“I don’t want anything to eat. I just have a question.” I pulled the photo from my pocket, unfolding it carefully. “Do you know this woman?”
The man took the photo, peering at it with a frown. “What’s her name?”
“Eliza,” I replied, hoping for a sign of recognition.
The man’s face shifted slightly, and he tilted his head toward a noisy group in the corner. “That’s her over there.” He handed back the photo, shaking his head. “She looked different back then. Life’s taken a toll.”
My heart pounded as I approached the table. I recognized the woman from the photo — older now, worn down, but definitely her. I cleared my throat. “Eliza, hi,” I said.
She didn’t respond, absorbed in her loud conversation.
I tried again, louder this time. “Eliza.”
She turned, finally noticing me. “What do you want, kid?”
“I… I’m your son,” I said quietly.
“I don’t have any kids.”
Desperate, I held up the photo again. “It’s me. See? Eliza and Eric,” I said.
“Thought I got rid of you,” she muttered, taking a long drink from a bottle.
My voice trembled. “I just wanted to meet you.”
Eliza looked me over with a smirk. “Fine. Sit down, then. Maybe you’ll be useful.” Her friends chuckled, and I sank awkwardly into a chair, feeling out of place.
After some time, Eliza looked around the diner, glancing toward the counter. “Alright, time to leave. Let’s get out before the old man catches on.”
The group started to stand up, gathering their things. I felt uneasy and looked at Eliza. “But you haven’t paid,” I said.
Eliza rolled her eyes. “Kid, that’s not how the world works if you want to survive. You’ll learn that,” she replied.
I hesitated, reaching into my backpack. I pulled out some cash, ready to leave it on the table, but before I could, Eliza snatched it from my hand and shoved it into her pocket.
As we headed toward the door, the old man behind the counter noticed. “Hey! You didn’t pay!” he shouted angrily.
“Run!” Eliza shouted, dashing out the door. The group bolted, and I had no choice but to follow. Outside, I noticed police lights flashing nearby. As Eliza ran past me, she shoved me, and I felt something slip from my pocket.
“Mom!” I called, desperate, hoping she’d turn back.
But Eliza didn’t stop. “I told you — I don’t have any kids!” she shouted over her shoulder, disappearing into the night.
A police car pulled up beside me. I stopped, knowing I couldn’t outrun them. The window rolled down, and one of the officers leaned out, squinting at me.
“Hey, isn’t this the kid they mentioned?” the officer asked his partner.
The other officer looked me over and nodded. “Yep, that’s him. Alright, kid, get in the car.”
My heart pounded. “I didn’t do anything wrong,” I said, my voice trembling. “I tried to pay, but she took my money. I can call my parents — they’ll come get me.”
I reached into my pocket, only to find it empty. Panic rose as I realized my phone was gone, too. Tears filled my eyes. “Please, you have to believe me. I didn’t do anything.”
One of the officers got out, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Come on, son.” Gently, he guided me into the backseat as my tears fell silently.
At the police station, I expected the worst, but instead, they led me to a small room with a warm cup of tea. My heart skipped when I glanced up and saw Paul and Joseline talking with an officer nearby. Mila was in Paul’s arms, and Joseline looked worried, her eyes darting around the room.
The moment Joseline spotted me, she gasped, rushing over and wrapping her arms tightly around me. “Eric! You scared us so much!” she said, her voice shaking. “We thought something terrible had happened when we saw you were gone. We called the police right away.”
Paul approached, holding Mila close. “Eric, why did you run off like that?” he asked.
I swallowed, looking down. “I just… I wanted real parents. I thought finding my mom would change things, but she… she wasn’t what I thought,” I admitted.
Joseline’s face softened as she squeezed my hand. “Eric, it hurts to hear that,” she said gently. “We consider ourselves your parents, even if we’re just your foster parents for now.”
Paul nodded. “We’re sorry if we didn’t make that clear.”
I looked at them. “I thought… maybe you’d want to get rid of me now that you have Mila, your real daughter,” I confessed.
Joseline pulled me into another hug, her arms warm and steady. “Parents don’t give up on their children, Eric, foster or not.”
“You’re as much our child as Mila is,” Paul added. “That’s never going to change.”
My tears fell, my heart finally feeling the love they’d always given. “This whole trip was actually for you,” Paul explained. “You wanted to go camping, so we made it a special occasion.”
“A special occasion?” I asked, wiping my eyes.
“To tell you that we want you to officially be our son,” Paul said with a smile.
“All the paperwork is ready, but only if you want it,” Joseline added, her voice soft. I didn’t need to answer in words; I hugged them both, realizing I had found my real family. They had chosen me, and that was all that mattered.
