Valentine's Day often magnifies feelings of being an "outsider" or "second best" in blended families. The Catalyst:
Jessica sat on the edge of her bed, mascara beginning to run. She had two choices. She could wait by the door, bitter and small, ready to unload a torrent of resentment the moment Mark walked in. Or, she could realize that being stood up is a reflection of the other person’s chaos, not her own worth.
Not by a high school crush or a new flame, but by the man who had vowed to make her his wife. It was a uniquely adult humiliation. She wasn't heartbroken in the dramatic, tear-soaked-pillow sense. She was exhausted. For five years, she had navigated the choppy waters of being a stepmom to Mark’s two children, 14-year-old Mia and 16-year-old Jake. She had attended parent-teacher conferences for children who weren't hers, mediated fights, and loved them quietly, without expectation of return. Tonight, it seemed, her primary role—convenient partner and household manager—had been confirmed.