I never expected to be single again at 49, but after two decades of marriage, things had completely fizzled out. My wife and I had grown apart to the point where staying together felt more like a formality than a relationship. When we finally called it quits, neither of us seemed particularly heartbroken.

A little while later, I met Jenna at a party thrown by a mutual friend. Funny enough, I was still technically married at the time, though my marriage was already over in every way that mattered. Fast forward to my daughter’s 15th birthday, I figured it was time for Jenna to meet my family. The moment we walked into the celebration, though, something felt off. My ex’s relatives kept sneaking glances at Jenna, whispering among themselves like they’d just seen a ghost. It wasn’t the usual awkward tension of introducing a new partner — it was something stranger.

Then, my ex spotted us. She stared for a second before bursting into laughter and shouting, “You have no idea what you’ve done!” And before I could make sense of it all, my former mother-in-law stepped forward, looking completely stunned.

“Where did you say you met her?” my ex’s mom asked, narrowing her eyes at Jenna like she was trying to solve a math equation.