Lure Of The Heart

Lure Of The Heart

A deafening crack of thunder almost drowned out the screams of the
laboring woman as she pushed the reluctant infant from her womb. The
thin wail of the newborn joined her sobs as she held the slippery baby
while the midwife turned her attention to cutting the umbilical cord.
Once the cord had been severed, the last connection to the mother was
gone. The baby was removed from arms that felt as cold and empty as her
heart. Tears slid down her cheeks, mimicking the fat drops of rain
chasing one another down the windowpane&;#8230;

That had been twenty-one years ago. She remembered it like it was
yesterday.

The young man on the stage could not know that among the audience
enjoying this 'talent' show sat his biological mother. She hugged the
secret to her breast, determined not to release it to any of the
journalists or paparazzi that followed the contestants of this show
trying to find tidbits of gossip to report, much like hungry crows
searching for carrion upon which to feed.

The woman studied the slender young man with the voice like silk as he
mesmerized the audience with his skillful moves and twinkling eyes. She
had known he would be talented - how could he not be, considering the
background from which he had sprung. She longed to be able to tell him
the truth though she knew that it would be devastating. She would have
to be contented with knowing the truth herself.

The song was over. Joining in the thunderous applause, she rose to her
feet with the rest of the audience. When one of the judges, that
uptight Brit, panned the boy's performance, she felt like a tigress
ready to rip out his throat in order to defend her young. How dare he!
She could not refrain from sending a rude gesture the judge's way and
was almost instantly sorry for having done so when the light from a
camera flashed in her eyes. She frowned but in the next second relaxed.
Who would ever remember her?

The next morning she was horrified to read the story in the local
paper. True, it was a rather small blurb but too many people paid
attention to just this sort of item:

Who Is This Mystery Woman?

The picture was of her, the evening before, as she made that ill-fated
gesture toward the judge. The story went on to speculate as to the
identity of this woman who had been spotted at every performance of the
current season of the popular show. According to the reporter, the
woman resembled, albeit older, a rising young singer who had
disappeared from the public eye after becoming pregnant, supposedly by
an older, very famous rocker who had dumped her once he found out about
the pregnancy. The reporter went on to insinuate that perhaps one of
the contestants was the offspring of that brief union.

She was stunned. Now what? If she went back to the show, further
speculation might prove to be her undoing. But how could she stay
away&;#8230; A knock on the door interrupted her
introspection.

When she opened the door there stood the young man. She began to
tremble so that she had to swallow hard to keep her voice from
shaking.

"Yes, what can I do for you?"

"May I come in?"

She stood aside to let the tall, slim figure enter. Closing the door
she turned to face him, knowing in her heart what she would almost
certainly hear.

"Who are you?" The young man's speaking voice was almost as melodic as
his singing. His large eyes held her in thrall.

"Who do you think I am?" she countered, trying to buy some time as she
searched the face of this young man to whom she still felt that strong
pull - even after all these years.

"Well&;#8230;I've heard a lot of rumors. I know that I was adopted;
I was told a long time ago. Let me be blunt - are you my mother?"

"Yes," she said. Simple and to the point, why pretend? "Sit down," she
invited. "It's a long story&;#8230;"

Much later, listening to the adulation of the audience filling the
auditorium, she smiled as the young man received the welcome news that
he had won the contest - take that you uptight idiot, she silently
scolded that recalcitrant judge.

Scarcely believing her ears, she dimly heard the show's host urging her
to join the winner onstage. Stumbling to her feet and up the aisle to
the stage, she joined her son for a soulful duet.

She had never sounded so good.