The Student Teacher Affair

35: The Grandparents

Joshua's POV

The drive to the airport was quieter than I had anticipated. The only sounds were Nathaniel’s excited chatter from the backseat and the steady hum of the car engine as we cruised along the highway. Mercy sat beside me, her posture tense, her gaze fixed outside the window, watching the familiar sights of the city pass by. I stole a glance at her, wondering what was going through her mind.

“Thanks for agreeing to this,” I finally said, breaking the silence that had stretched too long. My voice sounded tentative, even to my own ears.

Mercy turned her head slightly, her expression neutral. “It’s for Nathaniel,” she replied,  “He deserves to know his grandparents.”

I nodded, not daring to say more. I knew Mercy was doing this for our son, not for me.

When we finally arrived at the airport, I parked the car and turned to help Nathaniel out of his seat. His eyes were wide with excitement as he looked around, taking in the bustling surroundings.

“Daddy, are Grandma and Grandpa here yet?” he asked, bouncing on his toes.

“Not yet, buddy,” I said, smiling down at him. “But they’ll be here soon. Let’s go inside and wait for them.”

Nathaniel grabbed my hand eagerly, and I reached out to Mercy, who had already started walking toward the terminal. She didn’t say anything as she fell in step beside us, but I could see the tension in the way she held herself, the stiffness in her movements. I wished I could do something to ease it, but I knew better than to push.

We made our way to the arrivals area, finding a spot near the large glass windows where we could watch for my parents. Nathaniel tugged on my hand, his excitement barely contained.

“Will they like me, Daddy?” he asked, looking up at me with wide, innocent eyes.

I crouched down to his level, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Of course they will, Nate. They’ve been waiting a long time to meet you.”

His face lit up at that, and I felt a pang of guilt in my chest. My parents should have met him sooner, but the circumstances had made it impossible. Now, here we were, trying to make up for lost time.

After what felt like an eternity, I finally spotted them. My parents, Mr. and Mrs. Adeniyi, emerged from the crowd, looking around as if searching for something or someone. When my mother’s eyes landed on us, a smile broke out on her face, and she nudged my father, who followed her gaze.

“There they are,” I said, standing up and giving Nathaniel’s hand a gentle squeeze. “Wave to them, buddy.”

Nathaniel did as I said, his little hand waving enthusiastically in the air. My parents’ faces lit up, and they quickened their pace, closing the distance between us.

“Grandma! Grandpa!” Nathaniel shouted, his voice full of excitement.

My mother reached us first, her eyes glistening with tears as she crouched down to Nathaniel’s level. “Oh, my sweet boy,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. “You’re even more beautiful than I imagined.”

Nathaniel grinned, clearly pleased with the attention. “Thanks, Grandma!”

My father smiled warmly as he placed a hand on Nathaniel’s head. “Look at you, young man. Just like your father when he was your age.”

I couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at my lips. It was strange, seeing them with Nathaniel for the first time, and knowing that this moment could have happened years ago if things had been different.