The woman who just walked in has the same pitch-black curly hair (tied in an elegant bun) and gray eyes like that of Robbie's. However, unlike him, she has an oval face, a soft, kind mouth, and a glowing wheatish complexion. She is quite short with a lean structure, but her presence is quite large. She has the word 'class' written in every nook and cranny of her stature. It is so profound that even some of the cafe's customers turned to look at her.
My jaw dropped on seeing Mrs. Walker. Not only is she a beauty, but she barely looks thirty. Had I not known she was Robbie's mother, I would have thought she was Robbie's sister. Mrs. Walker is such a sophisticated and classy lady that I suddenly felt under-dressed. Even in her hurried and exhausted form, she still managed to look very elegant. I was completely tongue-tied on seeing her.
Robbie got up and hugged her, chirping, in a happy tone,
"Mum, sorry to call you when you're so busy."
She patted his back with a bright smile, "Absolutely not. I can spare at least a day for you," she said, giving him a quick kiss on his cheek.
Robbie moved back and said, turning towards me, "Mom, meet Tony, my..." he hesitated to give a term to me.
I stood up feeling more anxious than before and said in an awkward hurried tone, "His partner."
Mrs. Walker smiled at me warmly and said gently, forwarding her hand, "I am so glad to meet you, son. Robbie talks a lot about you."
I took her hand, still feeling very nervous, as I said with a panicked laugh, "I-I see. He told me about you too."
"Did he now?" she giggled as she let go of my hand and turned to Twen, who was hiding behind me, grabbing onto my shirt.
Robbie said, pointing his palm towards Twen with a proud smile, "And that's our son, Twen."
She tilted her head to see Twen, who in turn fidgeted with my shirt, looking down nervously, "Hello Twen," she said, bending down to his height and speaking softly.
Twen raised his head to look at her warm, kind eyes and said shyly, "He-hello."
"How are you?" she asked jovially.
"I am fine," Twen said, looking back down.
"I guess this old lady's face must be scary that's why you are not even looking at me," Mrs. Walker said in a mock sorrowful tone.
Old?!!!
She looks way too young to be the mother of a 25-year-old, let alone the grandmother of a seven-year-old.
Twen quickly looked up, taking her words seriously, and shook his head, saying earnestly, "No, aunty. I-I am.."
Mrs. Walker laughed warmly and patted his head gently, "I know, love. Sorry, this aunty is just joking. Do you like chocolates?"
Twen blinked and looked at me as if not sure whether to answer. I prodded him encouragingly. He looked back at Mrs. Walker and said politely, "I do!"
Mrs. Walker straightened up and brought out a nicely wrapped chocolate box and forwarded it to him with a dazzling smile, "Then, this is a small gift from me."
"Thank you!" Twen said as he accepted the gift, his eyes glowing.
She gave me an apologetic look and said in a sorry tone, "I hope you don't mind, dear. I couldn't resist bringing a gift for my grandson. After all, it is our first meeting."
I cannot believe she is being apologetic about such a trivial matter and seeking my approval. She is a rare combo of beauty, brains, and a kind personality. I quickly shook my head and said with a smile,
"No, ma'am. You have every right to give him presents. He is your grandson."
Her eyes twinkled on hearing me. She patted my shoulder fondly and took a seat beside Robbie. She ordered a cappuccino and watched Twen tearing open the chocolate box and munching a bar of salted caramel chocolate. I told him not to eat everything at once, to which he agreed, giving me a chocolaty smile.
"Do you like it, dear?" Mrs. Walker asked with a broad smile.
"Yes! It's really yummy," Twen answered, chowing down another blob of chocolate.
"Is that so? I am glad. I heard from Robbie that you love to run?" Mrs. Walker asked, taking a sip of her cappuccino.
Twen stopped munching and looked at Robbie, who was pretending to not hear the conversation and sipped on his Heaven Cream Cuppa. There was a strange emotion in Twen's eyes which quickly got replaced with excitement as he looked at Mrs. Walker and said,
"Yes, I love to run. I won three medals in this year's sports event."
"Excellent! Such a talented boy!" Mrs. Walker said, sharing his excitement.
"Yes, and mommy took a lot of pictures. He also cheered me on. This was my first competition," Twen blabbered, his eyes shining with joy.
"Amazing!! How about I join your mommy in cheering you next time?" she asked, giving him a cheerful smile.
"Y-You would really come to watch my competition?" Twen asked, surprised.
"Of course! How can I not come to cheer for my little prince!" Mrs. Walker said affectionately.
"Mommy, did you hear? Aunty said she would also come next year," Twen said, looking at me with a wide grin.
I am in a little awe. Twen normally doesn't gel well with strangers this fast, but he is already so chummy with Mrs. Walker. I guess her kindness is infectious. I smiled at Twen and said, patting his head,
"Yes, I heard, and she is not aunty. She is your grandma!"
Twen's smile suddenly vanished. I got perturbed. Did I say something wrong? Is he still not prepared to accept her as his grandmother? I was looking on as Twen turned to Mrs. Walker, who too was looking at him confused and concerned. Robbie tried to look relaxed, but even his eyes looked tense. Then, Twen looked at me and said in a confused whisper,
"But-but she is so young! How is she, grandma?"
We didn't expect this reply and stared at him for a few seconds till his words finally clicked us, and we all burst out laughing. So, he was not upset or unwilling. He is simply confused as Mrs. Walker looks too young to be a grandmother. She smiled at him broadly,
"You can call me Granny Ash! Then, I wouldn't sound so old, right?" she suggested.
Twen, who was looking at all of us with confused eyes as we suddenly started laughing, turned to see Mrs. Walker when she spoke and blinked in surprise at her suggestion. He thought for a while and then said with a cute smile, "Granny Ash is cool!"
The three of us smiled. Mrs. Walker looked a little emotional but smiled through it as she looked at me.
"I have to thank you, Tony. I heard everything from Robbie. You are such a brave boy! It is all thanks to you that I met Twen today," she said, looking at me and then Twen emotionally.
I didn't know what to say. I know that I refused to abort, but that was not because I didn't have money but because I felt that an innocent soul shouldn't suffer because of an adult's mistake! Never did I think that it would lead to such a day where someone would call my step to be brave and would be glad that I made the choice that I made. I felt a little embarrassed on hearing Mrs. Walker and spoke shyly,
"You don't need to thank me, Ma'am-"
"Mom," Mrs. Walker said, interrupting me.
I looked at her bewildered, "Excuse me?" I was sure I heard her wrong.
"Call me Mom. I don't know whether in the future you will be my son-in-law or not, but through Twen, we are already a family. I am as much your mother as I am Robbie's! So, call me mom."
I stared. I forgot what I wanted to say. At Tanya's birthday dinner, I thought Tanya's envy of having two people love her was silly. Since she is young and will definitely find someone who will love her sincerely. While I felt deeply jealous of her having such loving and caring parents who never saw her omega status as a burden or abandoned her, I believed that the void left by my parents abandoning me was impossible to fill.
I suddenly felt that hole in my heart fill up when Mrs. Walker asked me to call her 'Mom'. I forgot that not all relations in this world are formed through blood. My eyes started welling up. I quickly looked down to hide my tears. I heard Mrs. Walker's tensed voice,
"Did I offend you? I apologize-"
"NO!" I said, raising my head and looking at her beautiful face with teary eyes, "I am just too overwhelmed by your words. I have not seen my parents ever since high school...."
I choked on my words.
The tensed look on Mrs. Walker's face relaxed to one of sympathy. She held my hand and said with deep, genuine care in her voice, "Tony, I don't know why your family didn't treat you well or why they left you, but from what I see and what I have heard from Robbie about you, they are the ones at loss. They lost the opportunity to be the proud parents of such a wonderful son."
I gave a bittersweet smile towards her and whispered, "I haven't done anything to warrant such kind words, Mrs. Walker. I am just your regular omega guy who is trying to live a normal life!"
She gave me an affectionate smile, "The pre-teen boy who had to endure rejection by a cruel and unjust society and even by the ones he loved and trusted the most; the young man who gave birth to a child at the age of seventeen despite all the odds; the poor man trying to provide for his kid when his own life hasn't been kind to him while working days after days! It is an extraordinary strength in an ordinary boy. I see every reason to warrant my compliment."
When she phrases it like that, it feels like an exceptional feat. I have never heard anyone praise me for all the struggles I had to go through. I stopped expecting anything from anyone ever since Robbie's rejection. Since I thought that my life would never be able to come out of the shadows, I worked hard for Twen so that, even if I don't get happiness, Twen will at least get it. I thought I would find my happiness through him. Today, I received something I never expected. I looked up at Mrs. Walker and said, giving her an emotional smile,
"Thank you, Mom."
Mrs. Walker's eyes sparkled on hearing me. She tapped my hand lovingly and looked at Robbie. Robbie looked like he was trying to be invisible. While Twen quietly swallowed his pastry. Mrs. Walker spoke to Robbie with seriousness in her voice,
"Robbie, can you leave me alone with Tony for a few minutes?"
Robbie's eyes slightly widened as he looked from his mother to me and then back at her. He nodded, got out of his seat, and called Twen to come along. Twen grabbed my shirt, not wanting to leave me alone. I smiled at him and said, caressing his soft black hair,
"Twen, granny Ash wants to have a talk with me. Be with..." I looked at Robbie, who was patiently waiting beside me, "dad for a little while."
Twen looked a little surprised at me, referring to Robbie as his dad, while Robbie's face broke into a smile, so did Mrs. Walker's. Twen eyed Robbie for a few seconds before nodding sullenly. Robbie held out his hand to Twen, who took it and walked away.
"Is there something you want to tell me...mom?" I asked once they were out of earshot.
"I am sorry," she said, looking very apologetic.
"Why are you-" I started, frowning at her sudden apology.
"Robbie's rejection must have hurt you a lot. Pregnancy was not your fault alone. I know I cannot turn back the clock, and I cannot make up for the pain you endured. All I can do is apologize for Robbie's thoughtless actions," Mrs. Walker spoke earnestly, looking sorry.
I remained quiet for a while. Indeed, Robbie's action has been very hurting, and I could never forget how poorly he treated me. However, I also know that he has gone through a lot. His actions worked as a double-edged knife. It hurt him just as much as it hurt me. I decided to frankly state what I felt about the whole situation. Sighing, I started gently,
"I agree that what Robbie did was hurtful and very painful. I spent so many years hating and cursing him for ruining my life." I saw Mrs. Walker, who looked even more sorry on hearing my words, looked down towards her hand, and shut her eyes,
"However, he also gave me the very reason to go on living, Twen!"
Mrs. Walker opened her eyes and looked at me. I smiled at her,
"I realized only two days back that I was not the only one who suffered. I hated him for years and thought I could never forgive him. But-"
Mrs. Walker shook her head, and her pretty gray eyes filled with a thin film of tear as she spoke, interrupting me,
"No, Tony. You had every right to be angry and every right to hate my son. I wouldn't ask you to forgive him either. That would be very selfish of me. I will only assure you of one thing, that he will never do it again. I know my son, and I know for a fact that he deeply regrets his actions. I also know that whatever he has done cannot be mended. However, the future can indeed be changed."
"Mom," I said, holding both her hands with mine, "I know he regrets his action, and I know that Robbie is being sincere. He really intends to make up for his wrongs. Although everything has not been resolved between us yet, I can say with all sincerity that I no longer hate Robbie."
Mrs. Walker looked at me intently before her face broke into a smile mixed with several emotions. She held my hand tightly and said with a graceful yet tearful smile,
"God has been very unfair to you, Tony. You deserve to be happy and loved! I will pray that the future will only bring happiness for you!"
"I will do my best to ensure both of their happiness, mum," Robbie said, appearing behind me with Twen in his arms, though his face is still a bit sullen. At least, he wasn't outright rejecting Robbie as he did before.
Mrs. Walker looked at us and chuckled lightly, "You three look like a family already."
I blushed and laughed along with Robbie and Mrs. Walker. Finally, we all walked out of the cafe. Mrs. Walker hugged me and said in her soft voice,
"It was great meeting you, son. Take care. If you ever have any problem, you can always come to me."
I smiled, murmuring a quick 'Yes...mom.'
She held Twen's shoulder, bending to his height, and kissed him on his cheek. She said with a wide smile,
"My little prince, do come to meet granny Ash again, okay?"
Twen nodded, throwing his arms around her neck. This is the best thing about children. They are innocent. Whoever is kind to them, they accept them wholeheartedly.
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