Page 5 of His Long-Lost Baby

Monica comes over and puts her hands on my shoulders. “How about we pause and get a cup of coffee first? Maybe open it at the coffee shop?”

My fingers loosen around the phone, and I let out a long breath. “Okay. Let’s go.”

As soon as we step out of the office, the bright sunlight hits my face, momentarily blinding me. I squint and take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. Monica places a comforting hand on my back and leads me towards the coffee shop across the street.

Once we’re inside, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee fills my nostrils, and I take in the cozy atmosphere of the place. There are a few people chatting over lattes, and some others typing away on their laptops. It’s comforting being in here, surrounded by all the plants and the colorful artwork.

We order our usual drinks and take a seat by the window, where I stare apprehensively at my phone, wondering what the results will reveal. My heart races with anticipation as I take a sip of my coffee, trying to calm my nerves.

Monica notices my hesitance and smiles gently. “It’s going to be okay, Billie. Whatever the results say, we’ll deal with it together.”

I nod slowly. We sit in silence for a few moments, sipping our drinks and watching the bustling city outside.

“I keep thinking about… everything.” I shake my head.

“Which part of everything?” She gathers her thick, curly hair into a bun and secures it with a tie.

I stare at my jeans. “Finding out I couldn’t have kids. Kevin leaving…”

She makes a disgusted noise. “Kevin.” She sighs his name like it’s a disease, and that makes me laugh.

Monica never even met Kevin, but I’m not surprised by her response. He left me when we were halfway through the adoption process, saying that he “just wasn’t ready” to have a family.

To say that crushed me would be an understatement.

I recovered, though. And I moved forward, applying for adoption alone and jumping on the first opportunity that came my way — a three-month-old baby girl.

The second I brought Quinn home, everything changed. She became my whole world. Since then, my number-one focus has been her.

I haven’t even been on a date in the last six years.

That’s not to say I don’t long for a relationship. Of course I do. I’m human.

It’s just that Quinn takes up all my time and energy.

I can’t help but feel a pang of envy at the couples sitting around us. They look so happy and carefree. I wonder what it would be like to have someone to share the burden with, someone to hold me when the weight of the world gets too heavy.

But then I shake my head, banishing those thoughts. I don’t have the luxury of indulging in those feelings.

I can feel the tension building up inside me. I keep glancing at my phone, the notification still unopened. Finally, I can’t take it anymore.

“I’m going to do it,” I say.

Monica nods in understanding, and I swipe the screen to open the app.

The home page lights up.

“What does it say?” Monica asks eagerly as I open the medical dispositions tab.

“It says…” My heart drops. “Not much. That she might be lactose intolerant.”

“What?” Monica shakes her head. “Can I see?”

She takes my phone and goes through the app. Meanwhile, it feels like my stomach is on the floor.

Finally, Monica looks up at me. “Billie, there’s something else here.”

My heart is racing even faster now. “What? What is it?”