The Single Dad

ing her toward my chest. "Wha

e baby." She nodded toward my arms. "She wrapped her arms around our daug

ok as I tried to process what I w

to her." The tears started to well in her eyes. "You'll be so much better than me." She placed the bag on

. "Let's go inside and talk about this

stopping me from coming closer. "Either you take her or I'm calling the social worker in the morning." With her other

of her that resembled me. The eyes? Nose? I couldn't think; I couldn't even breathe. "It's the middle of the night; you woke me out of a dead sleep. You're leaving me with a ba

nto the bed in my guest room, giving her the sleep she needed. I would call a

rsuasive enough that I could convince her we could somehow do this-together. So far, it seemed

looking at th

impossible to get any sleep. You're

t together, the material too small on her to close. "I know exactl

to wipe the newest tears. "I failed you ... I'm sorry." Her voice wasn't

ed toward the gate. "You're her mother. You can't just hand her to me

fied. "You're her

een us, but at the same time, she was moving in the opposite dire

rights; formula, bottles, and diapers. Notes for what you need for her and when to feed her." She turned

of the gate, a

u

e

ughts, she started to stir. I instantly f

h

going

he h

need to b

the bab

ut the reason she was crying-I'd never been ar

much l

k through the hedges for a flash o

arms, hoping the movement would help, establ

idn't

each sway filling my

y. But the longer I stood here, expecting Rebecca to round the

I going

lips, so miniscule, were curled, showing her bare gu

it is and wake your grandma up and have her come over here, I need to somehow care for you." I continued to look at

r the answe

I was actually holding and w

y life was now going to look like versus t

w how long I

oz

ld go through the bag and see if there was something in there that could

weren't

ason ... I

started to bend until they hit the pavement, the s