Sixteen-year-old Eric slipped away from his foster family during a camping trip, determined to find his birth mother and uncover the truth about his past. But as he embarked on this journey, he faced hard truths about family, loyalty, and where he truly belonged.
The Johnson family’s car bustled with excited chatter as they drove through winding roads toward the campground. Mila, in her booster seat, giggled and wiggled with excitement. Mr. Johnson glanced at Eric in the rearview mirror, offering a warm smile. Eric tried to return it, but the weight of his secret plans lingered in his chest.
Eric had been part of the Johnsons’ lives since he was twelve, and they had shown him a kind of care he’d never known before. Yet now, with their biological daughter Mila around, he couldn’t shake the fear that he’d become less important.
When they stopped at a gas station for a break, Eric lifted Mila from her seat, holding her small hand as she looked around in wonder. Across the road, an old diner sign caught his eye, stirring an odd sense of familiarity. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a worn photograph—the only relic of his past, featuring a woman he barely remembered. Seeing the diner’s resemblance to the one in the photo, he felt a pull to search for her.
Once they arrived at the campsite, Eric stayed up late by the fire, lost in thought. When everyone was asleep, he quietly packed his things and made his way down the dark path toward the main road. Hours later, he found himself in the dimly lit diner, clutching the photo and nervously approaching an old man behind the counter.
