A man is accused of being the father of a baby abandoned on his doorstep and it costs him his marriage and his way of life.
Kyle Greenbecker had spent a year working on an oil pipeline in Alaska, but finally, he was on his way home to his beautiful wife. He and Lisa met in high school, and Kyle had never regretted marrying her at nineteen.
Maybe he was old-fashioned, but Kyle was proud that Lisa was the only woman he’d been intimate with in his life. He didn’t need and didn’t want anyone else. It never occurred to him that Lisa would ever doubt him — and with good reason.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
When his plane landed, Kyle collected his luggage and walked out with the other passengers, scanning the crowd for Lisa’s beloved face, but she wasn’t there to pick him up.
Probably, Kyle thought, she’d been held up at work with some emergency. He sent her a quick text telling her he was on his way home but got no reply. He hopped into an Uber and in an hour he was walking up to his front door.
The lights were on in the lounge, but Lisa wasn’t there. He made his way to the kitchen and stopped in the doorway, stunned. Resting on top of the kitchen table was a bassinet, and Kyle could see a small arm waving aimlessly.
He took a step closer. There was a bassinet with a baby on his kitchen table! The child was looking back at Kyle with that astonished look babies have, and Kyle stared back just as astonished.
Then he saw a folded paper on the table next to the bassinet. He picked it up and unfolded it. Inside was another sheet of paper with a message in a handwriting he didn’t recognize: “You had your fun, now take responsibility for your child.”
Meanwhile, the note addressed to him in Lisa’s elegant script read:
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
“Kyle, yesterday I found this child on our doorstep with that note attached. I always suspected you cheated on me during your business trips, but I didn’t hold a grudge on you for that — after all, I had plenty of flings while you were away — but saddling me with someone else’s byblow is too much. I’ve filed for a divorce, and I earnestly hope I will never see you again.
“P.S. And about the baby, don’t worry, I only left when I saw you walk up the drive. Enjoy your life, Kyle, I certainly intend to enjoy mine.”
Kyle sat down and dropped his head in his hands. He couldn’t believe this was happening to him. This child wasn’t his, he’d never cheated on Lisa, ever! A soft cooing sound made him raise his head.
The baby was waving its little hand in the air, so Kyle brought his own hand closer and to his surprise, the child grabbed onto his index finger with incredible strength.
“Well, baby,” Kyle said. “I guess it’s just us two, and I don’t know what to do with you!”
The baby cooed again and gurgled, then screwed up his face in an alarming way and turned bright red. “Oh my God!” cried Kyle. “What’s happening?” A certain smell quickly elucidated him.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
Yep, it was diaper time. But was there even a diaper? On the floor next to the table was a large backpack with several snap pockets that he’d never seen before. Kyle found a bewildering array of items inside and the diapers.
He quickly googled diaper change and watched carefully as a woman on YouTube demonstrated on a life-like doll how to change a diaper.
Kyle started following her instructions but things didn’t run that smoothly. The woman’s life-like doll didn’t move its legs, or sink its kicking heels in the stinking and unmentionable contents of the dirty diaper! After wiping the baby clean, Kyle realized it was a girl, and he didn’t know anything about girls!
“I won’t be giving you dating advice,” he told the baby solemnly. “But I can teach you how to ride a bike.”
Kyle realized in that moment that he intended to keep this baby.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
He picked up the freshly diapered baby and said, “You need me, and I guess I need you too. So how about it, kid?”
Kyle once again consulted the YouTube baby-guru to prepare the formula and settled the baby in the crook of his arm for her feed.
“You need a name, you know that? How about… Celeste? Do you like that? Or Lily…”
If anyone had told Kyle that he would settle into fatherhood so easily and so smoothly he would never have believed it. Lily had her moments and her tantrums, but somehow things worked out.
Kyle registered Lily as his child and enrolled her in daycare. For him, her birthday was on the day he’d found her. But it was on Lily’s second birthday that Kyle’s world fell apart.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
A woman knocked on her door. “I’ve come for my baby,” she said. Kyle just looked at her. She was tall, blonde, and thin, with huge breasts that were obviously a product of a plastic surgeon’s art.
“Your what?” Kyle asked.
A real parent is the one who loves and cherishes the child.
“My baby,” she snapped. “I left her here two years ago? Sorry about that, but I was a bit stoned and my boyfriend lives on the next block over and I got confused. You know how it is!”
“Sorry, I don’t know how that is because I’ve never abandoned a child on anyone’s doorstep,” Kyle said coldly. “I’d get a move on if I were you, or I’ll call the police.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
“Now look here,” the woman said sharply. “I figured I made a mistake about a week later when Burt didn’t take my calls, but now I need that baby!”
“You need her?” asked Kyle angrily. “What do you need her for?”
“Burt just got himself a Major League contract,” the woman said. “And that baby’s gone make sure some of those millions land in my bank account!”
Kyle ran the woman off, but he had a feeling he hadn’t seen the last of her. He was right. A week later he was summoned to family court. A Miss Cherish Vegas was contesting his adoption of baby Lily.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
Suddenly, Kyle was showered with injunctions, was visited by Social Services at odd hours of the day or night, and his friends and co-workers were being questioned. Cherish really meant to get her hands on those millions!
Finally, the day of the hearing arrived. Kyle nervously handed over Lily to the social worker for the duration of the hearing and walked in. Cherish was there, of course, and a tall man with Lily’s blue eyes was on her side of the court. This could only be the famous Burt!
Cherish cried and sniveled and told the judge how much she loved and missed her baby, and how her wild college days (now long past and deeply regretted) had led her to place her in Kyle’s care.
The judge looked down at the papers in front of her. “By in his care, you mean on his porch, isn’t that right, Miss Vegas?” asked the judge.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Cherish flushed red. “Well, I’m still her mama! No one can deny that!” she screamed.
The judge looked at Burt. “You sir, you are the father?”
Burt lumbered to his feet and said, “I guess I must be…”
The judge fixed him with a flinty eye. “Are you prepared and able to take on the parental responsibilities for this child?”
Cherish screamed, “You bet he is, judge, he just signed a three million dollar contract to play ball…”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
“Oh!” cried the judge. “Finally, the truth is out! Tell me, Miss Vegas, what name did you give your daughter?”
“Name?” asked Cherish, confused. “Why, she’ll have her daddy’s name., since he’ll be paying child support!”
Kyle stood up. “Your honor,” he said. “May I address the court?”
“Yes, Mr. Greenbecker,” said the judge. “Please do.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
“Ma’am, my daughter’s name is Lily, and she does have her father’s name — mine. Since the moment that child came into my life I’ve loved her, and she loves me.”
At that moment, Lily, who had been playing with the social worker’s necklace noticed that Kyle was standing up. “Daddy!” she cried and stretched out her arms.
“Well, ladies and gentlemen, it seems to me that the case has been decided by the principal party,” the judge said. “I hereby overturn all claims of custody of the child Lily Grennbecker and confirm Kyle Greenbecker’s custody and adoption.
That night, Kyle celebrated his victory in court and he and Lily spent the evening catching lightning bugs in the garden. “Stars!” cried Lily. But for Kyle, the brightest star of all was his little girl.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
What can we learn from this story?
- A real parent is one who loves and cherishes the child. Kyle took care of Lily and loved her as if she were his own.
- A heartless woman will use anyone, even her child, for profit. Cherish didn’t want Lily, she just wanted Burt’s money.
Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.
If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a man who taught his son how to be the best husband in the world.
This account is inspired by our reader’s story and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life.
Woman Gives Candy on Halloween to Little Girl Wearing the Same Kind of Dress Her Missing Husband Used to Make — Story of the Day
This was the first Halloween Kate’s daughter would celebrate without her father. Kate still hadn’t moved on from her husband’s disappearance. Seeing her daughter smile again made Kate forget everything. But when she saw the same dress Carl used to make on a different girl, her heart skipped a beat.
It was almost Halloween, and the air was filled with the crispness of autumn. Leaves crunched underfoot outside, and the neighborhood was slowly transforming into a festive, spooky wonderland.
Outside her cozy home, Kate was busy decorating, determined to make everything perfect for her daughter, Holly.
The lawn was already filled with a jumble of decorations — plastic bats, fake cobwebs, and flickering pumpkins.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Kate stood on a stool, carefully stringing up the bats while Holly followed closely behind, bringing her own items to contribute.
Holly’s enthusiasm made Kate smile, but the little girl had her own unique ideas about Halloween. Holly didn’t quite understand the concept of “spooky.”
Instead of creepy decorations, she carried her favorite pink dolls and a fluffy teddy bear, arranging them carefully on the front porch, right next to the jack-o’-lanterns.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Kate watched with amusement as Holly placed her toys in a neat line. She admired her daughter’s creativity but knew it was time to explain, yet again, what Halloween was all about.
“Sweetheart,” Kate began, her voice soft, “Halloween is supposed to be spooky, not cute.”
She smiled gently, realizing she had explained this a thousand times, but Holly was only five — she had her own ideas.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Holly looked up at her mother with wide, curious eyes.
“But why, Mommy? Why does it have to be spooky?” she asked, her tiny hands clutching her beloved teddy bear.
Kate chuckled softly, stepping down from the stool.
“Well, that’s just how Halloween works,” she explained patiently.
“It’s a time when people dress up in costumes and pretend to be scary, just for fun. But it’s okay if we make it a little cute too.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Holly still seemed unconvinced, her brows furrowed in thought. But after a moment, she nodded and shrugged.
“Okay, Mommy.” Then, her face lit up. “Can I wear the costume that Daddy made me last year?” she asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Kate’s heart clenched at the mention of Carl, her husband who had disappeared without a trace six months ago.
It felt like a sudden punch to the stomach, wiping the smile from her face.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For a moment, she froze, her hands trembling slightly as she reached for a bat decoration to hang up.
“No, sweetheart,” Kate said softly, her voice catching in her throat.
“I’ll make you a new costume this year.”
“But I liked Daddy’s costume,” Holly protested, her voice tinged with disappointment.
“Do you think he’ll come back for Halloween?” she added innocently.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
The question hung in the air like a heavyweight. Kate’s heart ached, but she forced a smile, kneeling to Holly’s level and brushing a strand of hair from her face.
“I don’t think he’ll be back, darling,” Kate said, her voice gentle but filled with sadness.
The ache of not knowing what had happened to Carl never left her, but she had to be strong — for Holly.
Later that evening, the excitement in the air was almost tangible.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Kate knelt before Holly, making sure every detail of her daughter’s new costume was perfect.
Holly could hardly stand still, her small feet bouncing with anticipation, her candy bucket already gripped tightly in one hand.
“Hold still for just one more second, sweetie,” Kate said with a smile, adjusting the hood of Holly’s cape and giving it a final tug to make sure it sat just right.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“Do you have everything? Your bucket, your flashlight, your cape — everything ready?”
“Yes, Mom!” Holly said, her voice bubbling with excitement. She tugged on her mother’s sleeve impatiently.
“Can I please go now? My friends are waiting!”
Kate couldn’t help but laugh at Holly’s eagerness. The pure joy on her daughter’s face was contagious, and for a brief moment, all the worry and sadness Kate carried about Carl’s disappearance melted away.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“Alright, go on,” she said, pulling Holly in for a quick hug before letting her go. “Be safe and have fun.”
Holly flashed a wide, bright smile, her eyes twinkling with excitement, before running off to join her friends.
A small group of children, all dressed in colorful costumes, was already waiting at the end of the street, their laughter echoing in the night.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Kate watched Holly as she disappeared into the sea of costumes, feeling a sense of joy at seeing her daughter so happy.
With a contented sigh, Kate turned back toward the house and started preparing a big bowl of candy for the trick-or-treaters who would soon come knocking.
Before long, the doorbell rang, and the familiar chorus of “Trick or treat!” filled the air.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Kate greeted each group of children with a warm smile, dropping candy into their eager buckets and laughing at their colorful costumes.
But then, a little girl appeared on the doorstep, and Kate’s smile froze.
The girl was dressed in a cute little coat with a bouncy cape, and for a moment, Kate’s breath caught in her throat.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
The costume looked so familiar — too familiar. It was just like the ones Carl used to make. The same fabric, the same intricate details, and the same bouncy cape.
Kate’s mind raced back to when Carl would sit at the sewing machine, working on costumes for Holly, explaining how to make the cape float just right.
“That’s a beautiful costume you have, sweetheart,” Kate said, her voice trembling slightly as she tried to keep her emotions in check.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“Where did you get it?”
The little girl beamed up at her.
“My father made it! Do you like it?”
Kate’s heart pounded. “Yes,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
“It’s beautiful… and the cape is bouncy, isn’t it?”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
The girl nodded eagerly.
“My father says it’s better this way.”
Kate was stunned. Could it be? No, it couldn’t. Carl had been missing for so long.
This had to be a coincidence… right? But no matter how much she tried to convince herself, something deep inside her wouldn’t let it go.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Unable to stop herself, Kate leaned down and gently asked the little girl,
“Would you mind showing me where your house is? I’d love to ask your father how he made that costume. Maybe he can help me make one for Holly.”
The girl smiled, her innocence shining through.
“Sure! I live just a few streets away,” she said, pointing in the direction of her home.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Kate’s heart raced as soon as she closed the door behind the girl. She couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more to this.
Could it really be Carl? After all these months, was he just a few streets away? Her mind was spinning, filled with a mixture of hope and fear.
Without hesitating, she grabbed her coat, threw it over her shoulders, and followed the girl’s directions.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
What if it really was Carl? What would she say? What would he say? As much as she wanted answers, she was afraid of what she might find. Still, she couldn’t turn back now. She had to know.
As Kate approached the house the little girl had described, she felt her breath catch in her throat.
There, standing in the doorway, handing out candy to trick-or-treaters, was Carl. Her Carl.
The man she had loved, the man she had grieved for. He was alive. He was right there in front of her.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Carl spotted her almost immediately, and his face changed. There was no doubt — he recognized her.
His eyes widened in shock, and for a moment, they both stood frozen, just staring at each other.
Kate’s heart pounded in her chest as she took a few hesitant steps toward him. The only word she could manage to say was, “Hi.”
Carl swallowed hard, his voice barely a whisper.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“Hi,” he replied, just as quietly.
For a moment, they stood there in silence, the air between them thick with unspoken words and emotions.
Kate could feel a flood of questions bubbling up inside her, but none of them seemed to come out.
Her voice trembled when she finally managed to speak again.
“How have you been?”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Carl sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair as if trying to find the right words.
“I’m sorry, Kate. I didn’t want to disappear like that. I just… I didn’t know how to tell you the truth.”
Kate’s heart pounded faster.
“The truth?” she repeated, her voice shaking. “What truth?”
Carl looked away, guilt written all over his face. “I met someone else,” he admitted quietly.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“Her name is Rachel, and… I fell in love with her. That little girl, she calls me her father now. They’re my family.”
The words hit Kate like a ton of bricks. Her heart shattered. She could barely breathe as the reality of what he was saying sunk in.
“And what about me? What about Holly? We’re your family too,” she said, her voice barely holding back the hurt.
“I know,” Carl said softly, his eyes full of regret. “But I couldn’t live in two worlds anymore. I had to choose.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Kate stood in silence, her heart aching with every breath. “And you chose them,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
“I’m sorry,” Carl said, his voice thick with regret. He looked down, avoiding her gaze. “Is there anything I can do to make it right?”
Kate swallowed the lump in her throat, forcing herself to stay composed. “Just be happy,” she said, her voice breaking slightly. “That’s all you can do. We’ll try to be happy too.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Before Carl could respond, a woman appeared in the doorway behind him. “Who is this, Carl? What’s going on?” she asked, her voice sharp with suspicion.
“Rachel, please,” Carl began, turning toward her. But Kate had already made up her mind. She didn’t need to hear more.
Without a word, she turned and walked away, her heart heavy but resolute. The Carl she had known was gone. It was time to let go and move on.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
As she approached her house, she saw Holly running toward her, her candy bucket nearly overflowing.
Holly’s smile was bright and full of joy, lighting up the evening. Kate knelt down, wrapping her arms tightly around her daughter.
At that moment, she realized that all she needed was right here, with Holly. It was time to start living again, just the two of them.
Tell us what you think about this story, and share it with your friends. It might inspire them and brighten their day.
If you enjoyed this story, read this one: For Lisa, agoraphobia wasn’t just a disorder—it was her entire life. She hadn’t left her apartment in years and lived only by watching other people through their windows. She made up stories about the people she saw in her head, but her life changed when she decided that one of them needed her help.
Leave a Reply