Bear
Looking at the clock Mohinder noticed it was past midnight. He got up and turned off the TV wondering where Gabriel had gotten to. His mother and Noah were already in bed but Gabriel wouldn’t have gone without him.
Mohinder turned off the living room lights and glanced into the kitchen and the dining room before heading upstairs. As he passed Noah’s room he saw the door ajar, and Gabriel sitting on the end of his bed holding a teddy bear. It had been Mohinder’s when he was a baby and his mother had brought it with her to pass on to Noah.
Gabriel looked up and managed a small smile when Mohinder walked into the room and sat on the floor in front of him. “It was thoughtful of your mother to bring this, Noah loves it.”
Mohinder tipped his head. “Then what’s wrong?”
Gabriel sighed, “I was just thinking that….I don’t have anything like this that I could give to him. I don’t even have a photo of myself when I was younger, or of my parents.”
Mohinder sat up on his knees and took Gabriel’s hands in his. “The important thing is what you’ve given him since he was born. Love, devotion, stability. You’re a wonderful father to him, he adores you.” Gabriel smiled and stroked a hand through Mohinder’s hair. “And it looks as if you’ve given him the gift of telekinesis too! I can’t compete with that!”
“What if he doesn’t want it? What if it scares him? This is going to get difficult for him, he’s already noticed that he’s the only kid in his class with two dads, how’s he going to feel when he has to contend with his ability?”
“He’ll be fine, because he’s strong, confident and resilient. He gets that from you too.”
Gabriel leaned down and kissed Mohinder’s forehead. “I sure hope he gets your compassion, you always know the right thing to say.” He stood and put out a hand to Mohinder. “Come on, let’s go to bed.” Gabriel put the bear under Noah’s arm and kissed his head. “By the way…does the bear have a name.”
“His name is Berra.”
“Why?”
“I was a very straightforward child, it basically just means bear.”
Gabriel smiled as he led him to their bedroom. “Cute. Come on, let’s get you something to cuddle now.”