Bond...

Nivetha sat beside her son, Timothy's bed and watched him sleep peaceful.
His little fingers wrapped his old T-Rex toy. Little smiles flashed on and off from his little lips.

"Are you dreaming little fellow?", Nivetha whispered.

She laid a soft kiss on his forehead and went into her room. She had a big album on her bed, filled with pictures of Timothy from a tiny little agitated bundle to a healthy 8 year old... She touched the very first picture of Timothy softly... He looked so grumpy, wearing a green hat and a sweater with matching green booties. "How time flies...", she sighed.

Nivetha went through hell to adopt Timothy. Having seen all the heartaches and headaches her friends had with being married, she refused to fall into that trap herself.

"What's a marriage if you can't spend it with someone you like? I haven't found a someone, and I'm not willing walk high and low to find someone just to settle down... I cannot accept to be with someone you pick out for me, because its someone you picked out, and not me", Nivetha quietly told her father.

Her father sighed. "You need someone my dear child, are you going to spend the rest of your life alone?"

Nivetha looked into his eyes and smiled softy, "Not at all dad, I want to adopt a child".

All hell broke loose at that moment.

In the distance a thunderstorm broke out. Their arguments were drowned out by each rumbling thunder.

Finally the rain subsided.

Nivetha's father sat quietly. His eyes were red with anger, and his heavy breathing filled the room. Nivetha looked at her father apologetically.

"Dad, it would really make me happy... Isn't that what you want for me? For me to be happy?".

Her father did not look up, but he knew she had a point... Should it matter what form happiness takes, as long as his daughter is happy?

He slowly got up and looked at his daughter and sighed, "Whatever makes you happy", he finally said.

Nivetha looked at him surprised. He raised his eyes towards hers, and smile. Nivetha broke into a big smile. "Thank you dad!", she gave her dad a hearty hug.

The adoption process was not at all easy. She got rejected several times as she was single. Even with many referrals and recommendation, she still got rejected.

Several years dragged on, she was determined to have her ways.

One fine day, it happened... It came through, she was thrilled.

So it began, little Timothy came into her life. She was her pride and joy. Timothy, Nivetha and her dad spent countless days roaming around.

One by one, years went by... Timothy was getting older. His fifth birthday came, and they had a grand celebration. The kid was happy, and Nivetha was happier, and her father was happy for both of them.

Nivetha's eyes were filling up with sleep. She closed the album, turned off the light and closed her eyes.

---

The next day, Nivetha took Timothy to play with his cousins. She had an errand to do, so she arranged a play date with her cousin's kids.

She gave a small kiss on Timothy's forehead, "Be on your best behavior, I'll be back in a flash", she caressed his chin.

Timothy smiled and nodded.

For the rest of the day, Nivetha was busy finishing up the errands, while Timothy was busy playing with his cousins.

Nivetha went to fetch Timothy around 6pm. He was sitting in the corner with a big frown. Soon as Nivetha stepped into the room, the look on his face reminded her of the very first picture of him in his little green outfit.

Nivetha smiled, "ooops, what have I done now", she chuckled.

"What's wrong little man?", she asked stroking his hair...

Timothy pulled away quickly, and folded his arms. The reaction generated a little tugged at her heart... Never has he done that, but she dismissed it quickly.

"What's wrong...?", she crouched down to look at him.

"Nothing... Lets go home", he got up and started heading out.

Nivetha figured he was tired, so she bid goodbye to her cousin and followed Timothy.

Timothy was really quiet all the way home. Usually, he's such a chatterbox, telling her everything he did and saw, but not tonight.

Nivetha watched him, and wondered what's going on in that mind of his. She didnt want to agitate him further, so she let him be.

Days go by... Timothy is not himself. Nivetha wanted to talk to him, but she felt that she'll give him some space for the time being. She took him to his favorite place, but the whole time they were there, none of them spoke.

That whole week his behavior has been strange... Nivetha was trying to read up on child psychology, and it wasnt helping much either.

When the arrived home, he ran straight to his room before Nivetha could say anything. She sighed and went to setup dinner.

Half an hour later, "Timo darling, come down to eat".

No answer.

"Timo, did you hear me, its dinner time".

No answer.

"What is the matter with that boy?", Nivetha crooked her lips and started walking up the stairs.

The door was slightly ajar. She peeked in to see Timothy playing video games and furiously pushing away at the buttons. He was not exactly winning, looked like his mind was somewhere else.

"Timothy...", Nivetha said softly.

That instant, he stopped pushing the button and stared at the screen.

"Lets go eat dinner".

"I'm not hungry".

"Did you already eat at Aunty's?"

"No..."

"Then come and eat".

"I said I'm not hungry", he said agitated.

Nivetha walked up to him and touched him. He recoiled.

Nivetha looked at him puzzled. "What's the matter?".

"NOTHING! I DONT WANT TO EAT. STOP BUGGING ME!", he yelled right in her face.

"Don't take that tone out on me young man", as she said, she gave him a slap on his arm.

The reaction surprised both of them. Nivetha has never laid a hand on him as such, and Timothy has never been disciplined as such.

Timothy looked at her, with the expression on his face showed hatred towards her. She felt devastated, tried to touch him... He got up and backed up towards the corner.

Nivetha looked at him in disbelief.

"Timothy... I'm sorry, I'm really sorry", she trembled.

Timothy said something right then, that break her heart. "If I was your real child, you wouldn't have slapped me", his voice wavered.

Nivetha looked at him shocked, eyes brimming with tears. Her lips trembled. "Timothy?", she said weakly.

"Nicholas and Maria told me I was adopted. They told me I'm not your real kid", his voice so low, he started.

Nivetha sat down on the floor. "So that's what has been bothering him all these days...", she thought.

Right at that moment, Nivetha started crying. For the first time in her life, she felt like her heart was going to explode. She wrapped her arms around her knee and buried her face. Loud sobs echoed throughout the room, shocking Timothy. That's the first time he has seen his mother cry. He felt aweful. That... made him cry. His tiny voice wavered. He covered his face and cried. Even though his cries were so tiny compared to Nivetha's, she stopped immediately and looked at a little person sitting in the corner and sobbing. Now his cries filled the room, he didnt know that his mother has stopped crying.

For Nivetha, all she could see is a tiny little baby, dressed in green outfit, crying his little head off because he was afraid of this new world he's been introduced to. Nivetha wiped her tears off, got up and walked towards her sobbing son. She sat down in front of him, scooped him up and held his face.

Timothy looked her through teary eyes. She wiped the tears off, and hugged him. Just then she felt two little hands returning back her hug. She smiled, and rocked her little baby boy from side to side.

"I love you Timothy, you'll always be MY child, no matter what others say".


---

The End.