Chapter 2, Part 2

"No, it wasn't me, it was them!" Mom babbled, even pointing toward the bedroom and batting her eyelashes innocently. "They said they're launching the pilot season of the project! There will be several couples. Everything is anonymous! Until filming, the participants don't know who they'll be paired with. Valentine will match the couples by drawing lots. The show will come out right before Valentine's Day. No one will know anything until the episode airs!"

"Mom! That even sounds illegal! I. Am. Not. Going. On. A. Show. To. Find. Love!"

"Diana, darling, everything is fair there, they promised. You know what the casting was like? Insane! It's a famous TV channel!"

"I need a lawyer and new parents!"

"New parents... you don't have money for a lawyer."

"Mom, how many people watched the stream?"

"I-I don't know. I think seven thousand... or twenty, counting the rebroadcasts on social media."

My vision went dark.

"Did you sell me... for content?!"

"No, sunshine! For love!"

"Mom!"

"I'm sorry! It just happened on its own!"

"What if my match turns out to be an idiot? Or a spoiled rich kid who came on the show for fame? Or even... a flower-fetish maniac?!"

"Then you just won't fall in love. And I... will go sell cards. I have a hundred decks."

"I won't fall in love anyway, do you understand?"

"Sunshine, you can't know that ahead of time."

"You should have signed up our Zodiac for the project! He's single too!"

"He's neutered, and you still have a chance!"

I stood there looking at Mom. She looked guilty and ecstatic at the same time. So... very Mom. A little mad, disheveled, but always certain that only good things waited ahead.

Unbelievable. I think I was in trouble!