Pam nodded. “Yes, I rented a place and helped her through the pregnancy. We kept it from our parents. I supported her financially, and emotionally… as the month passed, Ashley realized she didn’t want to keep her child.”
I swallowed hard, glancing at the baby. She stirred slightly but remained asleep.
“So, what happened next?” I asked.
Pam looked at me, her eyes pleading. “Jack, we’ve been trying for years. We’ve wanted a baby for so long. And now… here she is.” Her voice cracked. “Ashley decided on adoption, but I couldn’t let her give the baby to strangers. I know another couple would have loved her too, but…”
“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
“Yes,” Pam said softly, her eyes shining. “I want us to adopt her. She needs us. Ashley has promised to give up all parental rights, just like with a closed adoption. We’d do everything legally. The only thing is, we have to keep this a secret from my parents forever.”
I sighed and looked away from my wife toward the street. This was almost too crazy to consider, but I looked at the baby again. Her tiny fingers curled around the edge of the blanket, making my heart ache.
“Please, Jack,” Pam said, her voice trembling. “We’ve wanted this for so long. We can do this. We can be her parents. I already feel like her mother. I even gained weight during Ashley’s pregnancy.” She barked a laugh at that.
Of course, I’d already noticed, but it didn’t matter.
I remained silent for a long time. When I finally spoke, I asked, “What about your job? The promotion? And where was Ashley the times I visited?”
A man sits on a porch looking curious | Source: Midjourney
Pam gave me a small smile. “I was never offered the promotion. I worked remotely instead. My boss was understanding, thankfully. And Ashley stayed with a friend the few weekends you came.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? We could have brought Ashley here,” I asked, shaking my head. “I could have helped.”
A tear escaped Pam’s eye. “I know. I’m sorry. But Ashley didn’t want anyone to know, even you. She didn’t know what to do for the longest time. It wasn’t until I saw this baby being born that I offered to adopt her myself.”
A young woman looks sad while holding a newborn in a hospital bed | Source: Midjourney
I stared at my soft-hearted wife, and then my gaze went to the baby… my baby, if I gave this crazy idea a chance. The newborn’s eyes opened at that moment, and I was hooked.
Pam must have recognized my decision because she passed the baby over. As I held her close to my chest, warmth washed over my soul. Yes, this was my daughter.
“Okay,” I whispered as the baby grabbed my finger with her entire fist. “We’ll raise her.”
A man sits on a porch smiling while holding a baby in a pink blanket | Source: Midjourney
“Thank you, Jack,” Pam sniffled, tears welling in her eyes again. “This is going to be the most exciting thing we’ll ever do.”
As a lump formed in my throat, I knew my wife was right.
About a month later, we had a lawyer settle an official adoption. Just as Pam said, Ashley was in full agreement. She was just going to be an aunt. Once done, we helped her enroll in a university a few states away and sent her money for her first-year expenses.
A young woman smiles while walking on a university campus | Source: Midjourney
During Thanksgiving, we surprised my family by bringing the baby over. The official story was that we went through a private adoption process. It was the truth, just omitting a significant detail.
Pam told her parents a few days later, and they were excited about their first granddaughter. I could tell Pam felt a little guilty about our secret, but we were married, stable, and had wanted this for so long. It was just a better fit.
It’s been a while. I don’t think my in-laws will ever find out the truth, and it’s better that way. Ashley has been an amazing aunt, and we are the happiest parents in the world. That’s all that matters.
A couple plays with a baby girl on the floor of their living room | Source: Midjourney
And my wife eventually got that promotion she’d wanted for years. Turns out, the company likes putting parents in senior management positions. Who knew?
Here’s another story: For 11 years, I honored Judith’s one request — never open the old red suitcase she kept buried in our closet. But one night, I heard a voice coming from inside the suitcase. Curiosity won. What I found inside it shattered my entire life.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.