The Moment I Saw My Son Again

When they finally led me to the nurse’s office, Miles was sitting on the exam table swinging his legs, chatting about dinosaurs with a paramedic, completely unaware of how close he had come to something that could have changed everything.

His face lit up when he saw me.

“Mom, why are there police here?” he asked, sounding more curious than afraid. “They took my lunch, and I’m still hungry.”

I pulled him into my arms and held him longer than he expected, breathing in the familiar scent of his shampoo, grounding myself in the simple reality that he was here, warm and safe.

“We’re going home early,” I said gently. “We’ll get you something better to eat.”

His eyes brightened.

“Can we get nuggets?”

A shaky laugh escaped me before I could stop it.

“Yes, buddy,” I said, pressing my cheek to his hair. “We can get nuggets.”