My jaw dropped on seeing Mrs. Walker. She looked barely thirty. Had I not known she was Robbie's mother, I would have thought she was Robbie's sister. Mrs. Walker was such a sophisticated and cla.s.sy lady that I suddenly felt I was under-dressed. Even in her hurried and exhausted form, she still looked extremely elegant. I got completely tongue tied on seeing her.

Robbie got up and hugged her saying in a happy voice,

"Mum, sorry to call you when your so busy"

She patted his back with a bright smile, "Absolutely not. I can spare at least a day for you" she said giving him a quick kiss on his cheek.

Robbie moved back and said turning towards me, "Mom, meet Tony, my..." he hesistated to give a term to me.

I stood up feeling more anxious than before and said in an awkward hurried tone, "His partner"

Mrs. Walker smiled at me warmly and said gently forwarding her hand, "I am so glad to meet you son. Robbie talks a lot about you"

I took her hand still feeling very nervous as I said with a panicked laugh, "I-I see. He told me about you too"

"Did he now?" she giggled as she let go of my hand and turned to Twen who was hiding behind me, grabbing onto my s.h.i.+rt

Robbie said pointing his palm towards Twen with a wide proud smile, "And that's our son, Twen"

She tilted her head to see Twen who in turned fidgeted with my s.h.i.+rt, looking down nervously, "h.e.l.lo Twen" she said, bending down to his height and speaking softly

Twen raised his head to look at her warm kind eyes and said shyly, "He-h.e.l.lo"

"How are you?" she asked, smiling gently

"I am fine" Twen said, looking back down

"I guess this old lady's face must be scary that's why you are not even looking at me" Mrs. Walker said in mock sorrowful tone.

Old?!!!

She looked way too young to be the mother of a 25 year old let alone the grandmother of a seven year old.

Twen quickly looked up, taking her words seriously and shook his head saying earnestly, "No aunty. I-I am.."

Mrs. Walker laughed warmly and patted his head gently, "I know, love. Sorry, this aunty was just joking. Do you like chocolates?"

Twen blinked and looked at me as if not sure whether to answer it. I prodded him encouragingly. He looked back at Mrs. Walker and said politely, "I do!"

Mrs. Walker straightened up and brought out a nicely wrapped chocolate box and forwarded it to him with a dazzling smile, "Then, this is a small gift from me"

"Thank you!" Twen said as he accepted the gift, his eyes glowing.

She gave me an apologetic look and said in a sorry tone, "I hope you don't mind, dear. I couldn't resist bringing some gift for my grandson afterall it was my first meeting with him"

I couldn't believe she was being apologetic about such a trivial matter and seeking my approval. She was a rare combo of beauty, brains and kind personality. I quickly shook my head and said with a smile,

"No ma'am. You have every right to give him presents. He is your grandson"

Her eyes twinkled on hearing me and she patted my shoulder fondly. She then took a seat beside Robbie and got herself a cappuccino. Twen by then had already torn open the chocolate box and started munching a salted caramel chocolate. I told him not to eat everything at once which he agreed giving me a chocolaty smile.

"Do you like it darling?" Mrs. Walker asked Twen as she saw him enjoying the chocolates

"Yes! It's really yummy" Twen answered, chowing down another blob of chocolate

"Am so glad to hear that. I heard from Robbie that you love to run?" Mrs. Walker asked, taking a sip of her cappuccino.

Twen stopped munching and looked at Robbie, who was pretending to hear the conversation and sipped on his Heaven Cream Cuppa. There was a strange emotion in Twen eyes which quickly got replaced with excitement as he looked at Mrs. Walker and said ,

"Yes I love to run. I won three medals in this year's sports event"

"Excellent! Such a talented boy!" Mrs. Walker said sharing his excitement

"Yes and mommy took lots of my picture. He also cheered me. This was also my first compet.i.tion" Twen blabbered, his eyes s.h.i.+ning with joy

"Ohhh. Next time I'll come to cheer you too. Your mommy and I would both cheer you! How about that?' she said giving him a cheerful smile

"Really? You would really come?" Twen asked, both surprised and happy.

"Of course! How can I not come to cheer my little prince" Mrs. Walker said affectionately

"Mommy, did you hear? Aunty said she would also come next year" Twen said looking at me with a wide grin

I was in a little awe. Twen normally doesn't gel well with strangers this fast but he was already so chummy with Mrs. Walker. Guess her kindness was infectious. I smiled at Twen and said patting his head,

"Yes I heard and she is not aunty, she is grandma!"

Twen's smile suddenly vanished. I got perturbed. Did I say something wrong? Was he still not prepared to accept her as his grandmother? I was looking on as Twen turned to Mrs. Walker who too was looking at him confused and concerned. Robbie tried to look relaxed but even his eyes were giving a tensed look. Then, Twen looked at me and said in a confused whisper,

"But she is so young! How is she grandma?"

I, Robbie and Mrs. Walker didn't expect this reply and we all stared at him for a few seconds till his words finally clicked to us and we all burst out laughing. So, he was not upset or unwilling, he was simply confused as Mrs. Walker looked too young to be a grandmother. She smiled at him broadly,

"You can call me Granny As.h.!.+ Then, I wouldn't sound so old right?" she suggested.

Twen who was looking at all of us with confused eyes as we suddenly started laughing, turned to see Mrs. Walker when she spoke and blinked in surprise at her suggestion. He thought for a while and then said with a cute smile, "Granny Ash is cool"

All three of us smiled. Mrs. Walker looked a little teary but smiled through it as she looked at me.

"I have to thank you, Tony. I heard everything from Robbie. You are such a brave boy! It is all thanks to you that I met Twen, today" she said, looking at me and then Twen emotionally.

I didn't know what to say. I know that I refused to abort but that was not because I didn't have money but because I felt that an innocent soul shouldn't suffer because of us adult's mistake! Never did I thought that it would lead to such a day where someone would call my step to be brave and would be glad that I made the choice that I made. I felt a little embara.s.sed on hearing Mrs. Walker and spoke shyly,

"You don't need to thank me, Ma'am-"

"Mom" Mrs Walker said interrupting me

I looked at her bewildered, "Excuse me?" I was sure I heard her wrong.

"Call me Mom, son. I don't know whether in future you will be my son-in-law or not but through Twen we already are a family. I am as much your mother as Robbie's! So, call me mom"