Page 47 of Loving Kai

“Um…sir?”

David held up a hand. “Hold on.” He went to the backseat, opened the door, and after a moment turned around with a toddler in his arms and a blue plaid bag slung over his shoulder. He returned to Abe. “You may not remember my daughter, but she certainly remembers you.” He looked at the child. “This is your son.”

Abe took a step back. “Sorry, that’s not possible.”

“I assure you, it’s very possible.”

“I don’t have a child. I would know. And I don’t know who Elizabeth Mont—” He took another step back. “Lizzie?” David nodded, and Abe mumbled, “Shit.”

“So, you do remember her.”

“I um…” Abe stuck his hands in his pockets. “Yes, but we… We didn’t…” He shook his head. “I’m always careful. I always do what I need to ensure this…” He looked at the little boy with curly blond hair and bright blue eyes. “I don’t know what Lizzie told you, but that’s not my son.”

“My daughter died six months ago, and on her deathbed, she told me about you. She told me to bring Kai to you.” He shook his head. “I couldn’t bring myself to do it, but now…” He sighed, wheezed, and coughed again. “Now I don’t have a choice. The boy has no other family. It was you or foster care, and believe me, I thought about it.”

Abe looked at the child again. “How old is he?”

“Two.”

Abe recalled his whirlwind relationship with Lizzie. Neither of them was looking for anything serious or long-term. She was a wonderful free-spirited woman with long, wavy blonde hair and bright blue eyes.

He’d run into her at the grocery store, then spent two hours talking to her in the parking lot. The following morning, they’d taken off on a week-long hike along the river. There were long days in the sun, made bearable by dips in the always cold Smith River. The nights were spent around a fire with frogs providing a backdrop of croaked love songs. They roasted hot dogs, drank beer, and slept under the stars. Lizzie loved life, and now she was dead. His chest tightened at the thought.

David kissed Kai on the cheek, then held him out to Abe, who took another step back. “Are you really going to deny this child?”

“I ah…” Kai looked at him and smiled, releasing a small trail of drool that hung from his chin for a moment before dropping onto his shirt. “Um...” The boy held out his arms, and Abe scowled, then took Kai from David.

David set the bag down. “I’m dying, son. I’ve got maybe six months left. I don’t know what legal documents you need from me, but my contact information is in the bag. Just do whatever you’re going to do sooner rather than later.”

Kai was surprisingly heavy in his arms, and Abe adjusted his hold to relieve the pain in his shoulder, then looked at David. “Are you sure about this?”

“I’m sure, but do a paternity test if you need definitive proof.”

“Shouldn’t we do that before you hand him over to me?”

“I have all the proof I need. Between my daughter’s word and the fact that he looks like you, despite his fair hair and skin, I don’t need further verification. But you do what you feel is best.”

“What’s best is not to leave this kid with a complete stranger.” Abe tried to hand the child back to David.

David put a hand on Kai’s cheek, then backed up a few steps. “I’m trusting you to do the right thing for him.” He turned and headed for his car.

Kai mumbled, “Papa,” then looked at Abe. “Papa, go?”

Abe rubbed Kai’s back. “Sorry, kid.” David removed the car seat and set it on the lawn, then, without looking back, he drove away. Abe looked at Kai. “I’ll fix this. You won’t be stuck with me.” He pulled his phone from his back pocket and dialed Justin.

“Sheriff’s office.”

Abe meant to dial Justin directly. “Sorry, Sarah, I was calling for Justin. Is he in?”

“I’ll transfer you.”

“Sheriff Buchanan.”

“Hey, this is Abe.”

“Abe, who?”

Abe shook his head. “Not the time, brother.”