Howard sat in his worn armchair, half-watching an old sitcom when a knock on the door broke the silence. He opened it, expecting to see his neighbor or a school project request from Tommy, but instead, he was face-to-face with a woman holding a small red box.
At first, he didn’t recognize her, but when their eyes met, the years vanished. “Kira?” he whispered, his voice shaking.
She smiled softly. “Hello, Howard. I’ve been searching for you for two years.”
Kira handed him the box. “I was supposed to give this to you years ago,” she said, her voice trembling.
As he opened the box, memories of their past flooded back. Forty-eight years ago, they had shared a love that felt unbreakable. But then she left for Germany, and their dreams shattered. She had promised to write, but the letters never came.
Inside the box was a letter and a positive pregnancy test.
Kira explained she had raised their son alone, thinking Howard had abandoned her. “We have a son,” she whispered.
Tears welled in Howard’s eyes. “Where is he?”
A man in his forties stepped out of the car.
“Hi, Dad.”
