Focus on what you need to do now
James paced the living room, his frustration boiling over. "I can’t believe Juliana chose her ex-boyfriend over me. This is the most humiliating moment of my life!"
His mother, Lisa, looked up from her seat, her expression calm but curious. "Wait, James, what exactly happened? You said Juliana told you to leave and that she’d call when she made her decision, right?"
"Yes," James replied, gripping the chair's backrest.
Lisa frowned. "And you’re saying her ex-boyfriend was there?"
"Not only was he there," James said bitterly, "but as I was leaving, he whispered that he was there for a ‘rematch.’ He practically bragged that I can’t satisfy Juliana. It’s dehumanizing, Mum!"
Lisa’s face hardened, but she kept her voice steady. "James, is this really the time to focus on what he said? Maybe you should be asking yourself why Juliana asked you to leave in the first place."
James clenched his fists. "I’m calling her. I need to know if what he said is true."
"Is that necessary?" Lisa asked, clearly uneasy.
"It is!" James argued. He dialed Juliana’s number, turned away, and asked, "Juliana, I need to know—between your ex and me, who’s better in bed?"
"James, what kind of question is this?" Juliana sounded exasperated.
"Your ex said I wasn’t good enough for you, and I can’t stop thinking about it. I need an answer."
"James," Juliana sighed, "I don’t have time for this right now. I’m focusing on myself and my daughter. Please respect my boundaries."
When the call ended, Lisa shook her head. "I knew something like this might happen."
James spun toward her. "What do you mean by that?"
"You’ve always been careless with relationships, James. Women aren’t trophies, and your past behavior has caught up with you. Did you ever think Juliana wouldn’t find out?"
James’s voice rose defensively. "I told you to help me explain things to her!"
Lisa stood, her tone firm. "This isn’t about me, James. You’ve hurt women and left a trail of broken hearts. If you want to fix things, start by apologizing to those you’ve wronged."
James hesitated. "How am I supposed to do that? Most of them are gone."
"Do you even remember their names?" Lisa asked, folding her arms.
"Three," he admitted. "Kate, Jane, and Stephanie."
"Then start with them," Lisa urged. "You can’t move forward until you’ve made things right."
As James processed her words, a message notification lit up his phone. He read it aloud: "‘Hello Gabriel, I want to inform you that my girlfriend, Juliana, and I are back together. Stay away from her. – Johnson.’"
Lisa sighed. "Ignore it, James. Focus on what you need to do now."
After a moment of silence, James nodded. "You’re right, Mum. I’ll do it."
Before leaving, James turned back, guilt clouding his face. "Mum, I need to confess something. My last office job wasn’t real. I made it all up to impress you. I’m sorry for lying."
Lisa looked away, hurt but composed. "You’ve disappointed me, James, but at least you’re taking responsibility now. Go and make things right."
James left, his mother’s words ringing in his ears. He started with Kate. At her door, he apologized sincerely, handing her a card. Though Kate had moved on, his words brought her to tears.
Next was Jane, but her response was harsher. She slammed the door in his face, refusing to hear him out.
As James drove toward Stephanie’s house, doubt crept in. Would she react the same way? His heart pounded as he parked outside, gathering the courage to face yet another reckoning.
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