"My little one!" she exclaimed. "My little lost baby, oh my God but now you are so big!"
Anna brought his little hand to Nikolas's and said, "This is your father. Nikolas, this is your son."
"Is he really my father?" the boy asked.
"My son! My son!" cried Nikolas, squeezing the little fingers. I wish I could see you!
"Are you really my mother?" asked the boy, looking directly at Anna. "But you are a nun."
"Yes. But I am also your mother. It is a long story, and one day, I will explain it all to you." She embraced him tightly.
"Is that really my father?"
"Yes, my child, I am your mother and he is your father."
The boy threw his arms around her and rested his cheek on her chest. She ran her fingers affectionately through his curly blond hair while both smiled. He then looked up at her with longing. Anna lowered her face and her cheek met his. Then she held him in her arms tightly, whispering comforting words to him. Droplets of her tears fell on his face, prompting the little boy to bring his hand to her face and wipe them. They sat there for a long time, as Anna rocked him in her embrace.
"What is your name, my precious one?" asked Anna, looking into the boy's eyes, which reflected her own.
"I am Alexander," replied the child.
"Alexander ... that was my father's name," murmured Nikolas.
There was a pause. Then the boy said:
"My Uncle Stavros tells me that when I grow up I will conquer the world, like
Alexander the Great."
"I am sure you will ... I am sure you will," repeated Anna, smiling and hugging him even tighter.
"I miss him," sighed the boy.
"I miss him too," said Anna. "You know, he is my daddy, and your grandpa, not your uncle."
The boy hugged her tightly. "My grandpa?" He broke loose from the embrace. "Yes, my child, he is."
"Oh, I am so happy!" said the boy, hugging her again.
"Anna ... Anna ... Agape." Anna took Nikolas's hand. He tried to raise his body to a sitting position. "Anna, I want to see you, I want to see my son ... Alexander ... Please take the bandages off."
"But Nikolas, you might not ..."
"Please remove them. Please. I want to see my son and I want to see you again, my love. I want to see the world. I want to see light.
Please."
Alexander was watching all this with his lively keen eyes. "Can I help you remove the bandages," asked the child, moving his hands up and down in excitement. "I want my daddy to see me and I want to see what he looks like without the bandages."