crowd for Lisa\u2019s familiar face. But she wasn\u2019t there to pick him up.<\/p>\n
\u201cProbably just held up at work,\u201d he thought. He sent her a quick text to let her know he was on his way home but received no reply. After hopping into an Uber, he arrived at his front door an hour later.<\/p>\n
The lights were on in the living room, but Lisa was nowhere to be found. As he made his way to the kitchen, he stopped in shock. On the kitchen table sat a bassinet, and he could see a tiny arm waving aimlessly.<\/p>\n
He stepped closer. A baby was in the bassinet! The child looked back at him with that wide-eyed astonishment only babies have, and Kyle stared back, equally astonished.<\/p>\n
Then he noticed a folded piece of paper next to the bassinet. He picked it up and unfolded it, revealing another note in unfamiliar handwriting: \u201cYou had your fun; now take responsibility for your child.\u201d<\/p>\n
Next to it was a note in Lisa\u2019s elegant script:<\/p>\n
\u201cKyle, yesterday I found this child on our doorstep with that note attached. I always suspected you cheated on me during your business trips, but I didn\u2019t hold a grudge\u2014after all, I had my own flings while you were away. But saddling me with someone else\u2019s child is too much. I\u2019ve filed for divorce and sincerely hope I never see you again.<\/p>\n
\u201cP.S. I only left when I saw you walk up the drive. Enjoy your life, Kyle; I certainly intend to enjoy mine.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kyle sat down, burying his head in his hands. He couldn\u2019t believe this was happening. This child wasn\u2019t his; he had never cheated on Lisa! A soft cooing sound made him look up.<\/p>\n
The baby was waving her tiny hand in the air, so Kyle brought his own hand closer. To his surprise, the child grasped his index finger with surprising strength.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, baby,\u201d Kyle said, \u201cI guess it\u2019s just the two of us now, and I have no idea what to do with you!\u201d<\/p>\n
The baby cooed and gurgled, then scrunched up her face and turned bright red. \u201cOh my God!\u201d Kyle exclaimed. \u201cWhat\u2019s happening?\u201d A certain smell quickly clarified the situation.<\/p>\n
Yep, it was diaper time. But did he even have a diaper? On the floor next to the table was a large backpack with several snap pockets he didn\u2019t recognize. Inside, he found a bewildering assortment of items, including diapers.<\/p>\n
He quickly googled how to change a diaper and followed a YouTube tutorial demonstrating the process on a lifelike doll.<\/p>\n
Kyle tried to follow the instructions, but things didn\u2019t go smoothly. The doll didn\u2019t kick or squirm like a real baby! After cleaning the baby up, he realized she was a girl, and he didn\u2019t know anything about girls!<\/p>\n
\u201cI won\u2019t be giving you dating advice,\u201d he told her seriously. \u201cBut I can teach you how to ride a bike.\u201d<\/p>\n
In that moment, Kyle decided he would keep this baby.<\/p>\n
He picked up the freshly diapered girl and said, \u201cYou need me, and I guess I need you too. So, what do you say, kid?\u201d<\/p>\n
Kyle consulted the YouTube tutorial again to prepare the formula and settled the baby in the crook of his arm for her feeding.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou need a name, you know. How about\u2026 Celeste? Do you like that? Or Lily\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
If anyone had told Kyle that he would adapt to fatherhood so easily, he would have never believed it. Lily had her moments and tantrums, but somehow everything fell into place.<\/p>\n
Kyle registered Lily as his child and enrolled her in daycare. For him, her birthday was the day he found her. But it was on Lily\u2019s second birthday that Kyle\u2019s world came crashing down.<\/p>\n
A woman knocked on his door. \u201cI\u2019ve come for my baby,\u201d she said. Kyle stared at her. She was tall, blonde, and thin, with exaggerated features that looked like the work of a plastic surgeon.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour what?\u201d Kyle asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy baby,\u201d she snapped. \u201cI left her here two years ago. Sorry about that, but I was a bit stoned, and my boyfriend lives on the next block over, and I got confused. You know how it is!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSorry, I don\u2019t know how that is because I\u2019ve never abandoned a child on anyone\u2019s doorstep,\u201d Kyle replied coldly. \u201cYou should leave, or I\u2019ll call the police.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNow look here,\u201d the woman said sharply. \u201cI figured I made a mistake about a week later when Burt didn\u2019t take my calls, but now I need that baby!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou need her?\u201d Kyle asked angrily. \u201cWhat do you need her for?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBurt just got a Major League contract,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd that baby\u2019s going to make sure some of those millions land in my bank account!\u201d<\/p>\n
Kyle kicked her out, but he had a feeling he hadn\u2019t seen the last of her. He was right. A week later, he was summoned to family court. A Miss Cherish Vegas was contesting his adoption of Lily.<\/p>\n
Suddenly, Kyle was inundated with injunctions, social services visits at odd hours, and questioning from friends and coworkers. Cherish was determined to get her hands on those millions!<\/p>\n
Finally, the day of the hearing arrived. Kyle nervously handed Lily over to the social worker for the duration of the hearing and walked in. Cherish was there, of course, along with a tall man with Lily\u2019s blue eyes\u2014Burt!<\/p>\n
Cherish cried and sniveled, telling the judge how much she loved and missed her baby, and how her wild college days (now long past and deeply regretted) had led her to place Lily in Kyle\u2019s care.<\/p>\n
The judge looked down at the papers in front of her. \u201cBy \u2018in his care,\u2019 you mean on his porch, isn\u2019t that right, Miss Vegas?\u201d the judge asked.<\/p>\n
Cherish flushed red. \u201cWell, I\u2019m still her mama! No one can deny that!\u201d she screamed.<\/p>\n
The judge turned to Burt. \u201cYou, sir, are you the father?\u201d<\/p>\n
Burt stood up and said, \u201cI guess I must be\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
The judge fixed him with a stern gaze. \u201cAre you prepared and able to take on the parental responsibilities for this child?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cherish screamed, \u201cYou bet he is, judge! He just signed a three-million-dollar contract to play ball\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh!\u201d cried the judge. \u201cFinally, the truth is out! Tell me, Miss Vegas, what name did you give your daughter?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cName?\u201d Cherish asked, confused. \u201cWhy, she\u2019ll have her daddy\u2019s name since he\u2019ll be paying child support!\u201d<\/p>\n
Kyle stood up. \u201cYour honor,\u201d he said, \u201cmay I address the court?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, Mr. Greenbecker,\u201d the judge replied. \u201cPlease do.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMa\u2019am, my daughter\u2019s name is Lily, and she does have her father\u2019s name\u2014mine. Since the moment that child came into my life, I\u2019ve loved her, and she loves me.\u201d<\/p>\n
At that moment, Lily, who had been playing with the social worker\u2019s necklace, noticed Kyle standing up. \u201cDaddy!\u201d she cried, reaching out her arms.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, ladies and gentlemen, it seems the case has been decided by the principal party,\u201d the judge said. \u201cI hereby overturn all claims of custody of the child Lily Greenbecker and confirm Kyle Greenbecker\u2019s custody and adoption.\u201d<\/p>\n
That night, Kyle celebrated his victory in court, and he and Lily spent the evening catching lightning bugs in the garden. \u201cStars!\u201d Lily cried. But for Kyle, the brightest star of all was his little girl.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
crowd for Lisa\u2019s familiar face. But she wasn\u2019t there to pick him up. \u201cProbably just held up at work,\u201d he thought. He sent her a quick text to let her know he was on his way home but received no reply. After hopping into an Uber, he arrived at his front door an hour later….<\/p>\n