BETRAYAL

16

Katherine walked inside Martin's mansion. She has never seen anything like that before. And that was speaking a lot coming from her, being a very famous artist herself she has visited many places, many houses and still she was amazed by how grand and classic his home was.

"Wow I knew you are so rich now but still I wasn't prepared for this," she told him as she inspected the big living room they were standing in. "Your house is just gorgeous."

"I loved your house more, it's cozy and more homey," he told her as he remembers how her house felt when he went to pick her up. Her house was big enough and well decorated, it sure felt like an artist house. And still it had a homey feeling unlike his.

"Oh please! Mine is nothing compared to yours," Katherine laughed "I thought I had a fine house before but I feel poor looking at yours."

Martin laughed at that.

"Oh this way," Martin showed her to the small living room which was connected to the dining room. "Henry must be there."

Katherine entered the room, and she smiled as he saw the back of Martin's son as he put a dish on the table. Strangely he reminded her of her son. She ignored a wave of sadness which was threatening to take her.

"Son," Martin called him to announce their presence.

"Oh you're just on time," Michael turned with a smile on his face but it quickly vanished and was replaced by a look of surprise and sadness at the same time.

Katherine stood there without saying anything, without moving. Her legs couldn't move. A lot of emotions ran through her face. Tears filled her eyes. She didn't know how long she stood there, maybe it was just a second, maybe it was just a minute or ten. She was too shocked to move. Are my eyes deceiving me? Am I hallucinating? Were some of the many thoughts running in her head.

"This is the last one," Winnie said as she entered the dining room, unaware of Martin's arrival. She proceeded to place the dish on the table. After noticing the lack of response she looked at Michael and then looked around and-

"Mom Katherine!!" she exclaimed.

Katherine reluctantly turned her head to the direction of the familiar voice and saw Winnie. Why is she here? she couldn't grasp what was going on.

Katherine looked back at the person in front of her who looked exactly like her son and could be her son. That's if her eyes were not deceiving her. She thought maybe she was too broken that she was starting to hallucinate. Maybe she was too desperate that she was hallucinating. Only then finding the strength to move her legs, she slowly walked towards him. She looked deep in his eyes as she raised her trembling hands and touched his cheeks. She proceeded to stroke his hairs. He felt like her son. No, he was her son. It was more clear, she knows her son.

"You're really my son," she cried out,
"Michael!!!"

Michael who all that time stood there quietly as he also stared deep in her eyes and also had tears on his, quickly took her in for a hug. She hugged her so tightly. Katherine rested her head on Michael's firm chest and hugged him back even tighter.

"Mom!" Katherine cried even more as she heard that word. She missed him calling her that. She missed to hear it from him.

"I knew you were alive!! I just had a feeling you would come back to me in one piece," she cried.

"I'm so sorry I worried you Mom. I'm so sorry," Michael sobbed.

"No, what's more important is you're back now. You're back to me. That's what's more important."