Dave wasn't a normal guy, he had no friends, he never had, not because he didn't want to, people just didn't like him. He wasn't athletic, or nice, or interesting, or even interested.

The idea of starting a new school wasn't really thrilling for him, so when his mom called him in the morning, the last thing he wanted to was to get up. Dave's mom was a pretty woman, in her early 30's with her long dark hair. Usually you could see her strength through her dark eyes.

That morning, like she had been for the last few months, she looked tired, but she sounded really sweet when she saw her son eating his first day breakfast, “Good morning, Sunshine.” She said in her motherly voice, “Enjoying your first day breakfast? I did your favorite, waffles with peanut butter. Everything needs to be special for your first day.

Dave hated all of that. He didn't need that. He was going to high school, and he could do his own breakfast. School wasn't going to be good, fun, or exiting. It never was. All he wanted to do was scream at her that she was going crazy, that she was blind and that if she really loved him, she would be looking for him and not closing her eyes and pretending he was the perfect kid she always wanted.

He didn't do it. He couldn't do this to his own mom, not now, when she needed him the most. He was everything she had left. He was fighting for them. All he answered was “Thank you, Mom. You didn't have to do all of that for me, you know that. I hope school is going to be great”, and he gave her a pretty good fake smile.

If only he knew.

Meredith woke up crying again. She had been having those nightmares. All she wanted was for it to stop, but she had no one to talk about it, and she wouldn't talk with Dave because she was trying to protect him.

Since Mia, her baby, died of a rare disease she was born with, all of their family started cracking. Dave had never been an outgoing kid, but in the last year e was practically living on a different planet. At the same time, her husband left them. He said he “couldn't handle all of that” and left her by herself with the introspective kid, a dead baby, and now also a divorce to “handle”. Her husband was a coward. He left her when she most needed him, all of her efforts now were to keep Dave safe and happy; that was pretty much the only reason she kept waking up every morning, because he needed her, and she would do anything for him.

If only she knew.

Dave finished his breakfast and left the house. He wasn't sure what school would be like but he wasn't expecting anything good. He knew that he wasn't going to a big school. He also knew that a lot of the students would know that he was the new guy and he would have to talk with them.

He wasn't late or anything. He was just walking and thinking about what would be bad, what would be awful, and what would be worse. He wasn't even watching what was happening around him.

Suddenly he saw a big dog. It was going crazy trying to reach him. Then he saw the lady holding the dog's leash. She was trying to say something, but he couldn’t understand. There was so much noise, and a really loud horn. The lady was pointing to his left and finally he looked at it. It was too late, he knew. Everything seemed to slow down. The lady, the dog, the noise and the huge bus coming right into him - but he couldn't move. He stayed right there, starring at the light while the bus came closer and closer to him.

***

7 Years Later

Davina's tenth birthday had been a good party. It was her third year with them since Meri and her new husband, Corbin, had adopted her. It was weird having that many kids in their house, but they handled it as a family. Corbin was a businessman. He worked for a small company where Meri started working a few years ago. That is how they met. A few months later, he asked her on a date. The next thing they knew, they were living together.

He learned about her past and respected it.

Davina's birthday was the day they adopted her since she had no papers about who she was before that. The first day of school was usually her birthday. For Meri, that was the best day for it, it also meant a lot to her.

She never forgot about Dave or her old life, but she didn't think about it in a bad way. She chose to remember that day as a day she was reborn. Not that she didn't grieve her son's death, she did, but she moved on. She turned her pain into strength and she never gave up. Until this day she could remember that afternoon as if it were just yesterday.

She received a call that she wasn't expecting. It was the school telling her that her son was in the hospital. She couldn’t handle any more tragedies. She didn't want to believe what was happening. When she got to the hospital, the nurse realizing who she was, talked with her immediately, "Ma'am? Your son is asking for you. It is all he has been talking about since he woke up," said the nurse.

"Is he okay?" asked the worried mom.

"His injuries are serious, but we were waiting for you before we make any decisions" she answered. "Also he begged us not to put him to sleep until he talked with you."

Hearing that, she followed the nurse right away to her son's room. The room looked like every hospital room she had ever seen. The nurses were around the bed who moved when she got closer, she saw her son. Tears filled her eyes when she saw him. All those bruises on his face but he was smiling. At least he was smiling at her.

"Dave, what happened to you?" She couldn't believe her eyes. Her son, her last reason to be love, her last love, her last baby. Tears started falling down her checks. As she reached for him he held her hand, he was still smiling even though she knew he was in pain.

"Please, Mom, don't cry."

The sweet little boy from years ago was looking at her again.

“I know it's hard Mom. I wish you didn't have to go through this, it's my fault."

"No it’s not. You are my son! I should have …" She didn't finish what she was saying. She was sobbing.

"Look at me, Mom" her little boy was stronger than she thought.

"I don't look good, I don't feel good and I probably won't make it through the night. I need to ask you one last thing."

"Stop saying those silly things, my boy, of course you will survive."  She lied. Both of them knew that was a lie.

"Listen to me. This is going to be my last chance to tell you anything so please, just once, listen to me." Meri leaned in, took his hand and intently looked into his eyes - she was listening with everything she had.

"I've been trying to protect you, Mom. Since we lost Mia and Dad left, I failed. I let you give yourself away and put all your efforts on me. I am thankful for all that you have done for me and I'm sorry that I will leave you. You don't deserve to be alone. I love you so much and I know there will be others that are going to love you." At this point, tear after tear fell from her eyes.

  "You need to promise me Mom, that you are not going to give up. I know that's what you want to do but I am asking you not to. You need to keep going. I won't be here, but I want you to think about me. All the things I could have done do it for me. All the things we've been through we shouldn't wish to know one. Please Mother, would you do that for me. I know it's a lot to ask but I regret so much. If at least you could end your life proud of what you had done, I will find peace."

His voice started fading and the beeps were faster. The nurse started talking to her and she had to leave. The last thing she said to him was, "I won't disappoint you. We will have our peace together."

From that day until now, a lot happened. She cried for weeks but recovered herself little by little. She couldn't disappoint him.

Davina was her chance for redemption. Her innocence was a gift. She didn't know about any of Meri's past. Dave was her soul and Davina was her heart. They were now one and all of them would reach their peace together. Remembering all that, she cried tears of joy for a new beginning. A chance that she would not miss. An opportunity to live through her little Davina. Dave would be so proud of her for starting over. For letting go. For finding herself, her meaning, her purpose.

As she watched Davina sleeping, remembering her brave little Dave, Corbin sneaked behind her, "Time to go to bed Super Mom" then he saw her tears and realized what was happening.

"Listen, you are the strongest women I have ever met. That is why I love you. No matter what obstacles are in front of you, you keep going. Little by little you always move on. I have never seen you give up and I hope you never will."

Now she had a smile on her face.

"I love you like I never thought I would love again. Thank you for loving me."

That night when she went to bed she wasn't afraid of any nightmares. She knew that she had made it through the other side of her pain, her fear. She knew that love got her through what seemed to be impossible. She was so thankful for another chance with Davina. She loved Corbin and finally felt like she had the chance of making a real life with those she cared for. She never quit trying, she never gave up, she kept her promise to her little boy.