A man’s life puzzled when he’s accused of fathering a baby left on his doorstep — costing him his marriage and everything he once knew.
Kyle Greenbecker had dedicated a year of his life to working on an oil pipeline in Alaska, but at last, he was headed back to his loving wife. He and Lisa had crossed paths in high school, and from the moment they married at nineteen, Kyle had never once second-guessed his decision.
Perhaps he was a bit traditional, but Kyle took immense pride in the fact that Lisa was the only woman he had ever been with. He didn’t feel the need for anyone else. The thought that Lisa might ever question his loyalty never crossed his mind— and for good reason.
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As the plane touched down, Kyle grabbed his luggage and joined the other passengers in heading toward the exit, eagerly searching for Lisa’s familiar face in the crowd. But she wasn’t there to greet him.
He figured she must have been delayed at work dealing with an urgent situation. He quickly texted her to let her know he was on his way home, but there was no response. Shrugging it off, he hopped into an Uber, and an hour later, he was standing in front of his house.
The lounge lights were on, yet Lisa was nowhere in sight. Kyle moved toward the kitchen and halted at the doorway, completely taken aback. Sitting atop the kitchen table was a bassinet, and a tiny arm flailed gently in the air.
He stepped closer. A bassinet—with a baby—was sitting on his kitchen table! The infant gazed at Kyle with that wide-eyed, curious expression babies often have, and Kyle, just as dumbfounded, stared right back.
Then, his eyes landed on a folded paper lying beside the bassinet. He reached for it, unfolding it carefully. Inside, another sheet bore a message scrawled in an unfamiliar handwriting: “You had your fun, now take responsibility for your child.”
At the same time, another note—this one written in Lisa’s graceful script—was addressed to him.
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“Kyle, yesterday I found a child left on our doorstep with a note attached. I’ve always suspected you were unfaithful during your business trips, but I never held it against you — after all, I had my own affairs while you were gone. But leaving me with someone else’s child is going too far. I’ve filed for divorce, and I truly hope I never have to see you again.
“P.S. As for the baby, don’t worry. I waited until I saw you walking up the driveway before I left. Enjoy your life, Kyle — I know I plan to enjoy mine.”
Kyle sank into a chair, burying his face in his hands. This couldn’t be real. There was no way this child was his—he had never been unfaithful to Lisa! A soft coo pulled him from his thoughts.
Lifting his head, he saw the baby waving its tiny hand in the air. Hesitantly, Kyle extended his own hand, and to his astonishment, the infant latched onto his index finger with an unexpectedly firm grip.
“Well, kid,” Kyle muttered, “it looks like it’s just the two of us… and I have no clue what to do with you.”
The baby cooed again before letting out a bubbly gurgle. Then, its face scrunched up in a way that made Kyle uneasy—turning an alarming shade of red.
“Oh no,” Kyle exclaimed. “What’s happening?!”
A sudden, unmistakable odor gave him the answer.
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Yep, it was time for a diaper change. But was there even a diaper? Next to the table sat a large backpack with several snap pockets, none of which Kyle recognized. He opened it to find a confusing assortment of items— and, of course, the diapers.
In a panic, he quickly Googled how to change a diaper and followed a YouTube tutorial, where a woman demonstrated the process on a realistic-looking doll.
Kyle tried to mimic her steps, but things didn’t go as planned. The doll didn’t squirm or kick its heels into the messy, unpleasant contents of the soiled diaper! After cleaning the baby up, Kyle realized it was a girl — and he had absolutely no clue how to care for a girl!
“I’m not about to give you dating tips,” he said to the baby with a serious look. “But I can teach you how to ride a bike.”
In that instant, Kyle understood something important — he was going to keep this baby.
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He gently lifted the freshly diapered baby and said, “You need me, and I guess I need you too. So, what do you think, kid?”
Kyle turned to the YouTube baby-guru once more to learn how to prepare the formula, then carefully cradled the baby in the crook of his arm to feed her.
“You need a name, don’t you? How about… Celeste? Do you like that? Or maybe Lily…”
If anyone had told Kyle he would embrace fatherhood so naturally, he would have dismissed it as impossible. Yet, here he was. Lily had her fair share of tantrums and restless days, but somehow, they always found their rhythm.
Kyle officially registered Lily as his daughter and signed her up for daycare. In his heart, her birthday would always be the day she arrived in his life.
But on Lily’s second birthday, everything fell apart.
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A woman knocked on the door. “I’m here for my baby,” she said. Kyle just stared at her. She was tall, blonde, and slim, with large breasts that clearly looked like the result of a surgeon’s skill.
“Your what?” Kyle asked, still trying to process.
“My baby,” she snapped, her tone defensive. “I left her here two years ago. Sorry about that, but I was a little out of it, and my boyfriend lives just down the block. I got confused. You know how it goes!”
Kyle’s expression hardened. “Sorry, I don’t know how that is. I’ve never left a child on someone’s doorstep,” he replied coldly. “I’d suggest you leave now, or I’ll be calling the police.”
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“Now, listen,” the woman said sharply. “I realized I messed up about a week later when Burt stopped answering my calls, but now I need that baby back!”
“You need her?” Kyle shot back, anger rising. “What do you need her for?”
“Burt just signed a Major League contract,” the woman explained. “And that baby’s gonna help make sure some of those millions end up in my bank account!”
Kyle didn’t hesitate to send her away, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that this wouldn’t be the last time he’d hear from her. He was right. A week later, he found himself summoned to family court. A Miss Cherish Vegas was contesting his adoption of baby Lily.
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Out of nowhere, Kyle found himself buried under legal injunctions, surprise visits from Social Services at all hours, and relentless questioning of his friends and colleagues. Cherish was determined to get her hands on that fortune—no matter the cost.
At last, the day of the hearing arrived. With a nervous sigh, Kyle handed Lily over to the social worker for safekeeping and stepped into the courtroom.
Cherish was already there, naturally. But standing beside her was a tall man with the same striking blue eyes as Lily. Kyle’s stomach dropped—this had to be the infamous Burt.
Cherish sobbed dramatically, wiping away fake tears as she told the judge how much she loved and missed her baby. She went on about how her wild college days—now long behind her and filled with regret—had led her to leave the child in Kyle’s care.
The judge glanced at the papers in front of her, then looked up, her voice stern. “By ‘in his care,’ you mean ‘on his porch,’ isn’t that right, Miss Vegas?” she asked pointedly.
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Cherish’s face turned crimson. “Well, I’m still her mama! No one can take that away from me!” she shrieked.
The judge shifted his gaze to Burt. “Sir, are you the father?”
Burt slowly got to his feet, rubbing the back of his neck. “I guess I must be…” he mumbled.
The judge’s sharp eyes locked onto him. “Are you willing and capable of assuming full parental responsibility for this child?”
Before Burt could respond, Cherish blurted out, “Of course he is, Your Honor! He just signed a three-million-dollar contract to play ball!”
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“Oh!” the judge exclaimed, her voice rising with a mix of disbelief and sarcasm. “Finally, the truth comes out! Tell me, Miss Vegas, what name did you give your daughter?”
“Name?” Cherish replied, caught off guard. “Well, she’ll have her daddy’s name, of course, since he’ll be paying child support!”
Kyle stood up, his voice steady but firm. “Your Honor,” he said, “may I address the court?”
“Yes, Mr. Greenbecker,” the judge responded, giving him a nod. “Please do.”
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Kyle took a steady breath and looked directly at Cherish. “Ma’am, my daughter’s name is Lily, and she already has her father’s name—mine. From the moment she came into my life, I have loved her, and she loves me.”
Just then, Lily, who had been happily playing with the social worker’s necklace, suddenly noticed Kyle standing. Her little face lit up. “Daddy!” she called out, stretching her arms toward him.
“Well, ladies and gentlemen,” the judge said, her tone firm and final, “it seems the case has been decided by the principal party. I hereby dismiss all claims for custody of Lily Greenbecker and affirm Kyle Greenbecker’s custody and adoption.”
That evening, Kyle celebrated his victory, spending the night with Lily as they chased lightning bugs in the garden. “Stars!” Lily cried with delight. But for Kyle, the brightest star of all was his little girl.
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