GABRIELIt had been a week since the day Maddie was lost and found and my life came back to the way it was. Even now, I didn’t understand this strange bond that had grown between us. I didn’t quite know how to describe this feeling. It was like a bond, a connection that I never knew existed until now. When I found Maddie wandering near the old church, scared and alone, my first instinct was to comfort her, to make her feel safe. And as I held her tiny hand in mine, I felt this overwhelming sense of protectiveness, as if she were my own daughter? This thought scared me, but I always felt there was something more to it. Ever since I answered the phone when Kira was in the hospital in Glasgow. Her voice stirred something in me.I knew it might sound strange, given that I’ve only known Maddie for a short while, but there was something about her that just tugged at my heartstrings. Maybe it was the way she looked at me with those big, innocent eyes, or the sound of her little voice as sh
GABRIELThe first thing I did when Kira walked out of the office, was call the only friend I had at the most discreet genetics lab in London. “Hi Christian, how are you? This is Gabriel,” I said.“Hi Gabe. I’m good, thanks. How about you? Is everything ok?” he asked in surprise because I hadn’t called him in a long time. “I’m doing okay, thanks. Listen, I was hoping I could ask you a favor,” I said getting straight to the point.“Sure, what do you need?”“Well, I need to get a DNA test done, but I want to be as discreet as possible” “I see. What kind of DNA test do you need?” “Just a simple paternity test. It’s a personal matter and I don’t want anyone else to know about it.” I told him with a heavy weight on my heart.“I understand. And you want me to help you with this?” he asked again just to be sure. “Yes, you work at a genetics laboratory, right? I was hoping you could do the test for me and keep it confidential.” I said on a slightly amusing note.“Yes, I do work at a genet
GABRIELI looked down at little Maddie, her big brown eyes staring up at me with a curious expression. She was the spitting image of her mother, Kira. I knew Kira would never agree to a DNA test for Maddie, even though I had my doubts about her true paternity. But I couldn’t let go of my need to know, to be sure that Maddie was really my daughter.I sighed,running a hand through my hair as I tried to come up with a plan. Maddie was too young to understand the complexities of DNA testing, and Kira was too protective to let me take her for a test without a fight. But I was determined to find a way to do it without causing a rift in our already fragile relationship.As Maddie played with her toys, I watched her, trying to come up with a plan. And then it hit me. I would do the DNA test without Kira or Maddie ever knowing.I played with Maddie almost all day and then I waited until she was asleep, then gently swabbed the inside of her cheek with a cotton swab. It was quick and easy, and s
KIRAFor several days, I had a restlessness that I could not explain. Since the day I called Gabriel to stay with Maddie, my anxiety has only increased.Luckily, Maddie was at school and couldn’t see the mood I was in. I took time off work and met Alana for lunch at Jubilee.“I am so worried, my friend…” I said to Alana, lowering my head. “I can’t take this anxiety anymore” “What is happening, Kira? You know you can always talk to me, right?” Alana asked, and took my hands in hers. Her touch soothed me instantly.“You know I called Gabriel to stay with Maddie for a few hours yesterday while I was visiting his friend with this business plan I have been working on, and now I’m worried that the truth will come out. You know, about Maddie being Gabriel’s daughter” “Oh, I see. And Maddie has taken a liking to Gabriel, right?” Alana asked right to the point. Even though I wanted to ignore that, I just couldn’t. This reality was shaking me to my core. “Yeah, exactly. She keeps talking
GABRIELUgh, I couldn’t believe that the DNA test results were still not here. I mean, I paid good money for this test and now it is taking forever. This was so frustrating!But wait, what if there was a good reason they’re late? Maybe something unexpected came up, or they backed the lab up with other tests. I shouldn’t jump to conclusions. It was best to call the clinic and see if Chris could give me an update.“Hello, this is Dr. Chris speaking. How may I assist you?” he said as soon as he picked up.“Hi, Chris. It’s me, Gabriel. I was just wondering if there’s any update on my DNA test results. They were supposed to be here by now.” I asked worriedly.“Ah, yes. I’m sorry to hear that you haven’t received your results yet. We actually had a bit of a delay at the lab, but I can assure you we’re doing everything we can to get your results to you as soon as possible. Most likely this evening at closing time.”“Oh, I see. Do you have any idea of the exact time?” I pushed more. “Well, I
KIRA“Alana, I can’t find Maddie anywhere. I am desperate!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. “She is missing again, and it is already late” “What do you mean, you can’t find her? Where did you last see her?” Alana asked in shock.“I took her to school when I went to work this morning. I expected her to be home when I got back. Mrs. Crane always picks her up from school. But when I came back, she wasn’t here.” I was hyperventilating. I knew we had been through this once before, but now it was well into the night, and Maddie was nowhere. “Oh my god, have you checked with any of her friends’ houses or with any of the neighbors?” she panicked.“Yes, I’ve already talked to everyone in the neighborhood, but no one has seen her. Mrs. Crane called to tell me she didn’t bring her home because she went to wait for her at school but Maddie didn’t show up. Oh my God! Where could she be?” “Okay, don’t panic. We’ll help you find her. Maybe we should call the police?” “You know how they ha
GABRIELI walked out of the office shocked and distraught. She was my daughter. My own flesh and blood. And the more I thought about it, the more my blood boiled in my veins. I took deep breaths, trying to come to terms with the news, but it was so damn hard. I couldn’t believe it. Little Maddie was my daughter. The more I said it the more I could hardly believe it. The DNA test results didn’t lie. It was like a bomb just went off in my head. I was in shock.How could Kira keep this from me? How could she deny me the chance to be a father to my own flesh and blood? It was not fair. It was not right. What was her reason for doing it?I couldn’t help but feel angry and betrayed. Kira and I were together, talked so many times, and she never once mentioned Maddie. I found out in the most horrific way. Why did she do that? Was she trying to punish me for something? And what about Maddie? She was an innocent child caught in the middle of all this. She deserved to have a father in her life
KIRAThe moment I saw Gabriel in the doorway with Maddie in his arms, being the early morning, I simply went crazy.“What do you mean?” Gabriel asked without a hint of agitation. “I’ve been looking for my daughter for half a day and she shows up in your arms practically the next day and you didn’t even bother to call me to let me know she’s okay?” I exploded. And as if he didn’t listen to me he put Maddie down and walked nonchalantly into the house.“Thank you for finding her, Gabriel, and bringing her home safe and sound,” he said as he walked past me.I was expecting a heated argument. What argument was I saying? A war in the genuine sense of the word.“I can’t believe you didn’t bring Maddie home as soon as you found her. It was after midnight, and I was so worried about her,” I yelled at the top of my lungs, watching Maddie already going upstairs.“I understand you were worried, Kira, but I didn’t feel comfortable bringing Maddie home by myself in the middle of the night. I thou
GABRIELThis day was going to be an experience that we would be sure to remember for many years to come. I suggested to Kira that it would be a splendid plan if we traveled to Hollow Peak to pay her family a visit. They would be so happy to see us together... all three of us. As the Christmas season drew closer, this time of year was an especially meaningful and joyous time. It was like a circle closing.As I pulled up to Kira’s family home in Hollow Peak, I could see the excitement on their faces from the window. Kira’s mother rushed out of the house to us, extending her open arms and giving us both a warm and loving embrace. Upon seeing us, she expressed great delight and joy and welcomed us warmly into her home.We stepped inside the cozy living room, where a warm fire was burning in the fireplace. The inviting and delectable aroma of freshly baked cookies and holiday treats filled the entire room. Mrs. Reed had a hard time containing her enthusiasm when we sat down on the comforta
KIRAGiven all the excitement, I couldn’t believe I got any sleep at all. I had a premonition that something was going to take place today. It turned out that my assumption was correct. Two knocks at the door brought me with my feet on the ground, as I was still in a dream world. When I opened the door, Gabriel was there, and our daughter, Maddie, was standing beside him. As soon as I saw the delight in her expression, I realized that something amazing was about to happen. As Gabriel spoke, I could feel a sense of anticipation and excitement growing within me as I realized he had something special in store for me.“Hey Kira,” he said with a smile. “I am sorry to barge in like this, but I need your help. I’ve got a business meeting in the afternoon, and I’m afraid I won’t be able to spend the day with Maddie like we planned. So is it alright if I leave her with you for the day?” he asked with a grin on his face.When I initially heard the news, it shocked me. However, upon looking in
KIRAThe following day it filled me with immense joy and happiness. I was so excited when I ordered some Chinese food and asked Alana if she wanted to have a chat. There were no more steps to take. I was so close to my family.Maddie and I were more connected than ever before as she talked to me about the troubles she had faced and the hopes she held for the future. She really missed me. We could finally look at each other and recognize our true selves, and it gave me an overwhelming feeling of contentment and joy that had been absent for such a long time.And then there was Gabriel. The time we spent together last night was a reminder to me that my love for him had not diminished in the slightest. Our relationship had endured a lot of hardship, and there were moments where I thought it might be beyond repair. I sensed that this was meant to happen, and I knew that we were meant for each other as I held him close.“Wow, I love Chinese,” Alana said, diving into the dish.“Bet you do,”
KIRAI couldn’t help but smile to myself as I sat in this spot, the terrace of his house, which had become a favorite spot of mine, and observed the world outside. My joy stemmed from the fact that Gabriel and I had made up, and I was once more his.For so long, I was lost without him. The connections between us had become so strong that when we were apart, I felt like an essential part of me had been taken away. But now, everything felt right again.I could feel the warmth of the sun on my face, and I knew that this was just the beginning. Our lives would merge once again, and we would build a future together.I knew that there would be difficulties since there always were in life, but I had faith that we could get through them. We could withstand everything the world could hurl at us because of our growing love.After feeling suffocated for so long, I could now finally take in a full breath of fresh air. I have been able to free myself from the heavy burden that was weighing me down
KIRAIt’s been a long time since I had such a calm conversation with Gabriel. I missed his warm voice. My heart was aching from the weight of the past as I sat there and watched Gabriel. I knew that in order to put the past behind us and stop hurting one other; we had to bury the hatchet of war. “Gabriel,” I began, my voice hesitant. “I need to talk to you about Maddie.”Gabriel looked up, his eyes meeting mine. “What about her?” he asked, his voice reserved.“I understand now that I made a mistake in hiding the truth about Maddie being your daughter,” I whispered. “I should have told you the truth from the beginning.”Gabriel’s expression softened, and he let out a deep sigh. “I know I didn’t do the right thing either,” he admitted. “When I did the DNA test without your knowledge and filed that lawsuit seeking full custody.”I nodded, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. “We both made mistakes, Gabriel. But Maddie needs us to be her parents, to work together for her sake.”
KIRAI couldn’t believe Gabriel’s nerve. He had the audacity to suggest we ignore the court’s decision and both look out for Maddie’s best interests. How far could his recklessness go?That this was happening to me shocked me. I walked all the way to Gabriel’s house, and here I was by myself in this pitch-black alley. I did not know how I got here, but I didn’t like it. My palms were sweating profusely, and my heart was pounding. I could feel my hair standing up on the back of my neck.Gabriel must still be in his house, I was certain. While someone else was coming after me, the coward wouldn’t. I knew it wasn’t him when I heard hasty footsteps behind me.It was someone else, and they were getting closer.My legs felt numb as I tried to keep up with the pace. I was too scared to look back, but I could hear them getting closer and closer. I knew I needed to find a way out of here, but everything looked the same in this alley. There were no lights, no doors, no windows.My mind started r
KIRA The only company I had while I sat alone in my living room was the sound of the clock ticking. The room was still, silent, and heavy with the weight of my thoughts. I couldn’t believe what had just happened. Gabriel had won custody of Maddie again. I felt sick to my stomach as I thought about it. How could this be happening? I had done everything in my power to prove to the court that Maddie was better off with me, but it seemed like none of it had mattered. Gabriel had won, and there was nothing I could do about it. I tried to overcome the sense of helplessness that had taken hold of me. For Maddie’s sake, I knew I had to maintain my composure, but it was challenging when all I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and sob. I reflected on all the occasions I had spent with Maddie, the times we had had together, and our love and respect for one another. Everything seemed very genuine and real. I didn’t know how the court could disregard that. But then again, Gabriel was a skille
KIRA I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I thought about seeing Gabriel again in court. The citation had finally reached him, and we would have face off once more in our never-ending battle for custody of Maddie. It had been a year since I last saw her, and the pain of not being able to be with her on her sixth birthday still stung my heart. But I wouldn’t let that get to me. I would fight tooth and nail to get her back, no matter what it took. This time, with the help of my new lawyer and the additional evidence we had gathered, I was sure we would come out on top. It was not just about winning, though. It was about being reunited with my daughter, about being able to hold her close and tell her how much I loved her. Being a mother to her was what it was about, something he had denied me for a long time. I couldn’t let myself get too emotional, though. I needed to stay focused, to keep my eye on the prize. Gabriel would do everything in his power to keep Maddie away from
GABRIEL As I ventured through the beautiful mountain range of Hollow Peak, I experienced a sensation of great joy and serenity. The cool breeze swept through my hair, and the chirping of birds filled the air, making me feel like I was in a different world altogether. But what made this experience even more special was that I was not alone. By my side was my six-year-old daughter Maddie, and for the next few days, she was all mine. I had planned this trip for a long time, and I knew Maddie would be over the moon to spend time in such a beautiful place. But what she didn’t know was that I had a surprise in store for her, one that would make this trip even more unforgettable. As we approached our destination, I couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. I knew that Kira's family was also in Hollow Peak and I knew there was a probability of me bumping into them. But that didn’t matter. I had already decided, and nothing was going to change my plans. Finally, we arrived at our destination