[ WP ] The most hateful , spiteful , bitter confession of undying love .

They met at the park, sitting on a bench. “ Really, he ’ s been a wonderful child, ” Ms. Franklin said. 
 
 Caroline watched his silhouette from a distance, squinting against the August sun. He swung back and forth on the swing, arms on the chains, legs pumping him forward. Last time she saw him, he was at her breast in the maternity ward. She hoped to God that nobody at school would find out. Nobody did. 
 
 “ I told him on his birthday last month. I thought at six he was old enough to know. ” 
 
 “ How did he take it? ” Caroline asked. 
 
 “ Well. He said, ‘ So you ’ re not my real mommy? ’ I told him that I am and I ’ m not. I said, ‘ I ’ ll always be your mommy, but you weren ’ t ever in my belly. ’ He understood, but he also told me that he wanted to meet you. ” 
 
 “ I wanted to meet him, too. ” She pulled a stick of gum out of her purse — old nervous habit that died hard — and her hands shook as she unwrapped it and put it in her mouth. “ I think I ’ m ready. Could you call him over? ” 
 
 Ms. Franklin called his name and he jumped off of the swing, falling to the ground in a clumsy kindergarten stumble. He picked himself up and ran over, kicking sand in the air with each step. 
 
 Caroline smiled at him. Ms. Franklin put her arm on the boy ’ s shoulder and said, “ Richie. This is somebody I want you to meet. Her name is Caroline. ” 
 
 He smiled back. “ Hi, Caroline. Are you my Mommy? ” 
 
 “ Yes, Richie, I ’ m your mommy. ” The words felt funny coming out of Caroline's mouth. She approached him carefully, looking at Ms. Franklin for approval. Ms. Franklin nodded and gave Richie a gentle nudge towards his birth mother. Caroline wrapped her arms around him, feeling instant love. She wondered if she really could have been his mommy if only she had been braver. 
 
 “ Don ’ t be rude, Richie, ” said Ms. Franklin, “ let ’ s show Caroline your beautiful eyes. ” She reached forward and pulled off his sunglasses. 
 
 Caroline relaxed the hug to see Richie ’ s eyes and the blood drain from her head. 
 
 She had hoped she ’ d never have to look into those cold blue eyes ever again. Every day after that night, keeping her head down in the school ’ s hallways, hoping she wouldn ’ t have to run into him and feel the same shame and guilt that overwhelmed her while she walked home, shoving piece after piece of gum into mouth because the flavor seemed to run out in an instant as she tried to make sense of what happened. Every day having to sit back and ignore the whispers behind her back about the weight she was putting on. If only they knew. 
 
 And those piercing eyes that she once fawned over and later feared now sat behind the face of an innocent. They stared at her mockingly long after she thought they ’ d left her life forever. 
 
 “ Look how happy she is to see you, Richie ” Ms. Franklin said. “ She ’ s so happy that she ’ s crying. ”
