Noah Reyes eagerly lifted his large hand and gently stroked Jimmy Horne's handsome face.
He was ecstatic, so excited that he couldn't put his feelings into words.
One thought dominated his mind: This is my son!
"Uncle, how do you know my nickname? Also, I've figured out who you remind me of; you look a lot like me. No wonder you seemed familiar," Jimmy Horne said, not at all shy. Perhaps it was the natural bond between father and son, blood being thicker than water, or something else entirely, but he just didn't feel scared of this man. Instead, he felt an indescribable sense of closeness, as if this uncle were a relative.
Uncle?
Jimmy's use of the word "uncle" tugged painfully at Noah's heart.
His son was calling him uncle!
Uncle!
His son was addressing him as "uncle," a term reserved for strangers.
In his son's eyes, he, his father, was a stranger!
That piercing pain caused Noah's normally composed facade to instantly crumble.
"Billy, I'm not your uncle. I am..."
