It was when the people had started to drift away and Ray was left alone once more that a young woman approached him. She looked to be in her mid-twenties and she had shoulder length brown hair. Ray was drawn to her eyes -- they looked so kind.
"Hello," she said. "You have a beautiful voice."
Ray blushed slightly. "Thank you."
She smiled. "I think I can help you."
"How?" Ray asked, knowing that he would need a miracle to convince his father to go along with his plans.
The woman reached out her hand to him. "Come with me."
After only a brief pause, Ray accepted her offer.
"What are you doing here?" asked Mr. Jacobs as Ray entered with the beautiful young woman.
From the look on his dad's face, Ray had to ask, "You know her?"
"That's your mother," his father said, wide-eyed and opened mouthed. Young Ray was shocked as he eyed the woman standing by his side.
She looked so young. It seemed like she was only a few years older than he was.
"I came back to help our son," Ray's mother said. She approached her ex-husband with her eyes plugged directly into his vision.
"So that he could be like your man?" Mr. Jacobs quipped.
"Chris Lumberland was not my man. You just accused without knowing the truth."
"The truth is, you left me. Why?"
As the two stood facing one another, Ray's mother told Mr. Jacobs that she was fed up with all the allegations and accusations, and that she wanted to teach him a lesson. When she left, she thought he would come after her. She was wrong. "And maybe I stayed young and vibrant so that you could eat your heart out, Raymond," she finished as she cupped his chin...