Mr. Raymond sank into a nearby plastic chair. “Grace… why didn’t you come find me?”
She broke into tears. “Find you for what? After you left, I waited. I searched. But you were gone. I gave birth alone. I raised Ethan alone. I kept that picture only to remind myself not to hope.”
He lowered his head, shame pressing heavily on his chest. “Ethan… he’s my son, isn’t he?”
Through tears, she nodded. “But I never told him who his father was. I didn’t want him to feel abandoned.”
For a long moment, neither spoke. Finally, Mr. Raymond stood and gently took her hand. “Take me to him. I can’t change the past, but I want to make this right.”
They returned to the cramped room where Ethan sat studying beneath a weak lamp. When he saw the man from the car, he blinked in surprise.
“You’re the guy with the fancy car. What are you doing here?”
Mr. Raymond knelt in front of him. “I’m not just that man, Ethan. I’m your father.”
The room fell silent. Ethan looked at his mother, then back at him. He didn’t cry. Instead, he asked quietly, “Why are you only coming now? My mom has worked so hard.”