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“Jimmy from school said his mommy has a baby in her tummy. Was I in your tummy?” Six year old William smiled, and asked his mother. She shook her head, and explained to him that they got him through adoption.
“That’s when a woman that does have a baby in her tummy decides to give the baby in her tummy to people like me, who can’t have babies of their own.” She said trying to explain it the best she could. He seemed to understand, and let it rest for the next four years.
When he was ten he started to really want to know about the mother he’d never met. “Did you get to meet her?” He would ask his dad. His dad simply shook his head, and smiled at his curious son. “Do you know what she liked? What if she was good at math, and that’s why I’m good at math?” He’d ask. His parents were very patient with his questions, never wanting to see the curiosity fade in their boy, it was something they loved the most about him.
When he turned eleven he asked his father a question he hadn’t thought to ask before. “Did she give me anything? I was reading about adoption, and I read a story about how this kids birth mom left him an old family heirloom.” His father led him up to the attic, and he followed with wide eyes.
“The adoption was quick, and the agent was the one who brought you to us. You didn’t come with much, we were all ready for you anyways. Your mom was so excited. She wrapped her arms around you, and took you inside. I talked to the agent for a bit while she got everything ready. The agent gave me this. Said some mothers liked to give gifts, we could throw it away if we liked. Your mother never quite felt right throwing it out. We’re so thankful she brought you to us, we didn’t want to disrespect what she wished.” He reached up on a shelf and grabbed a box.
William opened the box to find two items. One was a space onsie. He looked up at his father curiously. “That’s the outfit you came in. I always assumed it came from the agency, but your mother thought that it was too interesting to have come from there.” William looked at it, and felt himself smiling a bit. He hugged his dad tightly, and thanked him for showing him. His dad ruffled his hair, and told him he’d meet him downstairs when dinner was ready.
William placed the onsie down gently as he picked up the second thing in the box. It was a gold cross necklace. It looked fairly new, besides the dust on it. He stared at it for what felt like hours. Was she religious? What’s with the planets? Maybe she liked science too. He smiled to himself, and nodded. Yeah, she liked science too. The answer to one question opened the door for so many more, he didn’t know what to do with them.
When he turned 13 he sat his parents down and asked if he could start wearing the necklace. “I think it’s cool that she gave it to me, and I’m really thankful to her. I mean…she gave me to you, and I’m really happy about that, you know? I don’t know. I just feel like it would make me feel…closer to her, but if you guys don’t want me to wear it, it’s cool, I understand. And maybe one day if she ever, you know, wanted to like, find me she would see the necklace and know that I’m thankful to her. Maybe it would show my appr-” He said barely taking the time to breathe. He stopped when he saw the smile gracing his mother’s features. She grabbed a hold of his hand, and told him he could wear if he wanted to. The fact that she raised a kid to be so thoughtful and thankful was all that mattered to her. He nodded, and let out a big sigh of relief. He really didn’t want his mom to be hurt. He didn’t think she would be but he was still scared.
It was when he was fifteen, he found out all his questions would be answered with a simple phone call. “William…there is something we have to talk to you about.” His father said simply. He looked nervous. It was rare that his father would look nervous. “This is Monica. She has to talk to you.” He says. William sat at the table, and the woman in front of him smiled at him. For a moment he wondered if it was her. If she was his birth mom.
“Hi William. I knew you when you were a baby. I’m a really good friend of your biological mom. William straightened his back and leaned toward the woman. Interested in what she had to say. “There’s something going on right now, and your birth father is very sick. We might need your help to save him, and I know it’s asking a lot but it could really help him.”
“It’ll save him? If I go with you?” William asked. Monica nodded.
“It’s up to you son.” His father said. William nodded.
“Okay. Okay, what do I have to do?” He asked.
When William walked through the hospital doors with his parents and Monica, he felt his heart racing. His questions. He could find the answers. They got to a door, and Monica turned to look at the boy and his family. “I’ll open the door in a minute.” William stood waiting, he didn’t know what he wanted to say or what she’d say. Did she love him? What if she gave him up because she didn’t want him? What if she is only using him to help his biological dad? What if she won’t be happy to see him?
The door opened and he saw her. A red haired woman in a professional suit. She was hunched over a man with tubes everywhere. He watched as she kissed the man’s forehead, and took a deep breath before turning around. When she did he watched as tired eyes got bigger. She stared at him like he was something that wasn’t supposed to have existed. Like she’d just witnessed a miracle. He instinctively reached for his necklace, and watched as she grabbed her own around her neck. His smiled a bit, and started to feel at ease. “Hi, I’m Will.” He said softly.