H.U.R.T
Mom

Lexi's in the room. Fifteen minutes ago, Steve just left. The man left without saying a word and here was Lexi, in her room with apprehension attacking her. His hand held the phone tightly. He lied about opening the video. Only, he could see if the man who turned his back on the camera was the man's back.

Lexi recognized Steve's back despite only seeing him a few times. Knowing that the video was about Steve, Lexi dared not turn it around, afraid to hurt her because she realized that Steve had managed to touch the niche of her heart. Lexi did not want to look for disease by watching videos just because of her curiosity. His heart condition should be taken care of. Who else would keep the peace of heart, if not oneself.

Lexi nodded her head, as if she had gotten a decision in her silence earlier. His fingers turned on the phone and smoothly immediately deleted the video.

"Curiosity will not kill me. After all, my holy eyes don't want to be contaminated." He threw his cell phone into the bed and laid his body there. His gaze looked far away. Steve's attitude always made him wonder. After the love statement on the toilet, now the man shows his jealousy which makes Lexi afraid also happy. It sounded silly indeed, but somehow he could feel the fear emanating in the man's bead.

Lexi felt that the reaction the man showed was a real feeling, not a trick to trick or scare her. Or Steve who is too good at role-playing. Then why did the man just leave without saying a single word. Everything about Steve, always leaves a question in his mind.

Lexi pulled her shirt, smelling the scent of Steve left there. His heart trembled and his blood rippled violently. Lexi could even feel her stomach twisting, as if Steve was still clutching her tightly. The sensation still feels real making Lexi's body burn.

"He's a cheap wedge rat, Lexi! Stop thinking about it!" He gave orders to himself. A vain order, because the shadow of Steve's angry face was very charming in his opinion.

"Crazy! This is totally insane!" Lexi kicked the air and rolled around on the bed. "He hypnotized me! You, arrogant man sucks!"

___

"Mom, man,"

Daphne jerks. He knows this voice. Although it sounded more hoarse and heavy, he still recognized who the owner of this voice was. His only son whom he had considered dead for almost 13 years. Despite hearing from her husband that their son was still alive, she still felt his body tremble, his heart beating uncontrollably when he heard Steven's voice which he believed was now standing behind him. It was like he wanted to quickly turn around, but suddenly Daphne felt his body freeze. He had no power to turn his head.

Her husband rubbed the back of her hand, giving her support.

"Mom."

Uh! How much Daphne misses this call. It's hard to believe that this heartwarming story actually happened in their lives.

The touch on both his shoulders made him flinch. Holy hooch! Daphne could sense that her son was not a teenager who had thin, underpowered hands. Daphne felt a warmth radiating throughout her body as her son's sturdy hands gently massaged her shoulders. In the past, Steve often did it after Daphne came home to help her husband to harvest wine belonging to the Trey family.

"I miss you."

His heart grimaced hearing the cry of the son. Yes, their longing means nothing compared to the longing that their son harbors. Daphne and her husband had accepted sincerely that their son was dead. But unlike Steve, he misses but must refrain from meeting.

The kiss on Daphne's head made the woman's defense collapse, she stood up and turned around. How surprised he saw the figure of Steven who stood towering. Where was his skinny son and the thick glasses that usually perched on Steve's nose? Where are sunken eyes that are bruised because of lack of food and sleep? No messy hair, no old t-shirts that start to sag.

The figure before him was so different, but he knew that the one before him was indeed his son. The boy she gave birth to from her womb decades ago.

There were many things Daphne wanted to say, but none of them could reveal. His tongue was suddenly twisted and every word he wanted to throw was stuck in his throat.

Both of his hands were stretched out in a trembling state. Touching both of Steven's cheeks, down to the shoulders so wide and then to the arm muscles so sturdy and last, Daphne clasped such a big hand in her grasp.

Daphne stared in amazement at her son's hand, tucked away with sadness in it. How did Steve live all this time? Finally, he and Lexi see Steve in prison. The figure of his son was not like a pitiful dragonfly.

"You're growing up well and right," there's so much guilt. Why are they so foolish as to believe that their son was indeed burned to death.

"Yes. I grew up well, Mom." But not true, he said in his heart.

"When are you gonna look at me without hugging me, Mom?"

Daphne flinched, and she looked up and saw her son smiling at her.

"I miss you, Mom. Miss you so much. Resolve your shock and embrace me immediately."

Daphne nodded quickly as she dropped herself into Steve's arms. The crying broke again. Happiness enveloped his heart, but there was a shred of sadness tucked in it. How much suffering has her son been through all this time? He did not dare to question it.

"This is really you, Steve? Really my son?"

"I'll get hurt if you don't recognize me, Mom."

"You're so different."

"I'm still the same. It's the old Steven, Mom. Your son, your favorite son."

Daphne nodded her head in her son's arms. "You're growing up really well. Very handsome."

"I inherited it from you and your husband."

"You're also smarter at word play and talk a lot."

"That's because I miss you too much, Mom."

"Where have you been all this time?"

"Spain. The food has come. Come sit down."

Thank you to the waitress who arrived on time. Steve doesn't know what to answer if his mother starts asking what he's been doing in Spain. No child wants to tell his bad to his mother, right?

Steve loosened his arms, his hands rubbed his mother's tears and he returned to give a warm kiss on his mother's forehead. "Sit down" she asked, pulling a chair for her mother. Then he sat down next to his mother.

"Lexi always visited the tomb which she thought was your final resting place. When did you meet him and tell him you were alive, son?"