Time Flies
Years had passed, and Caleb's company was now a force to be reckoned with. What had started as a dream in a cramped apartment had blossomed into a thriving business with over fifty employees, state-of-the-art office spaces, and an ever-growing list of successful games. Caleb sat in his spacious office one afternoon, looking out at the city skyline, still finding it hard to believe how far he had come.
The office buzzed with activity outside his door, but inside, Caleb allowed himself a rare moment of stillness. His thoughts wandered to Preston.
"Preston will be eighteen soon," he mused aloud, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. How time had flown. It had been two years since he'd last seen the boy in person. The demands of running the company, constant travels, and endless meetings had consumed his time. But despite the distance, Preston had always been there—a constant thread in his life through FaceTime calls and late-night conversations.
Still, the absence was undeniable. Caleb missed him fiercely. He missed the way Preston's face lit up when he laughed, the sound of his voice, and the comfort of knowing he was close by.
Now, with Preston's birthday approaching, Caleb found himself filled with anticipation—and a touch of guilt. "I should have made more time," he thought, his chest tightening. But he could change that now.
Sitting back in his leather chair, Caleb began to brainstorm. What could he get Preston for his birthday? Something that would show how much he cared, how much he had been thinking of him.
"A car?" Caleb muttered to himself. It was practical, but it didn't feel personal enough. "A house, maybe?" He considered the idea for a moment. It made sense. He had been thinking about buying a place of his own for a while now. Perhaps it was time to find a home—something special where Preston could join him and finally leave the orphanage behind.
Caleb's heart swelled at the thought. "He deserves it," he whispered. "He deserves everything."
The mere idea of seeing Preston again filled him with excitement. It had been too long since he'd hugged him, too long since he'd felt the warmth of their bond in person. He missed everything about him—the way he always had a smile ready, even when things were tough, and the way his presence made Caleb feel grounded in a way nothing else could.
That night, Caleb sat at his desk, sketching out plans. He was determined to make Preston's birthday unforgettable. He would find the perfect house—a place where they could both build new memories, a sanctuary where Preston could finally feel like he belonged.
He leaned back in his chair, a soft smile playing on his lips. "Soon," he whispered to himself. "Soon, I'll see him again. And this time, I'll make up for all the time we've lost."
The thought warmed him as he closed his laptop for the night. For the first time in a long while, Caleb felt a sense of peace. No matter how much success he had achieved, none of it compared to the thought of being reunited with Preston—the one person who had always felt like home.