Page 20 of Secret Baby's Second Shot

She drifted off again, her breathing steady and even. I stayed there for a moment, my hand lingering on her head.

She deserved the world.

And I wasn’t sure I’d given her that.

Back at the table, I picked up the drawing again, running my fingers over the crayon marks. The stethoscope around Enzo’s stick figure neck seemed to mock me.

She already saw him as her father, even without knowing the truth.

The truth.

I let out a shaky breath, leaning back in my chair. Could I tell him? Should I?

The idea of confessing everything made my chest tighten. What if he was angry? What if he hated me for keeping Ava a secret?

But what if he didn’t?

I stood again,this time pacing the small kitchen. My feet carried me in circles, the same way my thoughts had been circling for hours.

I thought about the way Enzo looked at Ava, like she was the most important thing in the world. I thought about the way she lit up when he walked into a room, the way she trusted him so completely.

He deserved to know.

But the fear was still there, clawing at the edges of my mind. What if the truth ruined everything?

I stopped at the counter,resting my hands against the edge. The stack of drawings was still there, and I flipped through them again, stopping at the family portrait.

Her little stick-figure world was simple, happy. But reality wasn’t that easy to color in.

The clock ticked on, each second pulling me deeper into my thoughts. By the time I sat down again, my tea was cold, and my resolve was crumbling.

I didn’t know how to tell him.

But I knew I couldn’t keep this up forever.

From the couch,Ava stirred again, murmuring softly. I stood and walked over, kneeling beside her.

Her face was peaceful, her curls framing her cheeks. She looked so small, so vulnerable.

“You’re going to be okay,” I whispered, more to myself than to her. “I’ll figure this out. I promise.”

I kissed her forehead, brushing her hair back, and pulled the blanket tighter around her.

As I stood, I glanced at the drawing again.

Maybe it was time.

Maybe it was time to stop carrying this secret alone.

11

SUMMER

The sound of Ava’s laughter echoed from the living room, light and carefree. It should have made me smile, but instead, my chest tightened.

I leaned against the kitchen counter, a dish towel in my hands, staring blankly at the half-cleaned plate in the sink. Enzo had stopped by earlier, his usual confident smile in place, saying he wanted to spend time with Ava.

I should have said no.

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