Chapter 122 I Look Forward to Gaining Your Acceptance
He genuinely couldn’t believe this beautiful place was only a bathroom.
He would be smiling even in his dream if he could sleep in a room like this.
At that, he reached his hand out, wanting to feel those marvelous objects.
However, he shrunk his hand back as soon as he lifted it, feeling fearful. What if I break it, though?! I’d surely be punished.
Vania noticed his temptation. With that, she brought his hand to every one of them, letting him feel and touch the objects for himself.
Being noticed for the first time rendered the little guy in awe and shock, reacting more and more unnatural.
It was Vania’s first time interacting with her child like this, and she didn’t know how to describe the feeling, but it was still mostly bliss.
Only when he finally got used to the surroundings and was no longer as afraid, Vania relaxed a little and asked, “Would you like me to help you, or do you prefer to shower yourself while I wait for you at the door?”
The boy lowered his head bashfully again. Though he was worried he would make a mistake, causing him to fall out of favor with her, he still didn’t want to trouble Vania. “Myself,” he said diffidently.
Tears began pooling in Vania’s eyes again upon seeing his cautious sensibility. However, she still held back in front of him, not wanting to make it difficult for him. “Okay then. I’ll be right at the door. Call me if you’re not sure of anything, okay? The floor is slippery, so be careful when you walk.”
He nodded at a barely noticeable degree. It had been too long since he last did something like nodding. Thus, it was stiff and rusty, but to him, it was already beyond his limit.
At that, Vania retreated to the door despite being uneasy. She didn’t want to stress him out, giving him the space he needed to slowly adjust.
She remembered something as she got to the door, and she asked with a smile, “I still don’t know your name.”
The little guy opened his mouth but said nothing for a long time.
However, Vania didn’t rush him, patiently waiting for him to tell her himself.
Finally, only after a few solid minutes did he answer yet again in a barely audible volume. “Jude,” he said.
It was as though he had achieved a massive accomplishment when he said his name, and he felt rather relieved.
“Jude. What a beautiful name,” Vania repeated as tenderness enveloped her face. “What about your full name?”
Dejection instantly appeared on his little face, and he lowered his head upon hearing her question.
People would laugh at him whenever he said his name.
In particular, the other kids in the village would always bully him for having no name, saying he was abandoned and ill-gotten.
The kids were right. No one wanted him, and he never had a proper name; he only had this name which he never knew the meaning of, and his adoptive father didn’t like the idea of the little guy following his last name either.
However, Vania didn’t know about this. She reprimanded herself for rushing things when she saw Jude’s reaction.
At that, she returned to him and comforted him, “I’m Vania, your mommy. You might find it difficult to accept it now, but that’s okay. We can take it one step at a time. You’re no longer a child with no home or name. Your last name is Greyson, and if you want, Mommy can choose a name you like.”
Jude looked at her with incredulity in response, for he already owned far too much in one day.
Vania smiled upon seeing that he was doing better, and she said, “Alright. Go on, take a shower. If you need anything, you can call me by my name or address me as ‘Ma’am’. If you’re ready, you can even call me Mommy. I look forward to gaining your acceptance.”
