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He looks uncomfortable at my question, “I took the bus. Alone.”
“I wouldn’t think you could travel alone. I thought you had to be thirteen—“
He sighs, “Nah. You have to be twelve, but I’m tall for my age. They believed me.” He shrugs.
Ten and taking a bus alone, I think to myself; a wave of surprise and concern washes over me. This kid’s got guts, that’s for sure. I run my eyes over him again, checking him out. He is indeed tall for his age if he’s only ten. But then, so was I when I was his age.
I glance at my watch. It’s eleven thirty. “I think we should call your mother.”
He gives me a stubborn look, but I can see a glint of worry behind his eyes. “I will. But I… um… I wanted to see you. Talk to you first.”
I nod. I can tell the boy is not done, so I don’t try to rush him.
“Did you know about me?” As he asks the question, his chin comes up, and I can tell he’s trying to act like it doesn’t matter, but I see the look of vulnerability in his eyes.
So, I tell him the truth. “No. If you are my son…” I take a deep breath. I’m only learning about it now from you.”
That appears to satisfy him, and he gives a quick nod.
“If your mother thinks you’re at school. When will she be expecting you? I don’t want her to worry.”
He suddenly frowns, and I can tell the thought of his mother worrying about him bothers him; he tries to cover it up with a shrug.
“The school bus drops off at three thirty.”
“I think we need to call her,” I state more firmly. I wait as he thinks it over.
“Alright,” he agrees with a bit of reluctance. With his phone in his hand, he just sits there looking down at it.
I stand and walk over to him. “Do you want me to call her?”
“Yeah, would you?” He hands over his phone willingly with a relieved twist of his lips.
I take the phone, and in his favorites, I see ‘Mom.’ Before I make the call, I look down at him. “What’s your name?”
“Connor.” And then, in a move that surprises me, I reach down and place my hand reassuringly on his shoulder.
Two
Anna
I look around the rental with a grimace. There are moving boxes piled high. I give a heartfelt sigh. I was hoping to be further along in the unpacking by now, but my heart isn’t in it. We’ve had so many problems with this move.
When my cell phone rings, it takes me a few minutes to locate it among all the boxes and packing material strewn across the room. I grab it up once I find it on the floor beside an open box.
I see it’s Connor, “Hey, Connor. What’s up?”
“Anna, it’s Carson Knight.” My heart drops, and I reach out a hand to steady myself. “Your son showed up here at Knight Security a little while ago. He claims I’m his father, and he has a DNA report with him.”
I sink weakly onto the floor because the new chairs haven’t arrived yet, and my legs won’t support me.
“I… Carson, Is he okay?”
“Yes, he’s fine. He came by bus.”
“Where? Um— you’re in Jacksonville, Florida?”
“Yes.”
