A Home to Call His Own

The night was late, and the storm was strong. Rain poured down fast and hard onto the mostly-empty streets, thunder booming and lightning flashing in the distance. Thanks to the clouds above, it was mostly dark, save for a few streetlamps here and there, and the headlights of the handful of cars on the road. It was weather that no one should be out in, if they could help it.

For one child, he had no other choice. He was a brown-haired 4-year-old wrapped in a dark coat, which he had found in an alley. It was his sole protection against the cold winds and heavy rain, and it was hardly sufficient. He ran as he tightly clung to his teddy bear, the one true possession he had, like it was his brother. It was just another day for him, besides the unsuitable weather; find shelter for the night, and stay warm as he fell asleep. Even if it took him all night, he would find it. In his heart, he knew he could.

“Excuse me!”

The boy jolted has he heard a woman’s voice, and felt her hand on his shoulder. Looking behind him, he saw a young woman with long brown hair and blue eyes, dressed in a coat and wielding an umbrella. His eyes reflected his fear, but he did not run.

“Why are you out in this weather? You should go home!” she said, concerned.

“I don’t have one,” he replied, looking nonchalant.

“What?” Her eyes widened in shock. “You can’t stay out here!”

“I’ll be fine! I’ll jus--”

Without warning, the woman picked up the boy and held him with one arm. He gasped, now underneath the umbrella, shielded from the rain.

“Whaaa?!”

“I can’t leave you out here to freeze!” she explained, picking up the pace. “I’ll let you stay with me for a while.”

“Why?” he asked. The boy had not seen anyone ever care for him in such a way, leading to much confusion on his part.

“Because it wouldn’t be right of me to leave you.”

“Y...You mean that?”

“Of course.”

The pleasant smile she gave to the boy filled him with warmth he had never felt before. He smiled as well, holding onto his protector for dear life.

“Thank you...”

“You’re welcome...”

Within a few minutes, the woman and the boy had arrived at her home. His mouth was wide open in utmost awe at the cozy, warm atmosphere the house gave off; the single-story abode was neatly decorated and fairly big.

“Your home is really nice...” he said, looking around.

“Thank you! I’ve got a spare room you can sleep for the night, and I’ve got some soup if you need it.”

“Gosh...you’d do all that for me?” He bashfully smiled, cheeks red.

“Yes. No child should be out in that weather.”

“Th...Thank you!” The boy grinned, excitement swelling in his chest.

“Of course! Now, stay there...”

The woman placed the boy at the entrance mat, where he dripped onto it, as she quickly fetched a towel.

“Now, let’s dry you off...huh?”

As the woman slid the coat off of the boy, she gave a slight gasp of surprise: Underneath, he only had a long-sleeved, dark blue shirt, and a thoroughly soaked diaper that was dripping rainwater; the tapes were fastened on, though wildly uneven.

“I-I never got potty-trained...” The boy shrugged.

“I see...I don’t have any diapers here, though...” The woman began to dry him off, teddy bear included.

“Can you go get some?”

“Sure, but I’ll have to take you with me.”

“I can stay here! I won’t touch anything, I promise!”

The woman was skeptical, even when the boy innocently smiled at her. His differently-colored eyes, one brown and one blue, did not reflect any mean-spiritedness or deceit.

“Well...I suppose I can leave you here for a few minutes. But don’t touch anything, and don’t sit on the couch until I can change you.”

“‘kay!” The boy nodded.

“I’ll also get a new shirt for you in the morning...” She removed his drenched shirt, looking at its tag for reference.

“Can I wear one’a yours?”

“Um, sure.”

Swiftly, the woman went to her room and came back with a plain white T-shirt. When the boy wore it, it looked like a big, oversized dress, with the rim reaching the floor and covering his bare feet. His arms were completely covered by the sleeves, and he couldn’t help but imagine himself as a ghost.

“I think this’s too big...”

“It’ll have to do. I’ll be back ASAP!”

“Wait!”

Before the woman could leave, the boy called out to her.

“What’s your name?”

“Oh! Sylvia. What’s yours?”

“I don’ got one.”

“You don’t?” Again, Sylvia was shocked.

“Nuh-uh.” He shook his head, not particularly concerned.

“Then...may I give you one?”

“If you wanna.” He smiled.

“Hmmm...Steven. Your name is Steven.”

“Steven...I like it!” The boy grinned.

“Okay, be good, Steven!”

“Bye!”

Steven. The boy was never given a name of his own, and for the longest time, he was perfectly happy with that. However, hearing Sylvia call him an actual name, which hadn’t even existed for a single minute yet, was exciting and comforting. Joy swelled in his chest, and he had a grin that would not fade, even after he had waved his protector goodbye. He sighed, slowly walking around the house and taking in the atmosphere.

“So pretty...” Steven spoke as he gazed at the decorations. Even the most commonplace bauble like plants, candles, and containers filled him with a sense of joy. As much as he wanted to just look at it up close with his hands, he could not bring himself to disobey the person who had already given him more than most.

Steven waddled out of the entrance and into the living room, where the coziness reached a new level. Even though he was not allowed to sit down on it, the couch looked immensely inviting; it almost seemed to tempt him, with the soft blue cushions and the television set up a few feet away from it.

But, Sylvia never said he couldn’t watch T.V. So, he grabbed the remote and flicked it on.

“How d’you work this...?” he muttered to himself, looking it over. Technology was not something he was proficient at, though he could at least read the numbers and words on the remote. Knowing what each button did, however, was another matter entirely.

“Where’s the cartoons?” Steven said, annoyed. He pressed the numbered buttons at random, but he kept landing on channels that didn’t hold his interest...

“Aaaah! No no no no!”

...or ones he knew he should not be seeing. By frantically flicking, he figured out that one set of arrows changed the channel. So, he pressed 0 to reach the very first channel, and worked his way up one at a time. Sooner or later, he would find what he was looking for.

“A-ha!” Finally, after a minute of searching, he had found a channel showing something age-appropriate that he could watch and enjoy. Steven almost plopped himself onto the couch, when he remembered that his soaked, bloated diaper wasn’t supposed to come into contact with it. He had no choice but to continue to stand up, as relaxing as it would be to just kick up his feet for once.

Steven didn’t mind too much, though, as it was a minor complaint. Here he was, in a warm home, watching television without having to worry about anything. No one could blame him for the radiant smile on his face, or the anxious shifting around in place as he awaited Sylvia’s eventual return.

“Steven! I’m back!”

Before he knew it, Sylvia had reentered her home, and her voice caused the boy to turn his head toward the entrance.

“Hello!” he happily greeted as she came into view. In her hand was a case of diapers, and his eyes lit up upon seeing it.

“Stayed out of trouble, I hope?” Sylvia teased as she approached him.

“Yup! I found cartoons!” Steven pointed to the T.V.

“Good, good! Now, let’s get a fresh diaper onto you...”

“Yes! Thank you!”

Steven grinned as he was tenderly held by the hand and led back to the entrance. Here, the damp towel used to dry him off would serve as an impromptu changing mat. The shirt was lifted, and the swollen diaper was removed; he was wiped down, powdered, and diapered, with each step feeling better than the last.

“There we are! All clean!” Sylvia declared, patting the front of the fresh padding.

“Gosh, Miss...you’re a real good changer...” Steven blushed, bashfully rolling in place.

“Please, call me Sylvia!” she said. “That is my name, after all.”

“‘kay!”

The boy stood up, toddling about with his hands at his sides. It had been some time since he had worn a clean, dry diaper, and it was a refreshing feeling in more ways than one. It was also thicker than what he previously had on, which made it even better.

“So, how ‘bout I make you that soup?” Sylvia spoke.

“That’d be great!” Steven bounced in place, grinning ear to ear.

“Chicken noodle sound good?”

“Yup! Thank you Sylv’ya!”

Sylvia led the boy toward the kitchen, but in his excitement, he had tripped and fallen onto the carpet face-first.

“Owwwwww...!” he whined, rubbing his sore cheek.

“Steven! Are you alright?” she spoke, worried, as she knelt down.

“Y-Yeah...I’m fine...” Steven stood up, frowning and wincing.

“Here...” Sylvia removed the oversized, slightly-wet shirt. “I’ll wash your shirt and teddy, alright?”

“Okay...” Steven nodded.

“Poor guy...” She pointed to the reddened spot on his left cheek.

“Oh, I’m fine...”

“Lemme...”

Sylvia lightly pecked Steven’s cheek, and the little one lit up as he rubbed that spot. That brief kiss was one more thing to add to his ever-increasing list of pleasant things he wished to experience again. Even though it did nothing for the pain, it was soothing, and he already felt better after his fall.

“Th...Th-Thanks, M...Sylv’ya...”

“Of course.” She kindly smiled. “Now, soup!”

“Yeah!”

Steven was right on Sylvia’s tail as she entered the kitchen and got a can of chicken noodle soup out of the pantry.

“It’ll be a few minutes, but you’ll feel nice and warm with some soup in your tummy!”

“Yummmm...”

Steven licked his lips as Sylvia prepared the soup on the stove top. His hunger was further amplified when he saw his meal being prepared, and his stomach loudly growled.

“Do you need something to hold you over?” Sylvia said.

“Y...Yeah...” Steven stuck his tongue out, blushing and smiling.

“Here, have a roll.”

She handed the boy a hand-sized roll from the breadbox, and he immediately began to chow down on it.

“Wow, you must’ve been starving!” Sylvia said, noticing how voraciously he consumed it.

“Mmmph!” Steven swallowed. “I haven’t eaten in a couple hours...this’s really good!”

“I know it’s not much, but it should fill you up.”

“Ish g’eat!” he said, mouth half-full. “F’anksh!”

“You’re welcome...”

Sylvia sweetly smiled at the boy as he happily finished off the roll.

“Haaaah...that really did help!” Steven patted his belly with a smile.

“Of course!” She exited the kitchen.

“You’ve got a real nice house, Sylv’ya!” he spoke, following her.

“Thank you! It’s not the best, but it’s home.”

“It’s amazing!” Steven cheerfully declared.

“You’ve never had a home, have you?” Sylvia gathered the drenched shirt and teddy bear from the entrance.

“Nuh-uh.” He shook his head. “I’ve always been alone.”

“Who gave you this teddy, then?”

“Prolly my mommy. But I don’ remember her...I don’ even know who gave it to me, but I always had it. So it must be ‘portant, y’know?”

“Yeah...um, in the morning...where do you want me to take you?” Sylvia was now in the garage, where the washer and dryer were located.

“I dunno. Anywhere, I guess.” Steven shrugged.

“You don’t want me to take you to an orphanage?” She knelt down to his level.

“I guess you could take me there.”

Sylvia frowned, while Steven looked completely neutral. She didn’t know why he had so little fear of returning to his previous homelessness, but a part of her didn’t feel right. How could she dump a poor child back into the world, especially after the care she had given him, and was about to give? However, it was the child’s wishes, and she felt compelled to fulfill them.

“Well...if you really feel that’s what you want, I’ll do it.”

“‘kay.” Steven nodded, slightly smiling.

Sylvia tossed the shirt into the washer, turning it on.

“Your shirt will be all fresh and clean soon!” She smiled down at the boy, resting the teddy bear on top.

“Should I get a bath too?”

“Maybe later, after your soup.”

“‘kay.” Steven nodded.

“Oh, speaking of!”

Sylvia quickly returned to the kitchen to check up on her cooking.

“Good...” she looked relieved at the pot of soup, and stirred it as she still felt the adrenaline coursing through her.

“Are you a good cook?” Steven asked as he caught up.

“I’ve done it for years, so I hope so!” Sylvia chuckled.

“Then you must make really good food!” He grinned.

“If you want me to give you some snacks for the road, I’ll whip up something. How’s that sound?”

“Sounds great!” Steven pumped one fist in the air. “Could’ja make a hundred sandwiches?”

“I don’t have enough bread for that, silly!”

“Then how ‘bout ten sandwiches?”

“I could...but that’s a lot of work, Steven...”

“You’re gonna let me starve...?” Steven pouted.

“Not at all!” Sylvia turned around and knelt down to his level. “You’re not leaving this house ‘til that belly’s full!”

“Heh heh ha ha!” Steven giggled when his belly was playfully poked.

“Now, take a seat at the table. Soup’s almost done.”

“‘kay!”

Steven went to sit at the kitchen table while Sylvia finished preparing the soup. To the little boy’s dismay, his eyes were barely able to see the top.

“Um, Miss Sylv’ya...” He frowned at her.

“Oh...should I get some books?”

“I don’ wanna read while I eat.”

“I mean to boost you up, silly!” Sylvia laughed.

“O-Oh! Heh ha ha!” Steven joined in. “Sure!”

“Alright...watch out, it’s hot!”

Sylvia placed the bowl of soup on the table before quickly exiting the kitchen. Steven took in the pleasant aroma of his meal, and he drooled; his stomach was still rumbling, and it took a lot of willpower to prevent from just eating right then and there. Not only would he drip soup, but he’d probably burn himself, given the visible steam rising from the bowl. So, he just enviously gazed at the bowl, hoping that he would soon taste its deliciousness.

“Nnnnngh...” Steven bounced in his seat, slowly giving into his tummy’s desires.

“Okay, here you go!”

He looked over at Sylvia, who was at the kitchen entrance and holding onto several thick books with both hands.

“Off please.”

“‘kay!”

Steven hopped off of the chair so Sylvia could stack them onto his seat. She evenly aligned them in the middle, then sat him on top of it.

“Much better!” he happily said, grinning at the soup.

“Just be careful, okay?” She pulled up a chair next to Steven.

“I will!”

Steven finally obtained a spoonful of soup; he blew into the still-steamy food, then cautiously slurped it.

“Mmmmm...this’s pretty good!” He licked his lips and smiled.

“I’m glad you like it!” Sylvia wrapped a kitchen towel around Steven’s neck, gently fastening it in the back. “Just in case, you know?”

“Wow, thank you!”

“You’re welcome.” She smiled.

Sylvia sat down next to Steven, observing and looking after the little one. He loudly slurped and occasionally dripped onto his makeshift bib, smiling all throughout. His protector could not help but smile as well, seeing how adorable he was. As the soup depleted, they gazed at one another with intrigued, curious eyes. Something was stirring within both of them, a feeling and an idea that was becoming more and more desirable.

It wasn’t long before the meal was finished, and Steven loudly belched.

“Haaaaaaaahhh...” He rubbed his tummy, now warm and full.

“You’re supposed to say ‘excuse me’ after burping, Steven,” Sylvia said.

“Oh...heh heh...” He blushed. “E-Excuse me, Sylv’ya...”

“You’re excused.” She chuckled as she put Steven onto the floor.

“That was great! I don’ think I ever had a meal that good!”

“It wasn’t the best, but I’m glad you loved it!” She picked up the empty bowl and brought it to the sink.

“I can’t wait to eat your sandwiches!” He tightly hugged Sylvia’s leg.

“Awwww...” She rubbed his hair.

“Hee hee hee! A ha ha ha ha!”

Steven giggled, and that warmth from earlier made itself known again; this time, Sylvia felt it as well.

“Can I watch some T.V. now?”

“Go for it!” Sylvia smiled down at him.

“Yes!”

Steven dashed out of the kitchen and into the living room, where he was finally able to sit down on the couch. He sighed in relief, feeling the comfy cushions beneath him. The boy had never known just how relaxing it was, but now that he was here, it was hard to get up. If he had to sleep here, he wouldn’t mind one bit.

“Cartoons!”

Steven flicked the T.V. back on, which was still on the same channel. He had been lucky enough to catch bits and pieces of shows in the past, looking through others’ windows, but he would always get caught and leave in fear. For once, it was nice to know that he was allowed to do it, and didn’t have to run away when someone saw him. Having a front-row seat for his cartoons was also a huge plus; seeing it so clearly filled him with even more excitement.

“Mind if I sit here?”

“Oh?”

Steven looked at Sylvia, who had a bowl of soup for herself.

“S-Sure!” Steven nodded, scooching over to the left.

“Thank you.” Sylvia sat on the floor, resting the bowl on the table in front of them.

“Mmmm...still smells good!” Even though hunger no longer tormented him, he still found the soup’s aroma desirable.

“It’s perfect for a night like this. Listen...”

Sylvia muted the T.V., and the only sound left was the rainfall outside. Steven sighed, soaking in its calming ambience.

“It’s really nice...”

“Isn’t it?” Sylvia smiled. “In here, you don’t have to worry about being cold and wet.”

“I always thought the rain was bad, but...I kinda like it now.”

“It’s bad if you’re out there. But the roof protects us from it, so all that’s left is the sound!”

“Yeah!”

The two smiled at one another, as thoughts echoed in their heads. Inside a house, there was all the protection you could ever need. It was always just right, never too hot or cold. It kept out the weather, be it rain or snow or lightning. It came equipped with everything you could ever need to be comfortable, from beds, to food, to drink, and more. As long as you had a home like this, you would never need to fear the day-to-day.

“Say, Steven...” Sylvia spoke after several minutes of near silence.

“Yes?”

“Um...I dunno when the rain will stop, so...if you want, you can...stay another night or two.”

“Yeah!” Steven grinned, bouncing in his seat.

“I-I’ll...feed you, get some clothes...maybe more diapers, if you need them, and...a toy or two?”

“All that?!” His mouth was agape in shock.

“Yes. Anything you need.” Sylvia sweetly smiled.

“Thank you so much, Mommy!”

Steven quickly covered his mouth, blushing from ear to ear. Sylvia, too, was red-faced, as an awkward silence filled the air. Even the pattering of rain did nothing to break it.

“M...Mommy...?” she quietly repeated. “Do you...think I’d be a good mommy?”

“Um...I-I dunno, but...you’re so nice. Y-You...gave me so much, an’...an’...I dunno if I ever wanna leave...”

“...yeah. It...It’d be a shame, just throwing you back out there.”

“Uh-huh.” Steven nodded.

“Well...I...I know this is really sudden, but...”

Sylvia took a deep breath, sighed, and softly held Steven’s hands in hers.

“Steven...if you want, I...I can be your M...Mommy...”

His eyes widened and began to well up with tears, seeing the sincere kindness inside of hers.

“I’ll have to make it official, but...you’ll be my son. You can stay here, never go hungry, always sleep in a nice bed...I’ll even potty-train you, and send you to school when you’re ready. Would...would that be okay?”

“...you really mean all that?” Steven whispered, shaking from head to toe.

“...yes.” Sylvia nodded. “Would you...l-like to be my son, Steven?”

At once, he dove into her, hugging as tight as he could.

“Yes!”

Tears streamed down Steven’s face while Sylvia returned the hug. She too felt the temptation to cry as well, as she smiled. Now, there was no need to hide it. Their feelings were made bare, that great desire to be part of a bigger whole. A family, even of two, was greater than being alone.

“Oh, it’s gonna be the bestest!” Steven excitedly spoke as he left the hug. “We can play games, watch T.V., read stories, go to the park, eat breakfast, lunch an’ dinner, an’...an’...everything!”

“Ha ha ha ha! You’re so excited!” Sylvia laughed at just how cheerful he was.

“Uh-huh, uh-huh!” He vigorously nodded his head. “Can we go somewhere tomorrow?! Anywhere!”

“We can get some clothes, and a booster seat. We’ll also have to stock up on diapers, until you’re fully potty-trained.”

“I-I kinda like my diapers, though...” Steven blushed, bashfully smiling. “C-Can I stay in ‘em for a li’l while?”

“I suppose. But you can’t go to school wearing them.”

“I can if I can’t help it!”

“But you can, can’t you?” Sylvia asked.

“Um...n-not really...” Steven frowned, turning even redder. “I...I even peed myself a moment ago...”

She looked at the bottom of his diaper, and as he said, there was a faint, pale-yellow spot.

“Awwww...well, if you can’t help it, then you can wear them to school. But once you can, they’ll have to go, okay?”

“‘kay.” Steven nodded.

“So, how ‘bout a bath?”

“That’d be great!” He grinned.

“Alright then...”

Carefully, Sylvia picked Steven up and held him with both hands; his arms were over his mom’s shoulders, and loosely met around her neck. He sighed, feeling happy to be in her arms. The boy was oblivious to the passage of time, and soon, the bathtub’s water was running while they went back to the garage.

“The shirt’s washed now...”

Sylvia put Steven onto the drier, taking his shirt out of the washer and into the drier; this made room in the former for the teddy bear.

“Gosh, you’re so good at that stuff!” Steven said, waving his legs.

“You get good when you’re all on your own, sweetie,” Sylvia replied, picking him back up and turning on both machines.

“What about your mommy an’ daddy?”

“They’re around, but when you’re an adult, you can’t really stay with them anymore!” She chuckled.

“Wow...I got a gramma an’ a grampa!” Steven was excited once again.

“That’s right! And I’m sure they’ll love you just as much as I do!” She tapped him on the nose.

“Hee hee heh ha ha!” He happily giggled in response.

Back in the bathroom, the tub was slowly being filled with water. Sylvia removed Steven’s diaper and wiped him down, just in case. Although the water level wasn’t quite high enough yet, he got in the tub anyway.

“Ahhhhhhhhh...” The warmth of the water was yet another thing he had never felt before, and deeply enjoyed.

“Don’t fall asleep now!” Sylvia teased.

“I won’t!”

Bath-time lasted for only a few minutes, but it was incredibly calming and renewing while it lasted. Feeling the soap gently wash the dirt off of him, and smelling the sweet aroma of that soap, made it even harder to stay awake.

“Wow...I feel so clean now!” Steven said as he was dried off.

“I’m surprised you weren’t dirtier, being out there for years,” Sylvia spoke.

“The rain washed it away.”

“It’s way too cold, though. I’m lucky you didn’t get sick!”

“Me too!”

Steven was powdered and diapered; he yawned as he remained on the floor, unwilling to get up.

“Sleepy so soon?” Sylvia said, picking him up.

“Uh-huh...but...I wanna stay awake...so I can sleep wit’ my teddy...” He struggled to keep his eyes open past the halfway point.

“Then maybe I shouldn’t keep you in my arms!” she teased.

“No! I wanna hug you, Mommy!”

Steven tightened his grip on Sylvia, nuzzling his head against her chest.

“Awwww...” She softly patted his head.

“Heh heh...I’m glad I met you, Mommy...”

“I’m glad I met you too, sweetie...”

They gazed into the bathroom mirror, and they froze. Sylvia held Steven in her arms, and seeing their reflections smiling back at them, they realized how well they fit together. Their brown hair and blue eyes (or eye, in Steven’s case) played a big part in their appearance as mother and son.

“We...look like a family,” Steven noted, pointing at the mirror.

“Yeah. That’s ‘cause we are one!”

“Heh heh...ha ha ha ha ha!”

The two laughed, happy as can be, as Sylvia brought Steven to the living room couch. He sat in his mother’s lap, continuing to watch cartoons. Her arms, which crossed each other in front of him, served as a comforting shield of sorts. As long as this shield was up, he wouldn’t have to be afraid or sad. All he would feel is happiness and calm, a sense of everything being good in his little world. There was little more that could be done to improve this situation.

“Mommy...when’s my teddy bear gonna be done?” Steven asked, looking even more tired than before.

“The teddy should be clean by now, but it needs to dry too, Steven,” Sylvia answered. “But I think your shirt’s dry as well...”

Steven continued to sit on the couch, while his mom went to fetch his shirt. It took just about everything in him to not lie down and fall asleep, which was rapidly becoming impossible to resist. Just before he was about to give in, she had returned.

“Here you go! All fresh and clean!” Sylvia slid the blue shirt onto him.

“Uuuuuuuuuhhhhhh...”

The shirt was warm, and the scent of the dryer was strong; this proved to be the final straw. Steven lay on the couch, eyes closed.

“I think it’s bedtime...”

“T...Teddy...” he mumbled, as he was carried to the guest bedroom.

“You’ll get him back in the morning, I promise.”

Sylvia’s smile was blurry and barely visible, thanks to his monumentally heavy eyes. Steven barely cracked a smile of his own.

“Mmmm...Mmmmoooommmmmyyyy...”

“Hmm?”

“...I...lllllovvve yoooouuu...”

Sylvia sighed, her smile widening as she laid him down in bed and pulled the covers over him.

“I love you too...son. Sweet dreams...”

She planted a gentle kiss on Steven’s forehead, and his smile widened in turn. Within seconds, he had fallen into a peaceful slumber.

‘You’re so much happier here...you’ll never have to worry about being alone ever again. I’ll take care of you, as if you were my own. I promise.’

Sylvia lingered for several seconds. Seeing Steven like this, her heart swelled with sentiment and love. She knew then, at that very moment, that she had made the right choice; who knows what would happen to the poor boy, if he had to leave? This home was perfect for him, and the two of them knew that.

Once the teddy bear was dry, Sylvia quietly reentered the room, resting it next to Steven. The smiling bear was undoubtedly his biggest security blanket, something he never went to bed without. However, being in a warm home, eating a good meal, and resting in a comfortable bed were all new experiences to the boy. They worked as a decent substitute for his plush companion, but it was no permanent replacement. She couldn’t wait to see the look on his face in the morning, when he was finally reunited with it.

That morning would be the start of their first day as mother as son.