A Flame From The Past

58: Selfish Love Pt.2

I left the school as quick as I could, with Ray trailing behind me. "Where are we going?" He asked me and I looked behind at him, lost as his friends left school and so did he, which never happened.

"I wanted to talk to you about something". I asked him, as we piled my things in the car and he got to the back of the car as I looked back at him.

"There's a family in Illinois, they um- want you to be a part of theirs". I choked out as I watched for his eyes, and they buzzed madly.

"I don't want to. I thought I could stay forever". He said, his voice sincere, covered in worry and pain. I moved to the back, my hand cupped in his. "You won't have to, it's okay". I said, hugging him.

"They have money, they can give you opportunities I can't". I told him, but he shook his head as he buried his head in my arms.

"I don't care". He said, angrily.

"I know I've never said it before but I see you as my-". He began saying and I knew what he was going to say.

"You don't have to say it if you don't want to and you'll never have to say it if you're not comfortable with it". I said, trying to comfort him as he nodded his head.

"I want you to hear it. I see you like a mom and I can't and I don't want to imagine life away from you or life without you". He said, his voice becoming broken.

"I know bub, and you won't have to. I promise". I told him, hoping I could keep it.

"Are you sure". He asked.

"I'm sure". I promised, then and there.

"How would you feel if I wanted to adopt you?" I asked him and his smile widened, he hugged me like never before, planting a kiss on my cheek.

"I would love it". He said, as my outcome changed and I knew I would do everything and anything to make him a permanent member of my family.

"Good. Good". I said, hugging him as I adjusted to the predicament of this life.

I moved back to the front seat and started up the car. The quietness shook us up, until Ray noticed we were on the highway and he finally asked where we were going.

"We're going to see my mother". I said, something I thought I would never say to him or even me at least. I had sworn to stay away from her. She was a menace, but at this point I needed help and there was a saying that if you needed help return home. And that's what I was doing, returning to my mother asking her for help.

"Your mother?" He asked, this had been around the second time he had heard of her. He knew we had a bad relationship.

"Why?" He asked.

"I need to speak to her about something". I told him and he sunk back into his chair as he saw the large hospital towering over us. "This is the hospital you stayed at". He pointed out as I parked in a spot and opened the car door for him.

"How come she didn't see you when you were in the hospital?" Ray asked, his voice sounding naive as he asked. He was innocent to the inner workings of my mother, and I'd like it to stay that way. I really should not have brought him here.

"She must've been very busy. She's a doctor". I said, trying to give off a positive outlook on life with bad people.

"Oh". He said. I think he knew why she wouldn't really visit me. She wasn't busy. She just didn't want to.

I went to the front desk as a man asked how he could help us. "I'm looking for Dr. Sorrento". I said, as he typed in the name and he pointed us up the hall and a couple of stories up.