"Good morning, love." Callum let out a gentle smile when I fluttered my eyes open. He was on his side, gently stroking Arthur's hair as he cuddled against Callum's broad chest and my arms were around his waist.
I let out a lazy smile and he leaned forward to give me a quick kiss on the lips. Our gaze both lowered on the precious thing right between us. He was still sound asleep, looking like the angel he was. Everything still felt surreal to me. I couldn't believe he was beside me, my arm wrapped around his tiny waist. Never in my wildest dream had I thought this would ever happen.
I never gave him a chance. From the moment I found out that there was a life growing inside me, I wanted to get rid of it. Wala pa sya sa mundo I already rejected him. I hadn't realized that he was as much a victim as I was. If Mama and Dad didn't intervene I would've had him aborted. Wala sana sya dito sa tabi ko ngayon. I took a mental note to call them later and thank them for convincing me to keep Arthur.
Because now after a long time, I was finally at peace with myself. Arthur redeemed what they tried to destroy inside me. He was the flower that grew from the cracks in my heart. I knew at this moment that this gift, rare and beautiful, was given to me with a purpose. He had no part in any of the ugliness that surrounded his conception. He was the reward I got from all the pain I went through.
"Thanks for opening your heart to him. I know it won't take long for him to warm up to you again." Callum softly said.
"Callum, am I a bad mother for abandoning him? Am I a bad person?" My voice trembled as I spoke, my eyes still fixed on Arthur.
He shook his head. "I don't want you to ever think that. You did what you thought was right for you and it's okay. You thought Arthur would make everything more real for you, more painful. But he was the beauty that came out of it. He's your battle scar, Audrey. He's yours and yours alone."
I buried my face into his hair and inhaled his scent. He smelled of baby shampoo and innocence. Callum was right. Arthur was mine. He was my baby. Just mine.
"I can't take back the time we didn't have together. I didn't even have the chance to be a mother to him. Hindi ko alam kung paano ako makakabawi sa kanya." I quietly said, my tears starting to sting the corners of my eyes.
"We have two weeks with Arthur. You can't take time back but it's not too late. This is your chance to be a mother to him. Hindi man n'ya malaman na ikaw ang ina n'ya, at least just make him feel your love for him. We can be a family for two weeks." He said with hopeful pair of eyes.
"You think he would finally like me?" I asked.
"He'll love you..." Callum gave me a warm smile.
"Oh, Cal, I can't ask for a better husband. You've always been so supported from the very start. Sometimes I feel like I don't deserve you."
His dark eyes turned into somber hue, he lifted his hand up to gently touch my face. "Don't say that. You and Arthur are the best thing that ever happened to me. I, too, am damaged. I know how you feel. But I also want you to know that you deserve every good thing that ever happened and will ever happen to you. I need you as much as you need me, Audrey. We'd be lying to ourselves if we say we don't need each other, if we don't need love to heal. We need someone to ease our sufferings and I found that someone in you. I've never felt a love as gentle and soothing as yours that it makes my fears, pains, and anger melt. You and Arthur have shown me a more beautiful part of life. You made my entire being feel like I've reached home. I don't ever want you to think that you don't deserve this because that's not true at all."
I took the hand that cupped my face to my lips and kissed it. I thank God for giving Callum to me. What we had was so intimate and raw. He's help me heal the wounds in my heart. Without him, I wouldn't be laying next to Arthur like this. For so long, I've been trying to cover the wounds but all it did was ooze out and blead through the bandages I'd put and it continued to stain my life. He was the one who gave me the courage and strength to stick my hand inside the wound and pull the core of the pain that held me back from my son. With them beside me, I found my solace.
