“Okay,” she said. “Let’s start with the obvious. Why is there a baby in our bed?”
Eric sighed, heavy with something more than sleep. “He was left on our doorstep a few days ago.”
“I panicked,” he said. “I didn’t want to call the police right away. He was crying, and cold… I couldn’t just leave him there.”
“So you kept him?” Vanessa stared, stunned. “You didn’t think to tell me? Not even a message?”
“I meant to. I really did. But then he needed formula, diapers… I got overwhelmed.”
Vanessa shook her head, unsure whether to scream or sit down. She chose neither. Instead, she followed Eric back to the bedroom. Despite everything, the weight of the day pulled her under, and eventually, she drifted into a restless sleep beside her husband—and a baby she’d never seen before.
The Next Morning Brings More Questions Than Answers
Vanessa awoke to voices. Soft, urgent, and unfamiliar.
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