It couldn't have been that long ago. Seems like days, rather than years.
Could he really be almost a man? Handsome, strong…just like she'd hoped.
She blinked back tears and turned from the window.
A few days after they found him, no, wait. A few days after he found them, he'd wondered off. She was washing the breakfast dishes while he was supposed to be coloring at the table. He was so quiet that by the time she'd finished the putting the dishes in the drainer and turned around she didn't really know how long he was gone. The sinking feeling in her chest choked her and brought tears to her eyes. She'd rushed from the kitchen, calling for Jonathon, letting the door slam behind her.
Clark wasn't far. He'd only gotten as far as the bottom of the front porch steps. He stood in the middle of her flowerbed, hunched down like when they'd first saw him, just looking at the marigolds.
As she neared, relief flooded her. He turned as he heard her approach and grinned that little boy smile that melted her heart and he pointed. There, on the leaf was a tiny ladybug, crawling slowly, trundling across the green expanse. She scooped up the boy, nuzzling him, holding him close as the tears streamed down her cheeks.
A little finger reached out to touch her cheek and she smiled through the tears. "Mommy?" He looked hopeful, like he'd been practicing when they couldn't hear him. She crushed him to her even harder and wished with everything she had that he would be hers forever.
Martha stared down at the dishtowel, twisted in her hands. She took a deep breath and turned back towards the window. The window through which she could see her son leaning against Lex's car smiling that same grin that had melted her heart so many years ago. Smiling at Lex, Lex smiling back. The breath caught in her throat and she knew.
A few days after they found him, no, wait. A few days after he found them, he'd wondered off. She was washing the breakfast dishes while he was supposed to be coloring at the table. He was so quiet that by the time she'd finished the putting the dishes in the drainer and turned around she didn't really know how long he was gone. The sinking feeling in her chest choked her and brought tears to her eyes. She'd rushed from the kitchen, calling for Jonathon, letting the door slam behind her.
Clark wasn't far. He'd only gotten as far as the bottom of the front porch steps. He stood in the middle of her flowerbed, hunched down like when they'd first saw him, just looking at the marigolds.
As she neared, relief flooded her. He turned as he heard her approach and grinned that little boy smile that melted her heart and he pointed. There, on the leaf was a tiny ladybug, crawling slowly, trundling across the green expanse. She scooped up the boy, nuzzling him, holding him close as the tears streamed down her cheeks.
A little finger reached out to touch her cheek and she smiled through the tears. "Mommy?" He looked hopeful, like he'd been practicing when they couldn't hear him. She crushed him to her even harder and wished with everything she had that he would be hers forever.
Martha stared down at the dishtowel, twisted in her hands. She took a deep breath and turned back towards the window. The window through which she could see her son leaning against Lex's car smiling that same grin that had melted her heart so many years ago. Smiling at Lex, Lex smiling back. The breath caught in her throat and she knew.