Chapter 68
EMILY’s pov
We pulled up to the gated community where Vera and Tom lived, and I felt my nerves kick in. The homes here were grand, much more than anything I had ever lived in. A butler came out to greet us as soon as we parked, and I took a deep breath before helping Zane out of the car.
Zane held onto my hand tightly, his eyes wide as he took in the large house and pristine gardens. “Mom, who are these people? Why are we here?”
I knelt down to his level, meeting his gaze. “Zane, these are your other grandparents–my biological parents. Their names are Vera and Tom.”
Zane blinked, clearly trying to process this information. “But… if they’re your parents, why haven’t we met them before?”
I sighed, feeling the weight of the truth pressing down on me. “Because it‘ s complicated, Zane. I was adopted when I was younger, and we only just found each other recently.”
He seemed confused, his little brow furrowing. “Why didn’t they want. you at first?”
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Before I could respond, Vera and Tom appeared at the doorway, both of them smiling cautiously. Vera was the first to speak, her voice soft and full of regret. “Zane, it’s not that we didn’t want your mom. We thought she had died when she was just a baby. We were deceived, and we’ve spent so many years searching for her.”
Zane looked between me and Vera, unsure of what to believe. “So… you didn’t leave her because you didn’t want her?”
Vera shook her head quickly. “No, sweetheart. We would never have left her if we knew she was alive. We love your mom very much.”
Zane seemed to take this in, then asked, “Can I still see Nicole? She’s really nice to me.”
I smiled at his innocence, knowing that he loved Nicole in his own way. “Of course, you can still see Nicole. You just got five grandparents now. You hit the jackpot, buddy.”
That seemed to light up his mood, and a grin spread across his face. “Five grandparents? That’s awesome!”
We walked into the house, and Zane explored the living room, still holding onto my hand. Vera and Tom sat down with us, their eyes filled with a mix of hope and hesitation.
“I… I’ve thought a lot about this,” I said, my voice wavering slightly. “And I’ve decided to accept you both into my life. I don’t know what the future holds, but I’m willing to try.”
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Vera’s eyes welled up with tears as she reached for my hand. “Thank you, Emily. That’s all we’ve ever wanted.”
Tom nodded beside her, his voice thick with emotion. “We’ll do whatever it takes to make up for the lost time.”
I stood up and embraced them both, feeling the warmth of their affection wash over me. It was a strange feeling, accepting them after so many years of believing I was unwanted. But somehow, it felt like the right thing to do. It felt like a step toward healing.
Zane, ever the curious little boy, stood nearby, watching us with a big grin on his face. His eyes lit up with excitement as he processed what had just happened. “So… does this mean we’re all family now?” he asked, his voice full of awe and wonder.
I smiled at him, pulling him close into the hug, ruffling his hair gently. “Yes, Zane. We’re all family now.”
Zane’s eyes sparkled with excitement as he looked between the two of them. “Do you have any toys at your house? Like cars or action figures? I could show you my favorite ones if you want!”
Tom chuckled, his voice warm and full of affection. “I’m sure we can find some toys for you, Zane. And maybe next time you visit, we’ll have a special surprise waiting just for you.”
Zane’s face lit up even more at the mention of a surprise. “Really? Can I have a race car? Or maybe a spaceship! I love spaceships. And we can race them!”
Chapter 58
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I followed behind as Zane happily chatted away with his new grandparents, his small hand tucked into Vera’s as we walked. His excitement was contagious, and I couldn’t help but smile as I listened to him rattle off all the things he wanted to show them.
I glanced at Vera, catching her smiling softly at Zane’s excitement. For the first time in a long while, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. Watching Zane talk so openly and freely, as if he had known Vera and Tom all his life, made me realize that maybe this was the start of something good. Something healing, not just for me, but for all of us.
As Zane chattered on about space adventures and toy cars, I couldn’t help. but think that maybe, just maybe, things were finally starting to get better. And in that moment, surrounded by family, it felt like we were heading in the right direction.
