“Do you really like me? Will you always love me?”
“Of course!” Elissa hugged him even closer, crying as she reassured him, “I love you more than anything in the world, Locke! There’s nothing I love more!”
“Do you promise?”
“I promise, everything I say is true.”
Locke and Elissa clung to each other, both of them crying their hearts out. Ernest watched them, a faint smile touching his lips. He felt certain he’d made the right choice.
At last, Elissa had something worth holding on to.
“Mom, don’t cry…” Locke sobbed. He reached up with both hands and clumsily wiped Elissa’s cheeks. Then, in a sweet and slightly hoarse voice, he added, “I love you the most, too!”
“I know!” Elissa nodded while choking back tears. She tried to hold herself together. But the more she tried, the harder it got. She had missed every chance to care for him since the day he was born. Now, here he was, telling her how much he loved her. Her heart gave way, and the tears just kept coming.
“Mom…” Locke, seeing that Elissa’s distress seemed to deepen, furrowed his brow tightly. “Are you sick? Do you feel unwell?”
Suddenly, his body stiffened. Then, he tilted his head up, eyes wide and full of fear. The next second, he broke into loud sobs.
“Locke?” Elissa leaned forward, alarmed. “What’s the matter, sweetheart?”
“This is a hospital!” he cried out, trembling all over. “You’re sick! I don’t want you to be sick, Mom!”
His concern for Elissa was apparent. Elissa’s eyes stung all over again. She stroked his back gently and assured him, “Locke, don’t cry. I’m fine now. Everything’s okay.”
“Really?” Locke blinked up at her, eyes still wet. “Mom, don’t lie to me.” He glanced at Ernest and continued, “Dad said you were really sick before. He said you forgot about me…”
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Then, he buried his face in her neck and clung tighter. “If you’re sick, you need a doctor. If not, it gets worse… and you might forget me again…”
The more Locke thought about it, the more terrified he became. He pressed into her like he was afraid she’d disappear.
“Locke!” Elissa, feeling both heartache and guilt, wrapped her arms around him while fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry… Don’t be scared, sweetheart. I’m better now, and I will never forget you again!”
“Really?”
“Absolutely!”
Locke raised his small hand and held up his pinky. “I want a pinky promise!”
“Okay!” Elissa nodded and hooked her pinky around his.
“Pinky promise! You can’t lie to me, okay?” Locke looked at her with all the seriousness his little face could hold.
“Yes. I won’t lie to you,” Elissa promised, steadying her voice as best she could.
“Mom!” The promise hung in the air like a shield. They held each other close, and their tears slowly dried.
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