EIGHTEEN (HIATUS)

PART TWO

Luke felt the breath leave his lungs. In front of him sat the boy he had not seen in eighteen years.

Rider anxiously awaited his father's answer, "I'm sorry Mr. Hemmings, this was a mistake-"

"Luke, call me Luke for now," The older man spoke, rising from his seat and grasping the boy in his arms. "Rider, your parents gave you a wonderful name." The teary-eyed man softly spoke.

The younger boy nodded, hugging the man he'd waited to meet his entire life.

The two soon broke apart, Luke speaking first, "Would you like to go grab dinner? I'm sure there is a lot you'd like to ask." He chuckled.

Rider nodded, sending his mother a quick text before following his professor, father, out of the building.

The two found themselves at a local diner in town, ironically enough both opting for a cheeseburger with fries and sprite.

Rider was the first to speak, "I, um, is my birth mother around?" He asked nervously.

"Father," the older man corrected and shook his head, "he and I split up before you were born. I was in college and he was an up-and-coming writer."

Rider nodded sadly and took a bite of his burger, "What's his name?"

"Michael Clifford. Well, that was his name when we were together, a few years ago I heard he'd gotten married, I believe his new last name starts with a 'D'." Luke replied before taking a bite of his burger.

"Why did you put me up for adoption?" Rider asked, frowning at the expression he saw the man across from him make.

"Your father and I were young, seemingly crazy in love, yet we really never got along. Michael was a free spirit, he wrote a lot of non-fiction. When it came it him and I's relationship, he always chose something over me. When I found out I was pregnant, he chose his career and left. I was twenty-two, and still had a few years of university left, so I waited and gave birth to you, and found a family who couldn't have children of their own. They were your parents, the joy in their faces when they held you for the first time was something I'd never forget."

Rider nodded and wiped a stray tear from his eye. The boy finished his food in silence, the words his birth father had said echoing in his mind.

Once the two were done, Luke offered Rider a ride home. Rider explained he normally took the bus but agreed since the man had offered.

As the car pulled in front of the Gonzalez house, the younger boy unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to the older blonde, "Would you like to come in? I think my parents would like to see you again." He smiled softly.

Luke shook his head, "I'd only be a burden if I suddenly appeared, talk to your parents and we could schedule a time to have dinner if they'd like."

Luke watched his son nod, before bidding the man a 'goodnight' and shutting the door behind him. The man waited for the boy to enter the house, the large brown door closing behind him, before pulling away into the night.