The Boy Who Would Not Let Go
Chapter 06 - The Boy Who Would Not Let Go
Theo’s crying stopped when Julian picked up the first letter.
Not because the pain ended. Because curiosity interrupted it.
Children recover attention faster than adults recover dignity. Theo watched Julian’s hands tremble as he opened the envelope. Marissa tried to stop him.
“Not here.”
Julian looked at her. “I have already lost eight years to not reading these.”
He unfolded the page.
The writing was blurred by age in places, but he did not need to read every line aloud. His face told the room enough.
Julian,
I don’t believe the message came from you. I am seven weeks pregnant. I am frightened, but I am not asking for money. I am asking whether the man I loved still exists when his family is not watching.
Julian lowered the letter.
Theo took one small step forward.
“Did you know about me?”
Julian’s voice broke. “I knew your mother was pregnant. I was told… I was told you were gone.”
Theo looked at Marissa for translation.
She crouched beside him. “He thought you died before you were born.”
Theo processed this with a child’s painful literalness.
“So he didn’t leave me?”
Marissa looked at Julian.
The answer was not clean. He had believed lies too easily. He had not gone looking hard enough. He had allowed grief to become certainty because certainty hurt less than doubt.
“He didn’t know where you were,” she said.
Julian closed his eyes.
Theo turned back to him.
Then, without warning, he wrapped both arms around Julian’s neck.
The movement knocked Julian off balance. He dropped to one knee and held the boy instinctively.
Theo cried against his shoulder.
Julian’s arms tightened.
Marissa knelt beside them because Theo reached for her too. For a moment, the three of them formed an awkward circle on the marble floor beneath the chandeliers.
Celeste stood behind them in red.
The crowd watched.
Julian did not care.
May you like
His son was crying in his arms.
And for the first time, he understood exactly what had been stolen.
