Page 6 of Worthy of Sunsets and Second Chances

Eli—

I know that you are not expecting this . . . I wasn’t either. Motherhood is not something I have ever wanted, or ever felt I was meant for. But when I saw the positive test, I knew she was meant for more. You are a good man, and I know you will be a good father. The time we had together was brief, but you were kind to me, and I know without a doubt that she is yours. This is me placing her in your full care, forever, knowing you will do right by her.

Eli Hargrove, your daughter was born today, July 21st, at 7 a.m. in a hotel in Norfolk without any complications.

Please don’t look for me. Tell her I loved her enough to let you love her for the both of us.

Skylar Marks

I feel all the blood drain out of my face. The words from the letter seem like they came from outside of this hallway, echoed and out of reach. I think I am going to pass out. Hands are on me, and I know that Rem and I are not alone. The whole fire station crew is here, guiding me to the living room space and helping me to sit down. I am planted into an oversized La-Z-Boy chair, a rocker . . . fitting since I’m still holding a baby.

A baby.

Fuck.

My baby.

My daughter.

I look down at the tiny thing in my arms again and my heart pounds. She is stirring in her sleep now, starting to fuss. Probably frightened by all this commotion, the trauma of her whirlwind of a day, and now waking up in the arms of a man that’s unknown to her. A sad, tiny cry penetrates the room, and I think my heart is going to fucking break. I have heard plenty of babies cry, but this feels totally different.

“Here.” Matt Ryder hands me one of the small, premixed formula bottles we always have on hand. “She’s probably hungry,” the seasoned father instructs.

I take the tiny bottle with thanks and gently slip it past her quivering lips. She instantly starts to suck, gulping greedily, making us all chuckle.

“She’s definitely got your appetite,” Rem jokes.

“Holy shit,” I say, looking back down at her. “What do I do now?”

“DNA test,” Ryder says.

5

Kendra

“We’ll meet you at the hospital.” Lainey hangs up her phone, and I am about ready to jump out of my skin.

“Girl, what the—” She holds up a hand, cutting me off.

“A baby girl was placed into the Safe Haven box,” Lainey says.

“Oh my God, is she okay?” Sutton asks.

“As far as they can tell, she is perfectly healthy. But, per protocols and all that, they have to take her up to the hospital,” Lainey says.

“Then they will have to place her into a foster home.” Sutton frowns.

“Probably not.” Lainey glances at me. “There was a letter left with the baby. It says that—it says that she’s Eli’s.”

His baby.

His baby.

His baby.

The news echoes around my heart painfully. I try to not let it show on my face how devastated I feel on the inside. Do I even have a right to feel anything at all? I don’t mean anything to Eli . . . He doesn’t think about me the way I think about him.

This shouldn’t even matter.