The stars were twinkling as twenty-five-year-old Katie Cooper stood outside her house in a small town on the coast of Vancouver Island. She was gazing fondly at the newborn baby she'd just birthed in her arms.
A sadness filled her every time she remembered that this was not her baby. Though she had carried the girl for nine months and finally birthed her yesterday, this girl was not her true daughter, just as her husband was not the baby's true father.
The baby's true father was standing a few feet away from them. "Thank you for everything," the man was saying now. His hands were stuffed into the pockets of his leather jacket. "This won't be the last time we see each other."
"Of course not. She's your daughter. You'll visit sometime, won't you?" Katie wondered. A grin spread across the man's face.
"Don't you worry about that. Tell you what - fifteen years. Fifteen years I'll come back for a visit, and that's when we'll tell her," he decided. "But I can't make promises, of course. I do get caught up in things."
"As you always do," Katie said with a smile. "Thank you. We'll see you again in fifteen years - hopefully."
"I should be there," the man said.
He gave Katie and Derek, Katie's husband, hugs. "Take good care of her." And those were his final words before he walked off into the night.
"We will," Katie promised.
But of course he didn't hear.
And there it is! The first 'official' chapter of this story! I hope you all enjoy it. I'd love to hear your guesses as to who this mysterious man is, though I think from the simple theme of this book it's fairly obvious. But still, spoilers! (Did you see what I did there? Hahaha.)
Adieu,
Jo