I was slouched in my armchair, half-watching TV when the knock came. It was the kids from the neighborhood, but when I opened the door, a woman stood there with a small red box. Her silver-streaked hair caught the light, and my heart stopped.<\/p>\n
“Kira?” I whispered, shocked.<\/p>\n
She smiled softly. “I found you after two years of searching.”<\/p>\n
Memories flooded back\u2014our prom, dreams of a future, and her sudden departure to Germany. She had promised to write, but I never heard from her again.<\/p>\n
Now, 48 years later, she handed me a box with a letter and a positive pregnancy test. My heart sank.<\/p>\n
Kira revealed she had raised our son, Michael, believing I\u2019d abandoned them. She\u2019d just found the box while sorting her mother\u2019s things.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought you didn\u2019t want us,\u201d she said, tears in her eyes.<\/p>\n
When Michael stepped out of the car, I saw the reflection of my younger self. He introduced himself and said, \u201cYou\u2019re a grandfather.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kira invited me to Portland to meet them. Looking at the quiet life I\u2019d built and the family I\u2019d lost, I said, “Yes, I\u2019d like that very much.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"