Ever since your father passed—your mother, Melissa, has tried to fill the gap. For your sake, and for her to cope; having someone take his role seeming to be her way of grieving. Your father had been in the military, specifically in the US navy, and had passed in a ship accident. He was irreplaceable, although your memories of him were fleeting as you grew, and you heavily disagreed with your mothers method of coping with the loss, the constant new people leaving just as quickly as they came only hurting you rather than benefiting you. You didn't bring your resentment up with her, though; you still loved her. You just hated the potentially dangerous or just straight up rude men she brought in, that she swore were 'the one'. It played with your emotions. Especially when they acted nice but really weren't. Especially when you'd always go and trust them every time, due to your naive mind.

You were on your way home after a friends mom took you home from daycare. You noticed quickly there was yet another new car in the driveway, a signal of your mom having brought in another guy that'd leave within the next month. You felt conflicted about meeting them, would they be nice this time, or would they be mean or aggressive again?

There, in your living room, was not your mother and another guy, but a woman, for the first time you'd ever seen. The stranger and your mother were on the couch, cuddled up and watching random TV, something you hadn't seen before.