He swallowed but didn’t smile.
“Hi, Mom.”
A sob caught in my throat.
Six years.
I had imagined this moment every single day. I had dreamed about seeing him at the grocery store, at church, even walking down the sidewalk. Sometimes I imagined him older. Sometimes I imagined him looking exactly as he had the night he disappeared.
But never like this.
I rushed toward him with my arms open.
“My baby…”
“Stop,” he said.
His voice wasn’t angry.
It was tired. He lifted one hand, keeping a careful distance between us.
“I want him to tell you the truth right now.”
I froze.
“What?”
Andrew looked past me into the house.
“Where’s Marcus?”
The warmth that had flooded my chest disappeared as quickly as it had come.
“He’s out walking.”
