Chapter Two
"What did you just say?" Starr demanded.
"Starr, your daughter Hope is alive and well. Your uncle, your father's twin, took the baby from the hospital's nursery, replacing her with the corpse of another newborn that had died," Blair said to Starr's horrified disbelief.
"Why?! Why would he do that?!"
"Because he wanted to raise her with Marty Saybrooke. After your 'death,' the truth came out. Victor came clean. He confessed to all of his crimes, including the location of where your father was being held captive by their evil, demented mother," Blair replied.
"Where is she?" Starr asked frantically. "Where IS my daughter?"
Blair's gaze moved to a small child sitting in a pew at the front of the church, only a few feet from Starr - a little girl with long blonde hair and gorgeous blue eyes. *My little girl,* Starr was thinking as her heart thumped hard with so much excitement! Her dearest Hope was alive!
But then Starr's eyes caught on the man who had a protective arm wrapped around the child, Schuyler Joplin - the man who had broke Starr's heart. Schuyler had rejected her and pushed her away. He had said there was never a chance for them, even though Starr had been madly in love with her former high school teacher. Because of Schuy, Starr had did everything in her power to make her unhappy relationship with Cole work.
Starr did a double-take as she stared at Schuyler. He looked exactly like...
She swallowed hard. "Mom, why is Schuyler with Hope?"
"Honey, Schuyler felt sad and responsible after all that happened... after we thought you had died. His mom, Doctor Joplin had been involved in the plot to kidnap Hope and hand her over to Victor. Schuyler asked me if he could adopt Hope."
"WHAT?!" Starr gasped.
"He's been a wonderful father to your little girl in Cole's absence. He's cared for her, loved her... And he has always let me, your father and Marty be a part of Hope's life. He's amazing and he loves that little girl with ALL of his heart."
Starr was looking at Hope and Schuyler. It was obvious that there was a deep and loving bond between them. Schuyler, the man she had loved had been raising her precious daughter.
"Starr ~ honey, we need to sit down. Reverend Carpenter is about to start the services for your father's funeral," Blair said gently as she lead her daughter to a nearby pew to be seated. Starr was so close, but yet so far from her little Hope... and Schuyler. After all this time, she was shocked how she still had feelings for Schuyler Joplin, despite all his rejections. She had run from him, too... and the pain he had caused her. And here he was, raising HER little girl!
Starr could barely concentrate during her dad's funeral service. Tears rolled down her cheeks as her mother tried to console her, but she had no idea that she was even crying. Her emotions were all over the place. Exactly what had she came back to?!
After the funeral, everyone came to hug her. She embraced her brothers, her Aunt Dorian and her Aunt Vicki. Everyone was so glad that she was back... and healthy and alive! Then as the church began to clear, Schuyler came forward, his arm around little Hope.
"Starr," he said as he stared into her eyes. "Where have you been? And why did you fake your death?"
"It's a long story," she said with a heavy sigh as she settled her gaze on her little girl. "It would seem that you have something- someone that belongs to me."
"We need to talk," Schuyler said. He turned to Blair, asking if she could watch Hope for a short while.
"I would be glad to," Blair agreed.
"Come on, sweetie," Blair said to her granddaughter as they left the church with Dorian, Jack, and Sam.
Starr watched longingly as her mother left with Hope. "Schuyler, why did you adopt my daughter?"
"Her father was in prison... and she had no one. I thought that you were dead. After the role my mother played in Hope's kidnapping, I wanted to give that little girl a home; a stable environment. I felt bad... I felt guilty."
"Because of your mother? Or because of me?" she asked. "Do you ever regret what you did to me?"
Schuy hung his head. Starr had hit the nail on the head. "I have regretted what happened every single day of my life since the day I thought you had died. The very least I could have done is provide a loving home and a stable father for your little girl. I love her, Starr... and I am never, ever giving her up."
"She's MY daughter," Starr challenged. "She was taken from me. Stolen. I thought she died."
"I thought you died, too," he said. "So that's why Hope came to live with me. I have been raising her since infancy. I am her father."
"And I am her mother. And I want my daughter with me."
Schuyler shook his head. "Sorry, Hope is staying with me. We have a life together. I couldn't possibly give her up."
"Then you have a fight on your hands, Schuyler Joplin... because I am back now, and I want my little girl," Starr said firmly
