Finding Innocence - Conclusion - PG
Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 6:57 pm
Conclusion
“Mommy!”
Renee Williams snapped her cell phone closed and spun around to see Mick St. John moving gracefully through the nearly deserted lobby, his long black coat flaring behind him as he walked. Matthew was perched on his shoulders, smiling, and securing himself with two fistfuls of the PI’s hair.
“Matthew!” she cried, reaching out instinctively to gather up her son as Mick bent down to lower the child into her welcoming arms. Matthew squirmed as she hugged him tightly, silently willing him to never leave her sight again. She loosened her embrace just slightly, and pulled her head back to study the little boy’s face. She needed to make sure that he was truly all right. Running her hand up through his hair, she pushed it back off his forehead and replaced it with a long, tender kiss.
“Ouch.” Matthew responded.
Gently lowering Matthew to the floor, Renee turned to the PI who was solemnly regarding the reunion.
“I can’t believe he let you pick him up,” she marveled. “Mr. St. John. I – I can’t begin...”
When words failed her, she rushed forward, impulsively wrapping her arms around her son’s savior. Another impromptu display of affection - the second one that night. Mick stood stiffly, his arms raised out to his sides, unsure of whether or not to return the gesture. Before he could reach a decision, however, the awkward moment was interrupted by an insistent tugging on the hem of Renee’s jacket.
“Mommy? Mommy! Guess - what!” a small voice demanded. Mick drew in deep breath.
Releasing the PI, Mrs. Williams looked down at Matthew. “What is it, sweetie?”
“Mick’s a vampire!”
Renee Williams bent down to her son’s level, uncertain that she had heard correctly, and asked softly, “What did you say, Matthew?”
“Mick’s - a - vampire.”
Mick watched as the woman’s expression grew thoughtful and then serious. She seemed be searching her son’s face. As she rose slowly, Mick sensed her heart beating faster. Whether it was anxiety, anger, fear, he couldn’t tell. He braced himself and he waited.
“Mr. St. John,” her voice broke as she placed one hand protectively on her son’s shoulder. “Matthew doesn’t – connect – with very many people that he meets. In fact, most of the time, he just tunes them out. And he certainly isn’t in the habit of making up stories about strangers…”
Mick pursed his lips and turned his head away from her. He opened his mouth to speak, still unsure exactly what explanation, what lie or partial truth, he might offer, when Renee Williams continued.
“All I can say is - you must really be something special.”
“You should see his teeth!” Matthew suggested hopefully.
His mother raised her eyebrows and then smiled apologetically at the private investigator. Surprise was nudged aside by relief, as Mick found the subject quickly changed and mother and son hugging again and making small talk. After a few moments, Mrs. Williams turned back to him.
“Thank you for being so patient with us – with Matthew. Not everyone gets it. The way he is.” Her eyes welled up as she spoke. Her voice wavered. “Please, Mr. St. John, what do I owe you? For bringing him back to me?”
Mick lowered his eyes to Matthew, who was once again absorbed in his video game. Reaching down, he ruffled his hand through the boy’s hair and answered thoughtfully, “I happened to be in the right place at the right time. I’m glad I was able to help.”
“Ow,” came Matthew’s slightly delayed reaction.
The boy’s rescuer and the boy’s mother exchanged smiles. Handing her his business card, Mick added with a slight dip of his head, “If there’s ever anything you need.”
The PI hadn’t been looking for a new client that evening. He certainly didn’t expect payment. What he left unsaid, however, was that he’d already gotten more than he could begin to explain. Unrestrained acceptance, however brief, had no price tag.
---
Renee Williams didn’t believe in vampires. However, she did believe with all her heart that the remarkable man before of her, who had come out of nowhere to rescue Matthew, had made an uncommon connection with her son. It was as if she had been handed two miracles in one night. And she had dealt with autism long enough to know that you don’t question miracles – even if they come in the guise of vampires.
-------
“Mommy!”
Renee Williams snapped her cell phone closed and spun around to see Mick St. John moving gracefully through the nearly deserted lobby, his long black coat flaring behind him as he walked. Matthew was perched on his shoulders, smiling, and securing himself with two fistfuls of the PI’s hair.
“Matthew!” she cried, reaching out instinctively to gather up her son as Mick bent down to lower the child into her welcoming arms. Matthew squirmed as she hugged him tightly, silently willing him to never leave her sight again. She loosened her embrace just slightly, and pulled her head back to study the little boy’s face. She needed to make sure that he was truly all right. Running her hand up through his hair, she pushed it back off his forehead and replaced it with a long, tender kiss.
“Ouch.” Matthew responded.
Gently lowering Matthew to the floor, Renee turned to the PI who was solemnly regarding the reunion.
“I can’t believe he let you pick him up,” she marveled. “Mr. St. John. I – I can’t begin...”
When words failed her, she rushed forward, impulsively wrapping her arms around her son’s savior. Another impromptu display of affection - the second one that night. Mick stood stiffly, his arms raised out to his sides, unsure of whether or not to return the gesture. Before he could reach a decision, however, the awkward moment was interrupted by an insistent tugging on the hem of Renee’s jacket.
“Mommy? Mommy! Guess - what!” a small voice demanded. Mick drew in deep breath.
Releasing the PI, Mrs. Williams looked down at Matthew. “What is it, sweetie?”
“Mick’s a vampire!”
Renee Williams bent down to her son’s level, uncertain that she had heard correctly, and asked softly, “What did you say, Matthew?”
“Mick’s - a - vampire.”
Mick watched as the woman’s expression grew thoughtful and then serious. She seemed be searching her son’s face. As she rose slowly, Mick sensed her heart beating faster. Whether it was anxiety, anger, fear, he couldn’t tell. He braced himself and he waited.
“Mr. St. John,” her voice broke as she placed one hand protectively on her son’s shoulder. “Matthew doesn’t – connect – with very many people that he meets. In fact, most of the time, he just tunes them out. And he certainly isn’t in the habit of making up stories about strangers…”
Mick pursed his lips and turned his head away from her. He opened his mouth to speak, still unsure exactly what explanation, what lie or partial truth, he might offer, when Renee Williams continued.
“All I can say is - you must really be something special.”
“You should see his teeth!” Matthew suggested hopefully.
His mother raised her eyebrows and then smiled apologetically at the private investigator. Surprise was nudged aside by relief, as Mick found the subject quickly changed and mother and son hugging again and making small talk. After a few moments, Mrs. Williams turned back to him.
“Thank you for being so patient with us – with Matthew. Not everyone gets it. The way he is.” Her eyes welled up as she spoke. Her voice wavered. “Please, Mr. St. John, what do I owe you? For bringing him back to me?”
Mick lowered his eyes to Matthew, who was once again absorbed in his video game. Reaching down, he ruffled his hand through the boy’s hair and answered thoughtfully, “I happened to be in the right place at the right time. I’m glad I was able to help.”
“Ow,” came Matthew’s slightly delayed reaction.
The boy’s rescuer and the boy’s mother exchanged smiles. Handing her his business card, Mick added with a slight dip of his head, “If there’s ever anything you need.”
The PI hadn’t been looking for a new client that evening. He certainly didn’t expect payment. What he left unsaid, however, was that he’d already gotten more than he could begin to explain. Unrestrained acceptance, however brief, had no price tag.
---
Renee Williams didn’t believe in vampires. However, she did believe with all her heart that the remarkable man before of her, who had come out of nowhere to rescue Matthew, had made an uncommon connection with her son. It was as if she had been handed two miracles in one night. And she had dealt with autism long enough to know that you don’t question miracles – even if they come in the guise of vampires.
-------
