His marriage and lifestyle are destroyed when he is suspected of fathering a kid abandoned on his doorstep.
After a year building an Alaskan oil pipeline, Kyle Greenbecker was returning home to his beautiful wife. Kyle never regretted marrying Lisa at nineteen after meeting her in high school.
Maybe he was old-fashioned, but Kyle was proud that Lisa was his lone intimate partner. He didn’t want or need anyone else. He never thought Lisa would doubt him, and rightly so.
Kyle grabbed his luggage and left with the other passengers, searching the crowd for Lisa’s face, but she wasn’t there.
Kyle assumed she was delayed at work by an emergency. He quickly texted her that he was going home but got no response. He took an Uber and arrived at his door in an hour.
Lisa was absent from the lounge despite the lighting. He arrived at the kitchen and froze in the doorway. Kyle saw a little arm swinging aimlessly on a bassinet on the kitchen table.
He approached. A baby was in a bassinet on his kitchen table! The baby looked at Kyle with that amazed gaze, and Kyle looked back.
He noticed a folded paper on the bassinet table. It was lifted up and unfolded. Another sheet of paper in an unfamiliar handwriting said, “You had your fun, now take responsibility for your child.”
He received Lisa’s elegant scripted note:
Kyle, I found this child on our porch with that note yesterday. I always thought you cheated on me during business trips, but I didn’t bear a grudge—I had plenty of flings while you were away—but saddling me with someone else’s child is too much. I’ve filed for divorce and want to never see you again.
I only left when I saw you walk up the drive, so don’t worry about the baby. I’ll enjoy my life, Kyle.
Kyle sat with his head in his hands. This was unbelievable to him. This child wasn’t his—he’d never strayed on Lisa! A quiet cooing made him look up.
Kyle brought his hand closer and was surprised when the infant clutched his index finger with tremendous strength.
“Well, baby,” Kyle said. “I guess it’s just us two, and I don’t know what to do with you!”
The infant cooed and gurgled again, then grew strangely crimson and scrunched up his face. “Oh my God!” exclaimed Kyle. “What’s up?” He understood fast from a whiff.
It was diaper time. Was there a diaper? He saw a huge bag with zip pockets on the floor next to the table for the first time. Kyle found diapers and a confusing assortment inside.
He promptly googled diaper changing and watched a woman on YouTube change a doll’s diaper.
Kyle followed her directions, but things went poorly. The woman’s lifelike doll didn’t move its legs or kick in the foul diaper! Kyle discovered the baby was a female after cleaning it clean, and he knew nothing about girls!
“I won’t be giving you dating advice,” he seriously told the baby. “But I can teach you bike riding.”
Kyle understood he wanted to keep the baby then.
He grabbed the diapered infant and whispered, “You need me, and I guess I need you too.” How about it, kid?
Kyle asked the YouTube baby-guru to prepare the formula again and held the baby for her meal.
“Do you know you need a name? How about Celeste? Like that? Or Lily…
Kyle would never have expected that he would adjust to fatherhood so well. Lily had tantrums and moments, but it worked out.
Kyle registered Lily as his child and in daycare. He celebrated her birthday on the day he found her. Kyle’s world collapsed on Lily’s second birthday.
Women knocked on her door. “I’ve come for my baby,” she said. Kyle stared at her. Her tall, blonde, skinny body and enormous breasts were clearly plastic surgery.
“Your what?” Kyle asks.
A true parent loves and appreciates their child.
“My baby,” she said. “I left her here two years ago? Sorry, but I was stoned and my lover lives next block, so I got confused. You understand!”
Kyle answered, “Sorry, I don’t know how that is because I’ve never abandoned a child on anyone’s doorstep,” coldly. “I’d move if I were you, or I’d call the police.”
“Now look here,” she replied angrily. “I realized I made a mistake a week later when Burt didn’t answer my calls, but now I need that baby!”
“You need her?” Kyle raged. “Why do you need her?”
“Burt just got himself a Major League contract,” she remarked. “And that baby’s gone guarantee some of those millions in my bank account!”
The woman fled, but Kyle suspected she would return. He was right. He appeared in family court a week later. Miss Cherish Vegas challenged his adoption of Lily.
Kyle was bombarded with injunctions, Social Services visits at unusual hours, and questions from friends and coworkers. Cherish really wanted those millions!
Finally, hearing day arrived. Kyle hesitantly handed Lily to the social worker for the hearing and entered. Of course Cherish was there, and a tall man with Lily’s blue eyes stood on her side of the court. This must be Burt!
Cherish cried and sniveled as she told the judge how much she loved and missed her baby and how her wild college days (now regrettable) led her to place her in Kyle’s care.
The judge looked down at her papers. In his care, you mean on his porch, correct, Miss Vegas? asked the judge.
Cherish reddened. I’m still her mother! “No one can deny that!” she said.
The judge regarded Burt. “You sir, you are father?”
Burt stood up and remarked, “I guess I must be…”
He was glared at by the judge. “Are you ready to raise this child?”
Cherish said, “He just signed a three million dollar contract to play ball���”
“Oh!” exclaimed the judge. “At last, the truth! Miss Vegas, what did you name your daughter?
Cherish asked, confused, “Name?” “She’ll have her dad’s name since he’ll pay child support!”
Kyle rose. “Your honor,” he said. “May I address the court?”
“Yes, Mr. Greenbecker,” responded the judge. “Please.”
Lily is my daughter, Ma’am. Since that child entered my life, I’ve adored her, and she loves me.”
Lily observed Kyle rising up while playing with the social worker’s jewelry. She shouted “Daddy!” and spread her arms.
“Well, ladies and gentlemen, it seems to me that the case has been decided by the principal party,” the judge stated. I reverse all custody claims of Lily Grennbecker and confirm Kyle Greenbecker’s adoption.
Kyle and Lily spent the night hunting lightning bugs in the garden after his court victory. “Stars!” Lily said. Kyle thought his daughter was the brightest star.
What can this story teach us?
A true parent loves and appreciates their child. Kyle adored and cared for Lily like his own.
A ruthless mother exploits everyone, including her child. Cherish wanted Burt’s money, not Lily.
Tell your friends about this. It may inspire and cheer them up.
This tale about a father who educated his kid to be the best husband might interest you.
A professional writer wrote this narrative based on our reader’s. Similarities to real names or places are unintentional. All photos are for illustration only. Tell us your story—it could alter someone’s life. Please email [email protected] with your tale.
