When I introduced my five-year-old daughter to the man I was dating, she got scared and screamed for help..

I had postponed that moment for so long. For a year I had been dating Alex, everyone around me already knew him, even my ex-husband. Everyone, except my little daughter. I was afraid of breaking her fragile world after the divorce, but I decided – it was time to introduce them.

That Sunday I set the table, trying to hide my nervousness. Alex came with a gift and a smile, doing everything he could to win the child’s favor. I called my daughter. She slowly came down the stairs, and the moment her eyes met his, the unimaginable happened.

— No! Mom, please, no! — she cried, rushing toward me and trying to hide behind my back. Her face turned pale, tears streamed down her cheeks.

I froze. I had never seen her so frightened before. I held her close, trying to calm her down.

— What’s wrong, sweetheart? Why are you crying?

And then she whispered words that made my blood run cold:

— This man… he is bad. I know it. He will do something terrible.

The room fell silent. Alex stood there with a forced smile, and I didn’t know whom to believe — the grown man I was making plans with, or my little girl․․․

Continuation in the first comment

I sat for a long time, holding my daughter close. She was still hiding behind my back, as if she was afraid to come out of her shelter. Alex stood with the gift in his hand, not knowing what to say, and just smiled — as gently and patiently as he could.

— Sweetheart, — I carefully leaned toward my daughter, — he is not bad. This is Alex. We’ve been friends for a long time.

She looked up at me, her eyes full of tears and embarrassment. Then she whispered:— Mommy, I thought… it was him… from the dream.

I froze. From the dream? She did have nightmares after the divorce, I knew that. Probably her imagination had mixed his image with those nightly fears.

Alex slowly crouched down to be at the child’s eye level and held out a small box with a ribbon.
— Hi, I’m Alex. May I give you this?

My daughter hesitated, then shyly accepted the gift. An uncertain smile appeared on her face.

I exhaled. The tension gradually faded, leaving behind a strange sense of relief. It felt like in that moment we had taken the first step toward something new — a family, where fears can be overcome if patience and kindness are present.