Miriam knocked on the door before she entered Room 333. Thomas was sitting in a chair next to the bed wearing a navy-blue bathrobe.
“Come in Miriam. I saw your name on the visitor’s list. It’s good to see you again. I miss you at our sessions.”
“Not as much as I miss being there.” She leaned down and kissed Thomas on the cheek before sitting down on the chair next to his.
“How are you doing today?”
“Really great. I walked several hundred feet on my own this morning. Wendy says I’m ahead of schedule, but I still have a bunch of leg muscles to tone up. I can’t tell you how great it felt to push that wheelchair aside and say goodbye to those parallel bars.”
“I’ll bet. I’m so happy for you.” She reached over and patted his arm. “I have a special reason to visit with you today. I’m a little nervous about it, so if I’m acting a little strange, I hope you will understand.”
Thomas looked concerned. He had never seen Miriam so serious. “What’s wrong? What’s troubling you?”
“I don’t know any other way to do this, so I’ll just come right out with it. Thomas, I’m your mother.” She said no more; simply looked at him and waited to see how he would react.
“What did you say?”
“I’m said that you are the son I had to give up when you were first born. I came here to find you, and this is where I landed up.”
His mind raced as he attempted to make sense out of what he had just heard. He closed his eyes and choked back words that he wanted to say. His balance gave in to the shock and he had to reach down to the chair seat to keep from toppling over. Finally, he looked up at her and reached out to hug her; holding her as close as their positions would allow. He continued to hold her as he said, “I always wondered what you would be like.”
Tears were pouring down her cheeks. She pulled back and looked him in the eyes. “Thomas, I never set out to give you up, but it was the best thing I could do for you; providing you with a chance to grow up with a nice family. I’m not excusing myself, but when your father died overseas, before we could get married, and then you came along, I had to make decisions about what would be best for you. Things were different twenty-three years ago for unwed mothers. Keeping you would have meant not being able to give you a decent life with two parents and all the things that a growing boy needs. So, I gave you up without ever getting to hold you in my arms or feel your face against mine. I only saw you for a minute or two. You were so beautiful.” Her lips fell silent as she searched his eyes for some sign as to how he was receiving this life-changing disclosure.
“Somehow, I knew that someday we would meet. I wondered if you find me or if I would have to do my own search. I’m totally at a loss for words…Mom. This is so overwhelming. Why didn’t you say something before now?”
“I wanted to, but I was concerned that if I did, it might set you back. I couldn’t risk that happening. Everyone thought that it would be better if you had a chance to get to know me first. I just lucked out that I had the Sports Medicine skills to be a part of your rehab. I had to promise them that I would wait until the doctors felt that you were of the right frame of mind to be receptive to the news.
“So, everyone knew but me. Wow. I thought my folks and Louise acted strangely at times, but I never would have guessed that this was the reason. This sure isn’t what I expected today’s visit to be like.” He hesitated a moment and said, “To think that you came along at the time in my life when I needed you the most. That’s so serendipitous.
Looking into her eyes, he said, “I love you, Mom. I have from the first time that Emily and Walter told me about how I came to live with them. There’s been a special part in my heart since then reserved for you, which will be there until the day I die.” “I’m so relieved that you can forgive me.”
“Forgive you? What are you talking about? I have nothing to forgive you for. I know that you would never intentionally hurt me. I can’t imagine what it’s been like for you.”
“My son, I love you. I want to be a part of your life from now on if you’ll allow it.”
“Of course I want you in my life. Now that
I’ve found you, I don’t ever want to lose you again”
Holding each other, the mother and son reunion continued for the balance of the visiting time.
Finally, Thomas said, “I hate for you to leave, but the strictest rule they have around here is that visiting hours are non-negotiable.”
“I’ll be back as soon as I can, Thomas. Wild horses couldn’t keep me away from you now that we’re reunited.” They kissed and hugged again as the nurse came in to escort Miriam from the room.
“Goodnight, Thomas.”
“Goodnight, Mom.”
Now wasn’t that worth waiting for?
Let’s see how the rest of the story goes.