Page 9 of Stolen Dreams

I sit down and feel the back of my neck start to get hot and my hands start to tingle.Looking over at Charlie, he sits and doesn’t say a word.“I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this,” he apologizes softly.“Let’s start.”He opens the file on his desk.“I knew Paige for the past eight years.”He looks at both of us.“My wife got her number off one of those papers you leave in the supermarket.She was cleaning houses.She’s been cleaning our house once a week for the past eight years.We don’t have any children, and it’s just my wife and me.”I try to fight the bile forcing its way up my throat.“So that should tell you how much we cared about her.”His eyes get watery as he blinks the tears away.“She had a full calendar and even had a contract with the construction company.”He smiles sadly.“Paige was a lovely girl.”I close my eyes and feel the burn start.

“She was,” I agree.“If you don’t mind, can we skip to the child?”

“Lucy,” he says my daughter’s name.“Her name is Lucy, and she’s eight and a half.

“When she turned two, Paige sat me down and told me she needed to get her ducks in order just on the off chance that something happened.”

“How did she pass?”Charlie asks.

“We think it was a brain aneurysm,” he shares sadly, and this time, he sniffles.“Lucy found her unresponsive in the afternoon when she got home from school and called me right away.”I put my hands on the top of my head, and if there was ever a moment I wanted history to never repeat itself, it was at this moment.Not the same way, but losing the parent and finding them, I can’t even imagine.

“Oh my God,” Charlie gasps, “is she okay?”

“She’s doing as expected,” he admits.“Luckily, for all of us, everything was in place for this reason.I have all the paperwork ready; we just need a DNA sample to make sure you are the father.Although, I have no doubt now that I’ve seen you.”

I don’t know if I should be proud or scared at this moment.“I have someone who is going to have the DNA test rushed,” I start babbling my words.

He nods.“I had the lab on the line as of yesterday, waiting for you.”

Charlie nods and pulls up his phone, for sure texting Casey.“Where is she?”I ask, waiting with bated breath.My heart speeds up so fast, it feels like it's going to explode from my chest.

He crosses his hands on the desk, and it feels like a lifetime before he says the words so softly, I think I misheard him.“She’s upstairs, sleeping.”

ChapterFive

EMMETT

Iblink a couple of times at him.“She’s here?”It is almost in a whisper.“You said she was in foster care.”

“Technically, that is where she should be.However…it’s a small town.She was going to go to the emergency foster care family, but I spoke with the sheriff, and he also knew Paige.We both thought it would be a good idea for her to stay here with us since we were her emergency contact.Especially since I got in touch with you and you were coming down.”

“Does she know he’s coming?”Charlie asks for me because I’m just staring at Mr.Graham and blinking.I feel like my body isn’t even here.I’m on the outside looking in.

“We didn’t tell her yet,” he admits.“She had a very emotional day yesterday, as you can understand.”His bottom lip quivers.“She lost the only person she’s ever known.We were close with her, but Paige was her world as she was Paige’s.”

“I want to see her.”The words just come out, and my tone is tight.

“We have a couple of things to go over,” Mr.Graham says, “but I’ll go and let my wife know you want to meet her.”He gets up, walking toward the doorway.

“Did you not think I would want to meet her?”I ask, and he stops in his tracks and turns back to look at me.

“I had no idea what to expect, to be honest,” he replies softly, his eyes staring straight into mine.

“She never told me she was pregnant.”I stand and Charlie does also, but I think he’s standing up to make sure he can stop me in case I do something stupid.“I had no idea seven hours ago that I had a daughter.”

“I’m fully aware of the story,” Mr.Graham states.“Paige told us you didn’t know, and I told her then that I thought it was a mistake and she should tell you.”He looks at Charlie and then back at me.“It wasn’t anyone’s decision but Paige’s as to why you didn’t know.I’ll be back.”He turns and walks out of the room.

“You need to reel it in,” Charlie finally advises.“You are pissed at the wrong person.”

“I’m not pissed at all,” I lie to him, and he raises his eyebrows.“Jesus fucking Christ, Charlie, I have a daughter who is eight years old.”I run my hand through my hair.“Me, the one who was never going to have a child,” I hiss.“What the fuck is going on in my life right now?”I put my head back and fight the tightness in my chest that spreads to my stomach.“Charlie, I can’t take care of a kid,” I tell him my deepest fear.

He puts his hand on my shoulder to stop me from shaking.“You’ll be fine.”I glare at him.“We’ll meet your daughter and go from there.”

“Charlie, I don’t think you’re listening to me.I don’t think?—”

I stop talking when Mr.Graham comes back into the room.“My wife just went up to check on her.It took a while for her to settle last night.”He walks back behind his desk.“I texted the lab technician, and he is on his way over to grab a swab from both of you.”

I nod.“Where were they living?”I suddenly want to know everything.

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