When my son arrived, there were no visitors, no flowers, no family waiting. Just me and him — this tiny, beautiful boy I named Liam.
Every sleepless night, every meal skipped, every job taken — it was all for him. He was my reason, my anchor.
When he turned eighteen, I asked what he wanted for his birthday. He didn’t even pause. “I want to meet my grandfather.”
My heart dropped. My father hadn’t called, written, or asked about us in eighteen years. My first instinct was to protect Liam from that same rejection. But he looked at me and said quietly, “I’m not angry. I just need to see him. Once.”
So we drove there. The same driveway. The same porch light. My hands gripped the steering wheel while Liam got out, shoulders squared like he was walking into battle.
When my father opened the door, confusion turned to recognition. Liam looked too much like both of us for him not to know.
They stared at each other for what felt like forever. Then Liam reached into his jacket and handed him a small box. “Happy birthday to me,” he said with a faint smile.
Inside was a single piece of chocolate cake.
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