'Mom, is that really you?
Daniel froze in place. His insides started to heat up, his throat tightened and beads of sweat began forming on his forehead. For a moment, he forgot how to breathe.
The queen made one careful step towards him.
‘It’s me Danny, it’s really me.’
This was not possible. Daniel tried desperately to find the logic that would help him make sense of all this, but felt unable to organize his thoughts.
‘But how? How could this be? How are you here?’
‘I will explain everything, Danny, I promise. But first come to me and let me hold you; I have waited too long for this.’
Daniel struggled to command his feet. His whole being wanted to run to her, to throw his arms around her, bury his head in her chest and hold her tight for a very long time. But he did not run. Instead, he dragged his feet slowly until he was close enough to touch her.
Everything about her told him she was real. Her beautiful face had not changed one bit. Her unique sweet scent was still the same, strong as ever. She seemed smaller, no doubt because he was now bigger, but other than that, she felt exactly like he remembered her. Yet, still he held back.
Putting one hand on his cheek and caressing him gently, she called him what she only ever had.
‘Danielito, it’s really me. I’m here.’
Upon hearing that name, Daniel surrendered. He opened up his arms and threw himself at her, crying like a little child.
‘Mom.’
‘Oh, Danny, I’ve missed you so much.’
Fourteen years’ worth of hugs and kisses came together all at once, as mother and son fell into each other’s embrace, laughing and crying simultaneously. Tears of joy and heartache fell freely and abundantly while they locked one another inside their arms and refused to let go. Time flew around them, as they forgot about everything and everyone else in that endless moment, where nothing and no one but the two of them existed.
Giving the two of them some privacy, Nemo retreated at the back of the hall and waited. He could not help but well up with a few tears of his own, but was glad that they were too preoccupied to notice. Seeing Daniel reunite with his mom, inadvertently led his thoughts to his own mother and the day when he’d lose her to the open sea. Maybe now there was some chance that it would not be forever, that he would see her again at some point. He could only hope.