Page 7 of Finally Found You

I don’t know how to act or what to say. I feel like a failure already, but also a man who got cheated by life and… Whoever stole the years I could’ve spent next to my daughter will pay for it. I won’t stop until they pay for every second I missed.

Chapter Four

Lysander

The drive to San Francisco seems endless as silence envelops the car. Neither one of us speaks. I’m wrapped in the tangle of my own thoughts, trying to unravel the basics. Who is her mother? When did this happen?

Most importantly, how could I have missed something as significant as procreating a child?

As soon as we arrive at my apartment, an overwhelming urge to sit her down on a chair and demand answers bubbles inside me. However, it takes only a fleeting moment to remember this is a child who has been on her own for who knows how long. What she needs is protection, love, and understanding.

“Have you eaten anything?” My voice is tinged with concern as I shed my jacket and hang it on the hook next to the door.

“A few bites of the sandwich the nice lady in the coffee shop bought for me.” Her mumble is barely audible.

I nod, my heart aching for her, and head to the kitchen. “Let me get you something to eat.”

She hesitates before putting down her backpack and then pulls out a worn, flowery notebook. Carefully, she extracts a crumpled paper and says, her voice shaky, “I just need you to sign this, please. After that, I’ll leave.”

Kenzington is determined, and I can sense her desperation to get this over with and leave. She’s making it simple for me.

I could play this in many different ways, beginning with promises to give her a home and everything she’s never had and always wanted. But before I can entertain any of those thoughts, I need to figure out why she is here and who sent her.

“Why do you want me to sign that?” I question, taking the paper from her trembling hands.

A smirk threatens to appear on my face as I examine the document. There is nothing legal about this paper. She probably created it on her computer and decided it’s good enough to… Why does she want the freedom to become an adult?

Someone should tell her that the obligations you carry after becoming one are exhausting. I miss those years when I didn’t have to make decisions, the time before I became responsible for an entire family.

“This should prevent me from going into foster care,” she answers, her voice barely audible.

“So are you part of the system?” I inquire, my concern for her growing as I try to piece together her situation.

She shuffles her feet, her gaze focused on the wooden floor as if it holds all the answers. “Just sign it, please. Cami said it might be the only way to avoid the worst.” Kenzington looks at me after mumbling the last two words.

The raw pain in her eyes and the crushing weight of her circumstances resonate within me, and I realize I can’t just abandon her to her fate. If I want to help her, I need more information. “And Cami is?”

“No one.”

“A friend? Your foster mother? The neighbor?” I stop and then ask, “Where have you been for the past… how old are you?”

Kenzington looks at me and crosses her arms.

“Kid, I want to help you, but it’s hard when you’re just giving me this paper that won’t hold up in court. You’ll still end up in foster care. Why don’t I help you prevent it?”

She narrows her gaze, studying me. Clearly, she doesn’t trust me. “Will you really help me?”

I nod. “It’s a promise. Let’s start from the beginning. How old are you?”

“Fifteen,” she answers.

“And where is your mother?”

She shrugs. “We don’t know. Cami tried to call her after Nonna died. The last thing I heard is that her number is now disconnected.”

“Who is Cami?” I insist.

Her lips tighten.

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