Usual disclaimer. Everyone engaging in sex is over 18, with reference to a historic teenage pregnancy.
This is a fictional story. Any characters or organisations resembling any real life entities is purely coincidental.
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It had been 2 months since Max received that life changing letter. He could still hardly believe that after 22 years, he was to be reunited with his biological mother. The letter was from a well-known TV show, who's remit Was to reunite families who were estranged from each other since birth.
The well-known female presenter had arrived at his home, after he had replied to their letter that told him they had some news that they wished to discuss with him, as he had applied to them for help in finding his biological Mum. Now, the dark haired, glamorous leading lady sat in the living room of the house that he had shared with his adopted parents, before they had both succumb to Covid two years previously.
The TV star went on to explain that his mother had had a terrible start in life and by the time she was 20 years old, she was a widow. Upon falling pregnant at 14 she had been sent away to live with relatives in another part of town until she gave birth. Upon giving birth, the baby was promptly taken from her and given up for adoption.
The show's presenter went on to explain that his mother, Emily, hadn't even been allowed to feed him, bathe him, or even hold him, and that she was pretty much whisked back home to carry on her normal life. She was also forced to change school, the family moved to another town and she would not see the father of the child again, until after her 18th birthday.
She was 18 years and one day old when she plucked up the courage to knock on his front door, and immediately she and Jamie fell in love all over again. Still in her 19th year, she gave birth to a little girl called Victoria, And for another 8 months, everything was perfect.
Then that fateful day occurred, when Jamie was driving home from the nursery to collect Emily from work, and due to a momentary lapse of concentration, Jamie had driven out in front of a truck. Jamie was dead, as was their daughter, and Emily went to pieces.
She had been disowned by her parents the day she left at 18, but now found herself having to crawl back to them, living by their rules until she could get herself together, and back on her feet. She went on to put herself through law school, with money an old aunt had left her in her will, and had a successful career as a barrister and also made quite a bit of money with property ventures as a side line. By 30 years of age, she had been successful but disillusioned with her career, so she sold up all her property, and upon finding a new one in the middle of a rainforest in Belize, she went off grid.
This was a lot to take in for Max, and the lady from the television held his hand as he silently sobbed at the thought of his mother struggling for all those years. He also had immense pride in the fact that she now was so at peace.
He asked her if he could see a picture of her and was presented with a picture and letter, which he read first. It told of her regret in not holding onto him, but that she had always taken comfort in the fact that he was so loved and looked after by loving, adopted parents, who could give him the all round support that she could not.
Then he looked at the picture, and immediately his heart swelled as the dirty-fair haired lady with the cat like green eyes that he recognised, looked out of the photograph at him. They were his eyes and she had his nose too. He looked up at the female TV presenter and said, "My God, it's me," as she warmly, nodded her head and agreement.
Now, four weeks later and here he was, at a hotel in London, about to meet his mother. As the Raven haired TV presenter gave him some final words of encouragement, she hugged him and told him, "Don't keep Mum waiting."
Meanwhile, sat in the restaurant of the hotel was Emily, 36 years old and feeling like she was on a first date. Nervous, with so many butterflies in her stomach that she thought she might cough one up at any time. Thoughts of, 'Will he hate me for abandoning him? Is it too late to form some sort of bond?."
Max stood outside the door with his wife Amanda, breathing heavily and feeling like he was limbering up not to open the door, but to push a boulder up a mountain. Having gathered his thoughts and used his breathing exercises to control his racing heart, he squeezed and turned the doorknob, and pushed the door.
As the door cracked open, he stepped inside and there she was. She stood, her short, fair hair sat perfectly in place above her moderately made up face. The estranged pair closed the gap to each other and, as they got within arms reach to each other, they pulled each other into an ever tightening embrace.
Both now sobbing, Emily repeated over and over, "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," as 22 years of emotions poured out.
Max, realising that they were both shedding tears over each other, breathed into the approximately 5ft 5 tall woman's ear, "What on earth are you sorry for?"
"I'm so sorry, I should've fought for you, I've missed you so much," she cried, as they broke off their hug, sat down opposite each other as Max clung onto her hand as if never wanting to let go ever again.
"Please, please stop saying sorry, you did the only thing you could. You know they told me all about you and, trust me, I've had a wonderful adoption. Please leave any guilt you have right here today."
He reached her the box of tissues that was sitting between them and she took one, wiping the corners of both eyes as they both composed themselves and started to chat. Emily explained at length what he already knew about her past. She told him about his father passing away, just as they had begun their search for him, their long lost son. After his passing, Emily realised that she could never give him the stable upbringing that his new parents had established for him.
Max asked her if she had ever written, or tried to make contact But she shook her head, saying that she didn't want to cause any trouble or any confusion for him, as Max successfully negotiated his way through life.
"Did you ever re-marry?" Max asked his mother, holding her hands with his across the table.
Emily nervously felt her hands getting sweaty, pulled them away and set them on the table and said, "No. But I do have a partner called Ethan, who lives with me in my simple existence."
Then, the production crew wanted a shot of Amanda, meeting her mother in-law for the first time and all too soon it was time to leave, but as they hugged, they both agreed that this would not be goodbye.
***
Life went back to normal. Max worked long hours as an engineer for an electric company, but Emily and he made the time to chat almost every day, usually by FaceTime Evidently her "Shack," was reasonably high tech as she had access to the Internet, and a mobile phone. Her eyes were enchanting, and she had allowed her hair to grow out until it was almost at her shoulders.
Emily loved seeing her son's face too, although she wanted nothing more than to see him in person again, and give him a big squeeze. Soon, they had agreed to spend a week all together, with Amanda booking time off too, to fly out to see her.
