When Ellie’s stepdad randomly gives her a newborn baby to babysit, she has no idea who the baby is or where she came from. But when she has to change the baby’s diaper, Ellie finds a name and an address. With the baby in tow, she heads over to the address to uncover the truth about the child and her stepdad.I never expected that a blanket could reveal so much, but as I clutched the soft fabric with a name and address scribbled onto the edge, my world tipped into more uncertainty than I’ve ever experienced before.So far, my life has been a series of surprises—from my father leaving us when I was about three years old to my mother remarrying William,
a man of few words but deep kindness that changed my life.When my mother died, the void left behind was something else. I was in the middle of high school and still navigating my grief.But my stepdad bought me notebooks to write down my feelings and sat with me in silence while we listened to music that we both loved.Through this, we both healed.”We’ll go to Mom’s grave every single week, Ellie,” he promised me one day as we sat and ate noodles in the living room while watching TV.”I didn’t have much before I met your mother, but then I got you, and everything changed. I became a father.”I smiled at him. I remembered the early days when William moved in, his boxes lining the house as my mom tried to make room for him—blending all of our things into one big family.But it was the holidays before I was getting ready to leave for college, and my stepdad walked into the house,
went to the kitchen before heading out.He began making a sandwich, but his entire demeanor was off. His hand shook slightly, and he had a frown on his face.”What’s going on?” I asked, holding the baby tightly—grateful that she was still asleep.”I’ll explain everything when I get home,” he said quietly.He picked up his sandwich and a bottle of juice and ran out to his car.As I held the baby, a chill crept up my spine. Something was profoundly wrong. William didn’t have any family that he kept in contact with, so the thought of the baby belonging to a family member didn’t seem to add up.The baby began to squirm, and I knew that she needed to be changed. So, I took her to my room along with the diaper bag that my stepdad had left at the door.Unwrapping the baby from her blanket, I saw a note attached to the baby’s blanket—the name, Abby, with an address written.The name and address on the blanket felt like a breadcrumb in a dark forest. With my stepdad gone and the baby gazing up at me with innocent eyes, I made a decision—I needed answers.My mind raced with the possibilities of who the baby was.Was there a chance that the baby was William’s? It had been years since my mother had died, and my stepdad hadn’t actually dated anyone since. Or at least, not that I knew of.”You can see other people, it’s okay with me,” I told him one day when we were walking back from my mother’s grave.”Thank you for saying that, Ellie,” he said. “But I don’t think I can. Your mother was the one for me.”For the years leading up to this moment—William had never been with another woman. He did see his friends all the time, getting together for sports and beer, but I had never known him to date.But now, looking at the baby, I wasn’t convinced.I changed the baby while trying to decide what to do next. Abby was innocent in this mix. And I didn’t have an issue taking care of her, but I wasn’t going to be around for much longer.In a split moment, I made a decision. I needed answers. I packed the essentials and with the baby in tow, got a cab—headed to the address from the blanket.The house was modest, the garden unkempt, with an old bicycle lying in the middle. My heart pounded as I rang the bell, each chime echoing my escalating fears. The door opened to a face etched with worry that melted into relief upon seeing her child.”Oh, my little Abby,” she gasped, her arms instinctively reaching out for her baby.Between sobs, she unfolded her tale of loss and desperation.”There was no way out for my husband, Jerry, and I,” she said. “He lost his job, and I don’t have one. The debts just kept getting worse. Giving up Abby was our only chance of survival.””How do you know William?” I asked, uncertain if I wanted to know the truth.