My Golden Boy
"Goodnight." I turned off the lights and began closing the door. Then, in the dark, his voice trembled.
"Mama... am I...?"
My heart broke. This conversation was long in coming.
"Are you what, love?"
"The boys at school... they said I'm not real. That I'm a..." he barely mouthed the word "robot."
"Of course you're real. I can see you. Hear you. Tickle you." But instead of giggles and shrieks, he curled away from me. I couldn't bear to see him cry.
"You are everything. My golden boy. Now sleep." My own tears fell as I powered him down.
