent them the text. They would go out for drinks together. They’d talk about wedding plans. They would tell her a bit about their plans for Jaime’s bachelor party. But they never brought up Maria’s text or Jaime’s mom, and Maria was too nervous to ask them about it face to face. But then something mysterious happened…
One of Jaime’s Friends Comes Through
One night while hanging out with Jaime and one of his friends, Jaime excused himself to go to the bathroom. Maria was left alone at the bar with Jaime’s friend. Jaime’s friend took a long sip from his drink and then turned toward Maria. She could tell he was about to say something important.
Jaime’s Friend Talks with Maria
Jaime’s friend told Maria that he too had wondered for a long time about Jaime’s mom. He knew not to bring up Jaime’s dad, as it was too painful a memory. But he would occasionally hear Jaime mention his mom. Jaime’s friend had always wondered what the deal was with Jaime and his mom. One night, he said, he learned something shocking.
Jaime’s Friend Reveals Something Shocking
Jaime’s friend said that Jaime had once told him something he couldn’t believe. Jaime said his mom had been a suspect in the death of his father. Maria was beyond shocked. She couldn’t move or speak. What exactly had happened in the death of Jaime’s father? She was stunned and couldn’t process the information.
Jaime Comes Back into the Conversation
Right after Jaime’s friend revealed this incredible piece of information, Jaime returned from the bathroom. So Maria and Jaime’s friend immediately changed the subject, pretending for the rest of the night like nothing had happened. But Maria couldn’t get what Jaime’s friend told her out of her mind. Was Jaime’s mom a criminal?!
Maria Investigates Some More
Maria stayed up late that night to do some research. If there was a criminal investigation into the death of Jaime’s dad, there must be information about it somewhere. She searched for hours, barely coming up with any results. Then she got an idea. Maybe she could find something out from the local newspaper where Jaime grew up.
Maria Contacts the Newspaper
Maria called up the newspaper to ask if she could access their archives. A woman who worked at the paper said the archives existed but were not yet digitized. Maria asked if she could come to the paper’s office to search the archives. The woman on the phone said she could and scheduled a time for Maria to visit.
Maria Arrives at the Newspaper Archives
Maria scheduled a time the following day to visit the newspaper’s archives. She had to call off sick from work. She hated lying to her boss but this was way too important. Her mind was reeling. Did Jaime suspect his mom had murdered his father? Was his mom ever charged or convicted? Maria had to know.
Maria Searches the Archives
Maria showed up early to her scheduled appointment at the newspaper’s office. It was small with only a few employees. The receptionist led Maria to a back room. It was a big storage area filled with shelves. Each shelf had boxes and boxes of newspapers in them, organized by date. Maria’s search had begun.
Maria Searches for Hours and Hours
Maria searched through the archives endlessly for hours. She knew roughly the time period she needed to look through but there were just so many newspapers. She checked every page of every paper, desperate to find even a small bit of information. If there was a scandalous murder, surely the paper would’ve written about it, right?
Maria Finds Something
After what seemed like an eternity, Maria finally found the article she was looking for. There it was, in black and white, a headline about a local woman suspected in the death of her husband. All the details matched what Maria knew about Jaime and his family. The names, the dates, the town, all of it was correct. She couldn’t believe it.
She Had to Figure Out What To Do Next
Maria took a photo of the article with her phone. She had finally found what she was looking for. But what should she do next? She left the newspaper office and thanked the receptionist. As she walked outside, her mind was racing. How does she talk to Jaime about all of this?
Maria Meets Up With Her Friends
Maria decided she needed to talk about this, she couldn’t just keep this information to herself. So she met up with her closest friends that night and told them everything. Her friends were shocked. They weren’t sure what Maria should do exactly, but they knew one thing: she had to talk to Jaime about it. There was no way to avoid a conversation.
Maria Doubts Her Friends’ Advice
Maria thought her friends were right, sort of, but she was skeptical. Was this really something she should force Jaime to talk about? Obviously it was an incredibly serious and probably traumatic issue for Jaime. Shouldn’t Maria let him discuss it whenever he was ready? She was reluctant to force Jaime to talk about his mom.
Maria Carries On With Wedding Planning
Maria decided not to bring up this painful topic with Jaime and instead kept busy planning the wedding. She booked and scheduled everything, chose the DJ, made plans for a bachelorette party with her friends. Everything was going well and Maria was having fun preparing for her dream day. But she still couldn’t get the story about Jaime’s mom out of her mind.
Maria Celebrates Her Bachelorette Party
Maria and her friends all went to a beach resort to celebrate Maria’s bachelorette party. They had lots of fun, swimming and dancing and drinking frozen margaritas. Maria had never laughed so hard in her life. She loved her friends and couldn’t wait to be married with them at her side.
Maria Anticipates the Big Day
Maria had mostly forgotten about the story with Jaime’s mom. She decided she’d let Jaime talk about it when he was ready. She and Jaime had such a wonderful relationship and she didn’t want to ruin anything. Her life felt like a big dream, with everything falling perfectly into place.
Jaime Has Good News
As if things couldn’t get any better for Maria, Jaime came home one day and announced that he’d received a promotion at his job. Jaime had been trying to get this promotion for years. He’d been passed over twice before but now finally his boss had given him the big opportunity. Jaime and Maria were ecstatic.
Maria’s Life Seemed Perfect
Maria and Jaime went out for an expensive dinner to celebrate Jaime’s promotion. They had a great time, talking, laughing, and drinking wine late into the evening. Maria couldn’t believe she’d found someone she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. It was almost too good to be true.
The Big Day Approaches
Jaime and Maria’s wedding was now only a week away. Maria was a bit stressed with all the preparations and plans but was so excited for her wedding that she didn’t mind all the hassle. But then one day, Jaime said something that surprised her and she didn’t know how to react.
Jaime Says Something Surprising
Jaime mentioned to Maria, almost in a casual manner, that he spoke with his mom and she said she was excited to meet Maria. Maria couldn’t believe it. Jaime’s mom seemed happy for her son and ready for his wedding. So why hadn’t they met already? Maria felt like after all this time, she’d gone in a big circle. Here she was again wondering why she hadn’t yet met her future mother-in-law.
Maria Works Up the Courage to Ask Jaime
Maria decided now was the time to speak up. Jaime had brought up his mom, which he never did. They were days away from their wedding. This was the moment for Maria to say what was on her mind. So she asked Jaime again why she hadn’t met his mom. Was there a secret Jaime didn’t want Maria to discover?
Jaime Acts Suspiciously
Jaime became nervous when Maria asked him this question. He insisted there was nothing wrong and that Maria would meet his mom before their wedding. Jaime said his mom was just a private person, that was all. He told Maria there was nothing to worry about. Maria wasn’t sure if she believed him. She knew the truth and badly wanted to talk to Jaime about it.
Silent Treatment
Jaime decided to end the conversation there and Maria let him. She wasn't sure if the stress of the wedding was getting to her fiancé or if he was really telling her the truth about his mother's plans to be at the wedding, but she really couldn't handle a fight right before their wedding. She chose to believe that Jaime was telling the truth and that there were no issues between him and his mother, even though she had a good feeling that wasn't true.
Cold Feet
The night before their wedding, Maria stayed up the whole night wondering how things would turn out tomorrow. She knew that she had done her best to plan a beautiful ceremony and all of her friends would be there to support her, but she couldn't help but feel like her entire relationship could end in the morning, and she didn't want to face the day at all.
The Big Day Arrives
It had finally arrived: Maria and Jaime’s big day. Maria spent the morning getting ready with her bridesmaids, sipping champagne and sharing stories. Maria’s family filed into the church. Everyone was in a great mood. Her family loved events like these and it was sure to be a fun time. But there was one guest she was especially curious about.
Maria Looks for Jaime’s Mom
Maria kept asking her bridesmaids to be on the watch for Jaime’s mom. She wanted to make sure she met his mom before the wedding actually took place. She had been eager to meet her all this time and now would finally have the opportunity. Maria’s bridesmaids kept asking around and keeping an eye on the church entrance, looking for Jaime’s mom.
His Mom Was Late
Jaime had his best man relay a message to Maria while she was getting ready. Maria wasn't surprised to hear the best man say, "Jaime just heard from his mom and she's going to be a few minutes late to the wedding." Maria sighed at this information and shook her head. Wasn't this day stressful enough for Maria without having to worry about her soon-to-be mother-in-law's whereabouts?
She Knew He Was Lying
The loudest thought on Maria's mind was that Jaime was probably lying about his mother. Maria hadn't thought of Jaime as a liar before, but now she questioned his every word. She wondered if she should just call the whole ceremony off at this point, but then a friend walked in the dressing room with a new piece of information...
Jaime’s Mom Arrives
Finally, it happened. Word reached Maria that Jaime’s mom had arrived. She quietly entered the church and took her seat. She didn’t speak to anyone nor did she bring a guest. She was just sitting there on her own. Maria became worried. Wasn’t Jaime’s mom happy to be there? Didn’t she want to meet Maria and her family?
Maria’s Maid of Honor Talks to Jaime’s Mom
Maria asked her Maid of Honor to go talk to Jaime’s mom and invite her to meet Maria. So the Maid of Honor approached Jaime’s mom. Jaime’s mom seemed expressionless but agreed to meet with Maria under one condition: they must meet alone. Maria’s Maid of Honor told Maria what Jaime’s mom had said. It all seemed so mysterious and troubling. What big secret would Jaime’s mom reveal?
The Day Was Stressful Enough
Maria wasn't sure how to react. The stress of the entire day was starting to get to her and it took all of her strength not to break down in front of her wedding party. As her friends left the room to make room for Jaime's mother, Maria could feel her heart breaking. She was sure that whatever Jaime's mother had to say could have the weight to ruin her relationship and her wedding.
Years Had Come Down to This Moment
Maria wondered what Jaime's mother would say. Would she open up about her involvement in the death of Jaime's father? Would she say that Maria wasn't a good match for her son? Maria knew that whatever the woman was about to say was important, but she had no idea that it would make her see Jaime so differently.
Maria Finally Meets Jaime’s Mom
Maria agreed to meet alone with Jaime’s mom. They met in the dressing room, away from the guests. Maria was so nervous she could hear her heart pounding in her chest. This was not how she imagined this meeting taking place and she was terrified that Jaime’s mom would reveal something shocking about her past.
Maria Suspects the Worst
At this point, Maria was fully prepared for Jaime’s mom to ruin her wedding day. There must be something awful for them to discuss. Jaime’s mom seemed almost depressed as she approached Maria. She coldly said hello and shook Maria’s hand. Maria couldn’t believe how Jaime’s mom was acting. How could a woman like this be the mother of a man she loved so deeply?
Jaime’s Mom Reveals the Shocking Truth
Then Jaime’s mom took a deep breath and said what she needed to say. Maria was so nervous she thought she might pass out. Jaime’s mom told her the truth: Jaime had been lying to Maria this whole time. Jaime hadn’t been spending time with his mom at all. In fact, Jaime and his mom hadn’t seen each other face-to-face in years.
A Decision To Make
Maria had been right, Jaime was lying to her all this time. She felt betrayed and heartbroken by her fiancé and so many questions came up in her mind. Who had he been talking to when he said he was talking to his mother? Why hadn't he actually seen his mother in years? Could she go through with this wedding now that she knew the truth?
Maria Yells “Stop the Wedding!”
Maria was devastated. Who was this man she was about to marry? Why had he lied to her all this time? What was the true story behind the death of Jaime’s father? Maria fell to her knees and began to cry. Maria’s Maid of Honor heard the commotion and rushed into the room to console Maria. Maria couldn’t control her emotions. In between her sobs, she yelled “Stop the wedding!”
The Maid of Honor Spread The Word
Maria's maid of honor shared with the other guests that the wedding would be delayed for a moment. Maria's family and guests wondered what was going on behind the scenes. The bride was nowhere to be found and the groom hadn't made an appearance to talk to everyone either. In fact, Maria hadn't seen Jaime for hours...
Jaime Had Lied to Her
Maria finally broke down from stress and started to sob. Jaime's mother held her in her arms and told her that everything was going to be okay, but Maria wasn't sure if she believed that. How could she marry Jaime now that she knew he had been lying to her for years? She could hardly stop crying long enough to let Jaime's mother continue explaining her side of the story.
Jaime’s Mom Explains Herself
Jaime’s mom felt awful for Maria. She ran over and hugged her. She apologized profusely. She begged Maria to let her explain. Maria finally caught her breath and told Jaime’s mom to explain everything. Jaime’s mom told Maria that after the death of Jaime’s father, she had been accused of his murder. But she was innocent. The police cleared her of any wrongdoing.
Jaime’s Mom Reveals Everything
Jaime’s mom said that although she and Jaime knew she was innocent, the local community always viewed her suspiciously after that. Jaime’s mom was shunned from school events. People in the neighborhood would gossip that Jaime’s mom was a killer. In fact, she had always loved her husband and was devastated by his untimely and accidental death.
Jaime Rushes Into the Room
By now, Jaime had heard what was happening. He ran into the room and embraced Maria. Jaime hadn’t had the courage to tell Maria the full truth. He was ashamed. But he and his mom explained everything. Jaime’s mom had legally changed her name and moved to another country to rebuild her life. To protect his mom’s identity, Jaime rarely talked about her. He told Maria he kept things hidden from her only to protect his mom. But he realized now that, as husband and wife, they had to tell each other everything.
Maria Was Speechless
Maria didn't really know what to say. If Jaime did this all to protect his mother, why wouldn't he tell his future wife about what he was doing? Jaime let Maria know that for the first few years of their relationship, he wasn't sure if he could trust her with this sensitive information. And lately, he didn't want to burden her with such a stressful story while they were getting ready for their wedding. But Maria still had a few questions that Jaime hadn't answered yet.
Who Was Jaime Really Talking To?
All of those nights that Jaime said he was on the phone with his mother were really spent talking to detectives who were working on his father's case. Jaime was a key witness in the case and because his mother had left the country, he also had to relay information to the detectives from her. Maria accepted this information and now she had one more big decision to make.
Maria and Jaime Reconcile
Maria felt Jaime’s love for her profoundly. She didn’t like that Jaime had kept the truth hidden but now understood why he did. He had only wanted to preserve his mom’s privacy and keep her happy new life safe. Maria hugged Jaime, telling him she understood. In that moment, they swore to always be completely honest with each other.
The Wedding Went Off Without a Hitch
Then, having finally cleared the air, Maria married the love of her life as her new husband’s mom smiled from the church pews. Despite all the drama and mystery, it was the happiest day of Maria’s life. She was so happy to put this situation behind them and start their new life together with no secrets between them. And there was one more thing that helped clear the air.
A Suspect Was Found
While Jaime and Maria were on their honeymoon, Jaime got another call from the detectives who were working on his father's case. After years of interviewing witnesses and checking for evidence, they finally found a suspect who may have been involved. They were excited to share this news with Jaime because it could finally clear his mother from any suspicions.
Cleared From All Suspicion
Jaime and Maria continued to live their lives happily together without any stress. After a few more months passed, a man was arrested for his part in Jaime's father's death and his mother moved back to the country to be closer to her son. After her name was cleared, she could finally face her former friends without shame.
Beautiful Blessing
When Maria and Jaime welcomed their first child, a baby girl, into the world, Jaime's mother was so happy to be there to witness the beautiful moment. Without her son's tireless devotion to his father's case, her name wouldn't have been cleared and she wouldn't be able to live her life freely, as she was finally able to now.
The events of this story are entirely fictional and are products of the author’s imagination. Images included are meant for illustration purposes only. Any resemblance to actual events, places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.