115 Revelations and Reckonings

"Carl is your son, Damon," Matthew stated. Damon's world seemed to spin as the words registered in his mind. His son? Carl? The little boy he had seen, the one he had dismissed as a mere acquaintance of Matthew's? It felt as though the ground had shifted beneath him, leaving him grasping for stability in the midst of the revelation. "My son? How... how is that possible?" Damon stammered, his voice laced with shock and confusion. Matthew placed a reassuring hand on Damon's shoulder, his expression filled with a mixture of empathy and understanding. "I know this is a lot to take in, Damon. But please, take a moment to collect yourself," he urged gently. "Sit down, breathe." Damon sank into the nearest chair, his mind racing with a whirlwind of emotions. The realization that he had a son—a child he had never known about—sent a surge of conflicting feelings coursing through him. "How... how long have you known?" Damon asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Matthew sighed heavily, h