When Elaina was learning to walk unsteadily.
Bradley was released from prison.
Because Bradley played too rough, Katherine’s uterus shattered, forever losing the opportunity to become a mother.
Katherine’s family took Bradley to court.
When Bradley was inside, he had someone deliver a message to meet me. I declined.
There is no need.
We once walked together for a while, only to realize in the end that we were not on the same path. There was no need to linger in entanglement.
I just couldn’t believe that the first thing the man did after being released from prison was to find this place.
I watched Bradley through the flowers and trees.
The man became much thinner and also aged.
Only a pair of eyes filled with tears stared at Elaina. My daughter, scared, hid behind me.
“Mom, who was he?”
I didn’t intend to hide it from Elaina, I was going to tell my daughter that it was her father.
He was interrupted by Bradley.
He smiled nervously and rubbed his hands.
Elaina, I was your mother’s college classmate.”
“You can call me Bradley. At that moment, I suddenly realized that the once invincible Bradley had disappeared.”
He learned to fear.
I was afraid that the little ones would know that I had a father who had been in prison.
He slowly squatted down and inquired cautiously.
“Elaina, can uncle hug you?”
My daughter looked up at me. I nodded in encouragement.
Elaina stepped forward and Bradley immediately embraced the little person in his arms.
The man buried his head on his daughter’s shoulder and choked out a sob.
Elaina became scared and started crying, struggling.
I took over the child and let the mother go first with her.
Bradley wiped away the tears from his face and looked at me with a face full of shame.
“Although it was pointless, I still want to say sorry to you, Paityn.”
“I broke up a good family.”
The man vigorously rubbed his cheeks, his eyes were bloodshot.
“I deserved it.”
“Don’t tell our daughter in the future that she has a father like me, I don’t deserve it.”
He said that and turned around and left.
The person in their thirties already had a hunched back. I watched Bradley’s departing figure, feeling neither sad nor happy in my heart.
Everyone has to pay the price for their own mistakes.
Just reaping what one has sown.
“Mom…”
