Mother & Son

[Year X427 Norma]

The long-awaited day had finally arrived: Weisz was about to go to kindergarten for the first time.

Irma had been preparing for weeks, both mentally and physically, for this moment. The little boy was now three years old, curious and lively, but the thought of leaving him in someone else's hands, even for just a few hours, still made her throat tighten.

Some of her friends and clients tried to reassure her, telling her that everything would be fine and that for them too, their children's first days at school had been terrifying to live through despite the fact that nothing was happening except that they were growing up. But Irma still had an unbearable knot in her throat.

That morning on planet Norma the air was bright, and the sky was brilliant despite the constant fog, almost as if she knew that day was special despite everything. Irma dressed her Weisz in his favorite onesie and tied a small scarf around his neck. He looked at her with a mixture of excitement and shyness, clutching his favorite toy in his hands: a small robot superhero that he carried everywhere with him.

"Are you ready, champ?" the woman asked, bending down to his height. The boy nodded, although she could see a hint of hesitation in his eyes. So, she took his hand and, together, they headed towards the nursery.

The building was small and cozy, with a large mural decorating the facade and depicting scenes of nature and animals of all kinds. As they entered, Weisz looked curiously at the other children running and playing. He was holding onto his mother's hand, but there was a glimmer of excitement in his eyes, as if he were already imagining all the adventures he would experience.

Irma knelt down beside him and kissed him on the cheek. "You'll see, it'll be fun. You'll make new friends and learn so many beautiful things," she said, trying to stifle the emotion in her voice. Weisz nodded again and gave her a shy but brave smile. She knew how hard it was for him to adapt to changes, but the little guy wanted to make his mommy proud.

The teacher approached, welcoming him with a warm smile. "Hello, Weisz! How nice to meet you," she said, holding out her hand. Weisz looked at Irma for a moment, as if seeking confirmation, then took the teacher's hand and let herself be led into the room.

The blonde woman watched him from afar, feeling her heart beating fast. Seeing her little boy take his first steps towards a world of his own filled her with pride and nostalgia at the same time. As Weisz approached a group of children, Irma felt tears sting her eyes, but she managed to hold back. She knew that this was only the first of many days in which her child would take flight, day after day, one step at a time.

Before leaving, Weisz turned and gave her a small wave, his face lit up with a shy but confident smile. Irma returned the wave, blowing him a kiss in the air, and walked away, confident that her little hero would find his way.

That day, as she walked home, Irma realized that Weisz was no longer just her baby: he was growing up, becoming the little man she had always hoped he would be. And she prayed to Mother, every day, that things would always go this well for him.