Kyle Greenbecker had spent a whole year working on an oil pipeline in the freezing wilderness of Alaska. It had been tough, grueling work, but now, finally, he was on his way home. He could hardly wait to see his wife, Lisa.
He and Lisa had been together since high school, and Kyle had never regretted marrying her when they were just nineteen. Maybe he was old-fashioned, but he was proud that Lisa was the only woman he’d ever been with. He had never cheated, never even thought about it. Lisa was his world. It had never occurred to him that she might doubt him.
As his plane landed, Kyle grabbed his bag and hurried out with the other passengers. His eyes scanned the airport, searching for Lisa’s familiar face, but she wasn’t there.
Strange.
Maybe she had to work late? He pulled out his phone and sent her a quick text: “Hey, love, just landed! On my way home.”
No reply.
Trying not to overthink it, Kyle hailed an Uber and stared out the window as the city blurred past. Soon, he would be home.
When the car pulled up to his house, he felt a rush of relief. The lights in the living room were on, so she had to be home. He smiled as he unlocked the door, stepping inside.
“Lisa?” he called.
Silence.
Frowning, he walked into the kitchen—and froze.
There, on the kitchen table, was a bassinet. Inside, a tiny baby waved its little arms in the air. The baby’s wide, curious eyes stared up at Kyle, as if just as surprised to see him as he was to see it.
Kyle’s heart pounded. What was a baby doing in his kitchen? He took a hesitant step forward and noticed a folded piece of paper lying next to the bassinet. His hands trembled as he picked it up.
The first note was written in messy, unfamiliar handwriting:
“You had your fun, now take responsibility for your child.”
Kyle’s stomach dropped. What? His child? This had to be some kind of mistake! He fumbled for the second note, recognizing Lisa’s elegant handwriting.
“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 never made a big deal out of it—after all, I had my own fun while you were away. But expecting me to raise someone else’s child? That’s too much.
I’ve filed for divorce. I never want to see you again.
P.S. Don’t worry, I only left once I saw you coming up the driveway. Enjoy your new life, Kyle. I certainly intend to enjoy mine.”
Kyle sat down, his head spinning. His marriage was over. His wife was gone. And she had left him with a baby that wasn’t even his.
A soft cooing sound made him look up. The baby reached out, waving a tiny hand in the air. Without thinking, Kyle extended a finger, and the child grabbed onto it with surprising strength.
“Well, kid,” Kyle muttered, feeling completely lost. “I guess it’s just you and me now.”
The baby gurgled happily, but then her face scrunched up. A second later, an awful smell filled the air.
“Oh no,” Kyle groaned. “Diaper time.”
Glancing around, he spotted a large backpack on the floor. He opened it, finding an assortment of baby supplies inside. Wasting no time, he pulled out a diaper and quickly searched online: “How to change a diaper.”
A YouTube video popped up, showing a woman expertly changing a doll’s diaper. Kyle watched carefully, then got to work. But the video didn’t prepare him for the reality—wiggling legs, tiny feet kicking right into the mess, and an unbelievable amount of baby wipes.
After what felt like forever, the job was done. Kyle leaned back and sighed. “Well, kid, I don’t know anything about raising girls, but I can at least teach you how to ride a bike.”
At that moment, Kyle knew—he was keeping this baby.
He held her close and whispered, “You need a name. How about Celeste? No? Lily?”
The baby gave a tiny giggle.
“Lily it is.”
Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months. And somehow, Kyle figured it out. He registered Lily as his daughter, enrolled her in daycare, and built a life around her.
But on Lily’s second birthday, everything changed.
A sharp knock at the door startled him. He opened it to find a tall, thin woman with bleach-blonde hair, heavy makeup, and unnaturally large breasts.
“I’m here for my baby,” she said.
Kyle blinked. “Your what?”
“My baby,” she snapped impatiently. “I left her here two years ago. Made a little mistake. I was kinda stoned, you know how it is.”
Kyle’s jaw clenched. “No. I don’t know how it is because I’ve never abandoned a child on someone’s doorstep.”
She rolled her eyes. “Look, I need her back. My boyfriend, Burt? He just signed a Major League contract. That baby’s my ticket to a paycheck.”
Kyle’s blood boiled. “Get off my porch before I call the police.”
But she didn’t give up. A week later, Kyle was summoned to family court. The woman—Cherish Vegas—was contesting Lily’s adoption.
Suddenly, Kyle’s life was chaos. Social workers inspected his home. Friends and coworkers were questioned. Cherish was determined to get Lily—not for love, but for money.
The day of the hearing arrived. Kyle sat nervously as Cherish put on a show, crying about how much she loved her daughter.
The judge eyed her paperwork. “Miss Vegas, by ‘placing her in Kyle’s care,’ you mean abandoning her on his porch, correct?”
Cherish’s face turned red. “Well, I’m still her mama!”
The judge turned to the man sitting beside Cherish. “Sir, are you the father?”
Burt stood and shrugged. “I guess I must be.”
Cherish’s eyes lit up. “And he just signed a three-million-dollar contract, Judge!”
The judge sighed. “Ah. There’s the truth.” She leaned forward. “Miss Vegas, what name did you give your daughter?”
Cherish blinked. “Uh… she’ll take her daddy’s name, since he’ll be paying support.”
Kyle stood up. “Your Honor, may I speak?”
The judge nodded. “Go ahead, Mr. Greenbecker.”
Kyle took a deep breath. “My daughter’s name is Lily Greenbecker. Since the day she came into my life, I’ve loved her. And she loves me.”
At that moment, Lily spotted him. Her tiny voice rang out across the courtroom: “Daddy!” She stretched out her arms toward him.
The judge smiled. “Well, I believe that settles it. I hereby confirm Kyle Greenbecker’s custody and adoption of Lily.”
That night, Kyle and Lily celebrated by chasing fireflies in the backyard. As Lily laughed and pointed at the glowing bugs, she whispered, “Stars!”
Kyle smiled, pulling her close. “You’re the brightest star of all, Lily.”
