A Special Kind of Perfect

CHAPTER 26

"Good evening, how can I help you?" Peyton gave a friendly, encouraging smile to the man standing in the doorway. He was in his early thirties and had a tired, defeated look in his hazel eyes. "Are you alright? Please, come inside. We just..."

"I'm Tobias Hunter, and I would like to talk to my father, Steven. Does he still live here?" The man dropped his gaze as sadness and defeat mixed in his voice. "I'm not here to stir trouble. All I want is to..."

"Sure, come inside. I should have figured it from the start. You're Dad's spitting image as I know it from the old family photos. I'm Peyton, very happy to finally meet you." The same smile on his face, they extended the hand.

"I'm happy Dad has a son who makes him proud and lives to his expectations because I was a major disappointment." There was no trace of malice in the man's voice, only the immense sadness and defeat from earlier.

Peyton guided him in the living room, ignoring his comment. "Folks, say hello to Tobias, who wants to join us to dinner. This handsome guy here is Ezra, the best husband in the universe, and these three are..."

"Sweet, little angels sent from heaven to brighten your life. Look at these adorable, smiling faces and magnificent eyes! Hello, cuties, I'm so happy to meet you!" The expression on Tobias's face as he went to the toddlers' high chairs, crouching between them, was strange, a mix of joy and sadness.

"Indeed, these two and their older brother here are the greatest present life gave us. They mean the world to us. Alexis and Selma are two little celebrities always in search of new adorers, and I think you've already fallen under their spell." Steven spoke with a shaky, thick voice, still not sure how to react in the presence of his estranged son.

"I screwed up a lot in my life, defying and disrespecting you, Aunt Imelda and even Mom. I turned my back on you, who were my family, because I wanted a life of luxury with lavish, endless parties, cruises, fast cars and imposing mansions. I've had everything I could have wished for, and more, but the forces governing the universe decided to punish my defiance by taking away what I treasured the most: my husband and our children."

Falling on his knees, Tobias covered his eyes with both hands and let the tears flow freely for the first time in the six months since his husband and dominant died in a car accident. The couple's three children were also in the car, the younger ones also losing their lives. The surviving one, a five-year-old boy, sustained severe brain injuries, but none of the vital organs were damaged.

All the doctors who evaluated the child told the grieving father to disconnect him from life support, but Tobias couldn't give up. He noticed the little boy reacted to his touch and even recognized his voice, smiling every time he talked to him. In a last, desperate effort of saving his son's life, the man emailed his medical record to the Van der Meerwe Institute, asking if was there any hope for the little boy.

Tobias spent the next few days praying for a positive answer like he never prayed in his whole life. When it arrived, he considered it a sign that he needed to make peace with his past, by asking his parents and aunt to forgive his disrespectful, reckless behaviour. The man went to his mother first, but she slammed the door in his face when he mentioned being married to a man.

Ending his confession, Tobias raised his head, but instead of looking at his father and the rest of the family sitting at the table, softly gazed over the two toddlers, who studied him with great curiosity since he'd crouched down between their chairs. The man's eyes were filled with pain, yearning and a lot of affection for the two children who smiled, extending their plump little hands in his direction.

"The innocent have spoken and found you worthy of love and forgiveness. You've had your fair share of pain and learned your lesson the hard way. The irresponsible, superficial boy who stole from me and left without a word was replaced by a devoted, loving father, who left no stone unturned to cure his son. Welcome back, Tobias." Imelda left her seat and, helping her nephew to his feet, hugged him.