Chapter 22 - The Truth About Tommy
A month after moving into the country house, we took Tommy to Saint Jude's Hospital for his final full comprehensive health evaluation. Dr. Aris personally conducted the bio-metric scans, cellular blood tests, and neurological exams.
I sat anxiously in Dr. Aris's office while Tommy played happily with a set of wooden building blocks on the rug.
Dr. Aris stepped into the office holding a thick green folder, a warm, bright smile on his face.
"Well, Mr. Vance," Dr. Aris said, sitting behind his desk. "I have the complete lab results from the National Institutes of Health."
"Is he fully clear, Doctor?" I asked, leaning forward.
"He's better than clear," Dr. Aris revealed, handing me the lab sheet. "The neutralizing agent we synthesized from the blood samples you saved in your basement server completely neutralized the viral vector. But more remarkably, Tommy's natural immune system has completely metabolized the synthetic sequence."
I looked down at the lab sheet. "What does that mean in simple terms?"
"It means his body naturally rejected the genetic modification," Dr. Aris explained proudly. "He is a healthy, normal, perfectly thriving toddler. There are no remaining artificial cellular markers in his blood. He is just a happy little boy."
Tears of immense relief welled in my eyes. I looked over at Tommy, who looked up at me and held up a red wooden block with a proud grin.
"Dada! Look! Tower!" Tommy squeaked happily.
I dropped to my knees on the rug, wrapping my arms around my little boy and lifting him high into the air as he giggled with pure delight.
"You built a great tower, buddy," I whispered, kissing his cheek. "A great tower."
That afternoon, we drove back to the country estate. The autumn weather was mild and sunny, the red and orange leaves creating a vibrant canopy over the country roads. When we pulled up to the house, Lily was waiting on the front porch with my mother, holding a large drawn banner that read: *WELCOME HOME TOMMY!*
Lily ran down the porch steps, giving Tommy a big hug as he wobbled across the lawn.
"Is Tommy all cured, Dad?" Lily asked, looking up at me with her bright blue eyes.
"He's completely cured, sweetie," I said, putting my arms around both of my children. "We're all safe now."
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My mother walked down the steps, a warm blanket draped over her shoulders, her face radiating serene peace. "It's time for dinner, children. I baked an apple pie from our own orchard."
"Yay! Apple pie!" Lily squealed, taking Tommy's hand and guiding him up the porch steps into the warm, fragrant kitchen.
