PART 3
The first morning Maria woke up in Grant's home, she instinctively folded the blue blanket and placed it back inside her old suitcase.
Thirty-eight years of living with almost nothing had taught her one lesson.
Never unpack.
Not completely.
Because life had a way of asking you to leave again.
She quietly closed the suitcase before anyone else woke up.
A few minutes later she heard tiny footsteps.
Sophie stood in the doorway wearing slippers, one hand resting beneath her pregnant belly.
"Good morning."
Maria smiled nervously.
"Did I wake you?"
"No."
Sophie noticed the closed suitcase immediately.
"You packed."
Maria looked embarrassed.
"I didn't want to make myself comfortable."
Sophie walked over slowly.
Without saying a word...
She pulled the suitcase away from the bed.
Then she opened the bedroom closet.
Inside hung brand-new dresses, sweaters, shoes, and a winter coat.
All carefully arranged.
Maria stared in confusion.
"What is this?"
Sophie smiled through tears.
"Your son went shopping yesterday."
Maria looked at the clothes as though they belonged to someone else.
"I don't need these."
A familiar voice answered from the hallway.
"I know."
Grant stood there holding two coffee mugs.
"But I need to buy them."
His voice shook.
"I've missed thirty-eight birthdays."
Maria couldn't speak.
"I can't buy those back."
He swallowed hard.
"But maybe..."
"...I can start with a sweater."
Maria covered her mouth.
For the second time in less than twenty-four hours...
Her son wrapped his arms around her.
Only this time...
There were no cameras.
No reporters.
May you like
No rain.
Just a mother and her son trying to learn how to hug after losing nearly four decades.
