KEEPING THE FAITH

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KEDAH

I haven't felt like this since I first held my son in my arms.

As I looked at him for the first time in ten years, I realized that he truly was beautiful.

He had my eyes. And he had his father's nose.

Gad stepped closer to me. Those beautiful eyes of his were brimmed with tears as they skimmed over every single part of my features.

My heart was swelling with a joy I haven't felt in years...

"Hello there," I murmured, watching him as he took a seat next to me.

"Hi," he whispered, "Amma."

He's never called me that before.

So he knows.

I choked out a sob, and Gad started to break down too.

He clung to me, and I wrapped my arms around him.

I peppered his forehead with kisses and stroked his soft, brown hair with my human hand.

"I've missed you, my son," I sobbed.

"I've missed you too, Amma."

We sat there for a while, taking in the feeling of each other's presence with a joy and relief I haven't felt in a long time.

He pulled away slightly and kissed the cheek that had the scar on it. Then he looked down at my metal arm.

He wiped his eyes and asked, "Could I...could I touch it?"

"Yeah, of course."

He smiled softly, then gently ran his small fingers over the intricate metal.

"It looks so...so..."

"Lifelike?" I smile.

He nods, then takes my metal hand.

I could feel his small fingers brushing over mine.

He has Kaiden's smile. 

"You've grown up well, Gad."

I stroked his cheek with my human hand.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't there to raise-"

"Don't apologize, Amma. I understand completely."

He leans in and closes his eyes.

"It's all in the past now," he murmured.

"Oh!" Gad exclaims, startling me a little, "there's someone else here to see you!"

He stands and walks out the door.

After a little while, Gad walks back in with Kaiden at his heels.

He's changed. 

But he's still the same gentle and shy boy I used to know. But he seemed...

Embarrassed.

I watched as Gad looked at me. He met my eyes and slightly nodded, then walked out and shut the door behind him.

Kaiden kept his eyes down.

After a long while, he spoke up.

"Listen, I just-"

"Kaiden-"

"No no...just...let me explain."

He took a deep breath and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"I...well...the reason why I..I dumped you was because...because I was scared. I was scared of being a father at such a young age... and...well...I was scared of how my parents would react if I told them, so I didn't until just recently and...I know that I broke my promise, which was stupid and well...I shouldn't have just...left like that-"