Runaway. / Aletyler

Testing

Tyler had been nervously awaiting the results of the paternity test for what felt like an eternity. He had reconnected with his ex-girlfriend, Lindsay, after ten long years, only to be hit with the gut-wrenching news that the son he had never known might not even be his.

As he sat in the clinic's sterile waiting room, his mind raced with a whirlwind of emotions. Guilt, regret, and longing threatened to consume him, but he fought to keep his composure. He couldn't help but think about the little boy he had left behind all those years ago. Wayne, a bright and curious child, whom he had barely known, yet loved fiercely.

While deep in thought, the door to the waiting room creaked open, startling Tyler out of his reverie. A middle-aged woman in a white lab coat called out his name, and he rose to follow her down a maze of hallways to a small, cramped office.

'Have a seat, Mr. Kenard,' the woman said kindly, gesturing to a chair across from her desk. Tyler complied, taking a deep breath as he prepared for the news that would change his life forever.

'The results of the paternity test have come in,' she began, shuffling papers as she spoke. 'Based on the DNA samples you and Ms. Top provided, it appears that you are, in fact, Wayne's biological father.'

The words hung in the air, and Tyler felt a strange mix of relief and sadness wash over him. He had always wanted a son, and now he had the chance to be a part of Wayne's life. But at the same time, he couldn't shake the guilt of having abandoned him for so long.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening, and in walked a young boy, no older than ten or eleven, with mousy brown hair and glasses perched precariously on his nose. Tyler's heart skipped a beat as he recognized the boy as Wayne, his son. The boy he had lunch with a while before.

'Hey, buddy,' Tyler said, his voice shaky.

Wayne looked up at him, his brown eyes wide and curious. 'Hi,' he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

Tyler nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. 'Hey, Wayne, I'm sorry I left you before.. I-I'll never do some shit like that again.'

Wayne shrugged, his small shoulders moving up and down. 'It's okay,' he said, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his lips. 'Mom said you were uhm.. busy being a- a fag or something like that..'

Tyler's guilt deepened as he thought about all the time he had missed with his son, all the milestones and moments he had failed to be a part of. As if sensing his thoughts, Wayne spoke up, launching into a tale of his childhood without his father.

'I remember when I was really little, Mom used to take me to the park a lot,' Wayne said, his voice growing more animated. 'We'd feed the ducks and ride the swings, and sometimes she'd push me so high that I felt like I could touch the clouds.'

He paused, his eyes glazing over with the memory. 'But as I got older, she got busier with work and stuff. She'd come home late, sometimes not at all. And I'd just sit there, waiting for her, feeling so lonely.'

Tyler's heart ached as he listened to his son's words. He wanted to reach out, to hug him and tell him how sorry he was for not being there. But he knew that words would never be enough.

'I'm so sorry, Wayne,' Tyler said, his voice thick with emotion. 'I should have been there for you. I should have been a better dad.'

Wayne looked up at him, a small frown creasing his brow. 'It's okay, Tyler,' he said, his voice soft. 'I forgive you. You're here now, and that's what matters.'

Tears pricked at the corners of Tyler's eyes as he took in his son's words. He had never expected forgiveness, not after all the time he had missed. And yet, here it was, a gift that he would cherish for the rest of his life.