I rented a tiny apartment that smelled like damp paint and loneliness. I stocked grocery shelves by day and cleaned offices at night. My paychecks vanished into diapers and rent. When my belly grew, people’s kindness shrank. But in that loneliness, I found a fierce kind of strength.
Years passed. Liam grew into everything I’d ever hoped for — hardworking, kind, determined. By fifteen, he was already fixing engines part-time. By seventeen, his hands carried the same confidence my father’s once had.
The Birthday That Changed Everything
When Liam turned eighteen, I asked what he wanted. I expected a tool set, maybe a weekend trip. Instead, he said, “I want to meet my grandfather.”
My heart clenched. “He hasn’t called in eighteen years,” I said.
“I know,” Liam replied softly. “But I’m not angry. I just need to look him in the eye — once.”
So we drove there. The same cracked driveway. The same porch light glowing like a ghost from my past. My hands shook on the steering wheel as Liam stepped out.
