Jane F & Peter P
Jane nodded, glad that he understood at least why she'd given him up even though she wished she could've told him a better story about his father. But then his face fell and something was wrong, something about his family, and she had this horrible thought that maybe his parents had died or something and that was why he'd come to find her now instead of once he'd turned eighteen.
What he told her though broke her heart. "No." Jane shook her head in disbelief. "No, that wasn't- they promised me." She stood abruptly, the postcard clutched tightly in her fist as she started to pace in front of him. "They were- they were looking for exactly what I was promising them. Good genes, a healthy baby boy, no ties or contact or anything. They even had similar enough features that they could've passed you as their own without question. I did all kinds of stupid testing for them. They wanted to be sure you'd be smart and strong and perfect." She was livid, but not at him.
"Why didn't-" She stopped dead in her tracks. "Oh they're lucky they're dead already or I'd-" Jane could remember very clearly one day, coming home from school maybe a month or so after giving birth only to see what she'd thought was the adoption agency's car driving down their street. She'd questioned her mother about it, but she'd said it was just standard NDA paperwork that just needed an extra signature and not to worry, it was all taken care of. Since she was pretty much on thin ice and couldn't question her parents on a good day, she'd let it go. Now she wished she hadn't.
"Peter, I am so sorry. I never wanted that for you. You deserved so much better, baby." There were tears in her eyes as she knelt down in front of him, her free hand on his cheek. "Will you come home with me? Please? Stay for a little while, meet your sister and your Uncle and-" It was probably not her smartest move, mentioning her daughter, but she had and Jane sighed. "I know I can't make up for the last decade and a half, but I'd like to try." It was more than fifteen years, but the point still stood. Jane just hoped he'd give her a second chance.