Kafka's words hung in the air like a bell toll, and for a heartbeat Vanitas forgot to breathe. Her heart stopped, her entire body trembling when that single word slipped past his lips.
...Mom.
Her eyes widened in shock, then instantly filled with tears.
"My son…" She whispered, her voice breaking. "He...He called me his mother. He called me Mom."
Her hands flew to her face, trying to hide the flood that burst forth, but no matter how she rubbed at her cheeks the tears kept streaming. They spilled faster, warmer, overwhelming her pride and composure.
She laughed and sobbed at the same time, giggling through hiccupped cries.
"I-I always dreamed of this moment. Always. I thought it was impossible, just a cruel dream that would never come true. But now...to hear it from your lips, with your eyes looking at me like that...I'm so happy."
"I'm so happy I don't even know what to do with myself!"
She staggered slightly, clutching her chest, overwhelmed by a joy so sharp it hurt.
