He fell asleep anyway. He trusted me, even when I didn’t trust myself. I wasn’t ready to be a parent, but I stayed. I chose them every single day.
Eleven years of soccer practices, flu shots, and saving every penny went by.
Then, he showed up.
I wasn’t ready to be a parent.
He was standing on my doorstep like a ghost of the man I remembered.
He said my name like he still had the right to speak it.
“Cade, I’m their father. I want to explain. Your mom made me promise…”
He held out an envelope. It was thick, sealed with yellowed tape, old.
I took it in shaking hands, but I didn’t open it right away.
I didn’t want him in my house, but I didn’t want the neighbors seeing him either, so I stepped aside to let him in.
He held out an envelope.
I didn’t invite him to sit down. He stood awkwardly in the center of the living room, his eyes darting toward the photos of the boys decorating the walls.
“They look… good,” he muttered.
“What’s in the envelope?”
His jaw tightened. “You should just read it.”
I broke the yellowed tape carefully.
Inside were several official-looking documents and a letter. I recognized Mom’s handwriting instantly.
“You should just read it.”
James,
I’m going to get straight to the point: I’m sick, and I don’t think I’m going to make it.
You walked away from us, but the triplets will have to go to you after I’m gone. You’ll need to take care of them. Cade is too young, and there’s nobody else.
I’ve put the money I inherited from my grandmother into a trust for the triplets. The papers are all here. It can only be accessed by their legal guardian, and only for their care and future. This should make it easier for you.
You’ll need to take care of them.
Promise me you’ll do right by them. They’re your children, and they will have nowhere else to go.
Please, take care of our children.
I folded the letter slowly.
“She knew the only way you would even consider taking them in was if there was money involved. And even then, you didn’t want them.”
He flinched, his eyes dropping to the floor.
“That’s not—”
“It is,” I snapped.
Promise me you’ll do right by them.
“She literally tried to bribe you to be a father, and you still couldn’t do it. So don’t lie to me now. Not in this house.”
He exhaled and rubbed his face with his hands. “I tried to do better, Cade. It just… it took me longer than it should have to get my life together.”
“Eleven years?” I asked.
“It took you 11 years to find your way back? Why now?”
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