Keifer sat in his office, tapping his fingers against the desk, restless.
He had been busy all day—meetings, calls, endless paperwork—but something gnawed at him.
Kaisan.
He rubbed his eyes and muttered under his breath, "I need to check on him. I… I can't stop thinking about him today."
His phone buzzed on the desk, but he ignored it. His mind was elsewhere.
Finally, he picked up the receiver and called the school administration.
"Yes… hello, this is Keifer Watson. I need to get Kaisan's contact information. It's urgent."
The receptionist paused, surprised, but quickly confirmed.
"Of course, Mr. Watson. I'll give you his number."
Keifer's fingers were already dialing.
On the other side, Kaisan's small hands fidgeted with his backpack at home, still thinking about the empty day.
His phone rang. He glanced at it—an unfamiliar number.
"Hello?" he whispered.
"Kaisan?" The voice was warm, calm, and familiar—just like Jay's.
"Doctor Uncle?" Kaisan's eyes widened.
"Yes, baby. It's me," Keifer said softly. "I… I missed you today. How was your day?"
Kaisan's small voice trembled. "I… I missed you too. It was… it was so quiet without you."
Keifer smiled, a soft warmth spreading in his chest. "I missed you too, baby. I thought about you the whole day."
Kaisan's lips curled into a small smile. "You… really did?"
"Of course, baby. You're important to me. Always."
Kaisan's small hands hugged the phone closer. "I… I was worried you didn't like me anymore."
Keifer's voice softened even more. "Never, baby. I could never stop caring about you. You're my little guy, remember?"
Kaisan's eyes sparkled. "My little guy?"
"Yes, baby. My favorite little guy in the whole world."
For the first time that day, Kaisan laughed—a small, bright sound that made Keifer's heart ache with relief.
"I… I like it when you say that," Kaisan whispered.
Keifer chuckled softly. "Then I'll keep saying it, baby. Every day, if you want."
They stayed on the call for a long time, just talking.
Kaisan shared little things about his day.
Keifer listened patiently, occasionally teasing, occasionally giving advice.
By the time the call ended, Kaisan's small face was radiant again, eyes bright with happiness.
Keifer leaned back in his chair, chest tight, smiling softly.
"Baby… you don't know how much I needed to hear your voice today," he whispered, more to himself than anyone else.
And in that moment, he knew:
No matter how busy he was, he could never let a day pass without hearing from his little guy.
Jay sat at the kitchen table, stirring her coffee absentmindedly while Kaisan chattered beside her.
"And then Doctor Uncle said I was his favorite little guy!" Kaisan exclaimed, waving his tiny hands.
Jay looked up, smiling politely. "That's nice, baby."
But inside, something twisted in her chest—a strange flutter, a small unease she couldn't name.
Kaisan didn't usually talk like this about anyone, not this much, not with this glow in his eyes.
"He called me baby… and he listens to me, Mom! He really listens!" Kaisan continued, oblivious to her attention.
Jay's brow furrowed. "He… listens? Like… really listens?"
Kaisan nodded vigorously. "Yes! And he makes me feel safe, Mom! I like him a lot! He's… he's like…"
He paused, searching for words, eyes wide with wonder.
Jay felt her heart skip. Something about the way Kaisan spoke—it wasn't just admiration. It was… trust. Deep trust.
"Doctor Uncle sounds… very nice, baby," Jay said slowly, keeping her voice calm.
Kaisan's small hands gripped hers. "He is, Mom! And he told me… I can write his name if I want on the form!"
Jay's chest tightened. She took a slow breath. "The form… I see, baby."
She watched him, heart quietly racing. There was something about this "Doctor Uncle" that felt… familiar.
Something she couldn't quite place—but every time Kaisan mentioned him, her mind couldn't stop turning over the feeling:
Protective. Gentle. Important.
Kaisan leaned against her, small head on her shoulder. "Mom… I think I like him a lot. He… he makes me happy."
Jay's lips pressed together. She nodded slowly, hiding the strange mix of curiosity, worry, and… something else she couldn't name.
"Yes, baby. That's good. It's nice to be happy."
But inside, she felt a strange tug, a quiet whisper in her heart.
Who was this "Doctor Uncle" that her son trusted so completely—and why did she feel… something shifting whenever he was mentioned?