Happy New Year Everyone...I hope this new year brings prosperity to all of you, and all your wishes come true as I wish this year turns out to be one of the best years of your life...and I hope you guys Keep supporting me in this year as well...as I yearn to improve myself and give you the best reading experience within my capabilities.
After we finished our long bath, we stepped out, both feeling relaxed and refreshed. I grabbed a couple of towels, wrapping one around myself and gently draping the other over her shoulders. As she dried off, I headed to the kitchen to make us a refreshing after-bath drink.
Pouring chilled lemonade into two glasses, I added a few mint leaves for that extra hint of freshness. When I handed her a glass, she took a sip, smiling as the coolness washed over her.
"Mmm, you always know just what I need," she said, giving me an appreciative smile. She leaned back on the couch, looking cozy as she wrapped herself in a warm robe. "You've really grown up, Samuel. I can still remember when you used to climb up just to reach the lemonade pitcher."
I chuckled, sitting beside her. "Yeah, and I remember you always watching me from the corner of the kitchen, catching me every single time. You'd pretend to be mad, but I could always see that little smile in your eyes."
She laughed, a warm sound that filled the room. "You were such a handful. I'd turn my back for a second, and there you'd be, already into some mischief."
I shrugged, grinning. "Well, someone had to keep things exciting around here."
She shook her head, her eyes sparkling as she took another sip. "You did more than that. You kept me on my toes every day. Like that one time when you decided to hide in the laundry basket. I searched the whole house, nearly in a panic."
"Oh, I remember!" I laughed. "I thought I was so clever, but the look on your face when you found me—half relieved, half about to scold me—was priceless."
She smiled softly, her expression turning gentle. "Those were some of the best days, honestly. No matter how tired or busy I was, you'd always manage to make me laugh."
We both fell into a comfortable silence, sipping our drinks, just savoring the memories and each other's presence. I leaned back, giving her a soft nudge. "You know, I couldn't have asked for a better mom. You always made life feel… safe, even when things were hard."
Her hand reached over, giving mine a light squeeze. "And you, Samuel, you're my everything. No matter how many years pass, you'll always be that little boy who filled my world with laughter."
I looked into her eyes, feeling a deep sense of warmth and connection. "And you'll always be my mom, the one who taught me that love is stronger than anything else. Even now, I can't imagine my life without you in it."
She smiled, her eyes misting over slightly. "Well, lucky for you, I'm not going anywhere." "Like I'll let you go anywhere!" I said.
We sat there together, enjoying our drinks and talking about the old days—After finishing our drinks, I looked at Mom with a grin. "How about we dig into those old photo albums? It's been ages since we looked through them."
She laughed, her eyes lighting up. "I'd love that. Let's see if they're still in that drawer."
We went over to the cabinet in the living room, pulling out a stack of worn, thick albums. Their covers were a bit faded, and some pages had tiny cracks along the edges from all the times we'd flipped through them. But holding them still brought back that warm, familiar feeling.
We settled back on the couch, opening the first album. It was filled with pictures from when I was just a baby—tiny, bundled in blankets, or lying on my back with a gummy smile.
She pointed to one where she was holding me, her hair tied back and eyes full of pride. "This was your first day home. You had a cry so loud, it filled not just our whole house but probably the entire neighbourhood too!
It was like you wanted everyone to know you had arrived—and you made it pretty clear who was allowed to hold you and who wasn't. None of the neighbors could get you to settle down. But the moment I held you, you'd go quiet, just like that."
I chuckled. "Looks like I knew right away I was a mama's boy. Choosing only the best"
She smiled, her fingers tracing over the picture. "You sure did."
We turned the page, and there was a photo of me at maybe three or four years old, covered in flour, standing in the kitchen with a mischievous grin.
She burst out laughing. "Oh, this one! I turned around for just a minute to grab something, and when I looked back, you had dumped the whole bag of flour all over yourself."
I shook my head, laughing. "I thought I was helping you cook!"
"Oh, you were helping, alright," she teased. "It took me hours to clean up that mess. But you were so proud of yourself, I couldn't even be mad."
Page by page, we went through the photos, each one unlocking a different memory. There was a picture of me on my first day of school, wearing a backpack that looked way too big, my face both excited and scared.
"Oh, I remember this day," she chuckled. "You were not happy about being away from me, and let everyone know it! The teachers tried to take you inside, but you clung to my leg like your life depended on it."
I laughed, a bit embarrassed. "Guess I wasn't ready for them to take me away from you."
She laughed too, shaking her head. "Not even a little! You were crying so loudly that a few parents and passersby outside started looking worried as if they did something to you causing you to cry that loudly.
The teachers spent ages trying to get you to let go, but you just held on tighter, refusing to budge. Finally, one of them tried distracting you with a box of crayons.
But you were one step ahead of them—you grabbed the crayons without loosening your grip on me, like you were afraid I'd disappear the moment you let go.
And every few seconds, you'd turn back with those big, puppy-dog eyes, looking so adorable that, for a moment, I was tempted to scoop you up and just take you back home, even if your schooling was at stake."
I groaned, smiling. "They probably regretted letting me in that day."
"Oh, they almost gave up," she teased. "You even made a few of the kids around you to cry just by watching you! And after all that, you insisted I stay the whole day, and my staying there wasn't enough.
You sat firmly on my lap as if you were sure I'd disappear the second you let go. You kept looking up every few moments, clutching onto me like I was your lifeline. They finally agreed, but only if you promised to sit quietly during story time."
I shook my head, grinning. "Sounds like I was a handful."
She patted my arm with a smirk. "Calling you a handful is being kind. I think they all breathed a huge sigh of relief when the day finally ended!
The looks on their faces said it all—they seemed convinced you were a little devil in disguise. I could practically see them wondering how someone so cute could cause such a massive ruckus!"
And then there was the classic sports day picture, one of her, sitting on the bleachers, cheering me on during a school race. I looked at her, smiling. "You never missed a game or an event, did you?" "Not once," she replied, a hint of pride in her voice. "Watching you grow, seeing you try so hard… it was everything to me."
In that photo I stood there, holding a medal, and there was Mom in the background, jumping up and down like a kid herself.
"Remember this?" I pointed, grinning. "I think you were cheering so loud that all the parents around you couldn't help but look over."
"Oh, they did," she laughed. "Some of the husbands had a tough time explaining to their wives why they were staring at me instead of watching their kids!"
We both burst out laughing, picturing it. Mom's fierce cheering and uncontainable excitement had always made her stand out.
We moved to the next album. This one had family gatherings—birthday parties with cakes that I'd helped decorate (or at least thought I had), holiday dinners where we'd sit around the table, laughing and talking late into the night.
She pointed to a Christmas picture, where I was tearing open a big present. "That was the year you begged for that action figure. I had to go to three stores to find it."
I laughed, looking at her. "You always went above and beyond for me, didn't you?"
She shrugged, her face softening. "You were worth every bit of it, Samuel."
Author's Note:
Hey everyone! Just a quick update: my main focus is currently my MHA fic, so this new story will have slower updates. But if you're want to read ahead, I've got some special options for you on Patreon!
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