It's a speech of appreciation. After she finishes it, the entire class gives her applause. She rushes to her father watching at the back.
He hugs her, and they both laugh.
My heart breaks from knowing that if Luke and I hadn't come here, Aiden would have been the only kid who didn't have his parents here.
"Now, for the next turn." The teacher smiles. "Aiden. Have you prepared your speech?"
Aiden freezes. He stares at me, but I'm too overwhelmed from seeing him again that I can only give him teary eyes.
He turns to Luke, who nods, signaling him to proceed.
Reluctantly, Aiden walks from his desk toward the front of the class. He must be confused as to why Luke suddenly decided to share the truth.
Once Aiden arrives in front of the class, he looks down. "I wrote a speech about my mom."
I don't even realize that I'm holding my breath. Aiden looks at Luke again one more time, still unsure, but Luke gives him another nod, smiling.
Aiden opens the paper in his hands and starts to speak.
"My mom is a singer," he says. "Her voice is so beautiful, and people love her very much. She has the warmest eyes and the most amazing smile."
I listen to every word, more tears filling my eyes.
"She can play the piano, and I'm so happy whenever she plays my favorite song. My mom always tries to cheer me up when I'm down. She loves to make me laugh."
My throat hurts. Does he not remember the last words that I said to him? Has he already forgiven me?
"Every morning, she asks me what I'm going to study and gives me a kiss before I go to school. Every day, she waits for me to come home with a big smile on her face. We love to play together in the afternoon. She asks me what I'm going to draw, because I love my crayons so much."
I feel like I’m experiencing all of those memories again, warmth seeping into my heart.
"At night, she reads me my favorite stories before bed and makes me laugh. My mom is the sweetest and funniest person in the world. Before I sleep, she always gives me a good night kiss so that I won't have any nightmares."
I can't control my tears. He's treasuring each of our moments.
"I love my mom very much." Aiden's voice turns hoarse, and my heart bursts when he starts to cry and wipes his tears with his sleeve. "I wish that we could stay together forever and that she didn't have to leave me again."
I rush to him and engulf him in a hug, sobbing. Why is he thinking like that? I would never leave him. Never.
I will die if we ever part again.
"And I love you very much, Aiden," I cry. "I would never leave you. You're my everything. How could I leave you?"
We pull away, and I wipe the tears in his eyes with a smile. Aiden sniffs. I can still see the sadness and fear in his eyes.
He's indeed afraid that I will go away.
"I'm sorry for all the time we've missed," I whisper, cupping his cheek. "I'm sorry for all the years that we've spent without each other. Mommy will always be here with you, Aiden. We will always be together."
"Mom," Aiden rasps. "Do you remember me?"
"I never forgot you, Aiden," I say the truth. Even when my brain didn't remember him, my heart did. "I never stopped loving you."
Tears pool again in his eyes, and I pull him into another tight hug. No one can separate us anymore.
Luke steps toward us. When we look up, he bends down and wraps his arms around us, engulfing us in his embrace.
I sigh in contentment. I've never felt a bliss so powerful. I feel so peaceful. So contented. So happy and relieved that the three of us are finally together.
