Chapter 3Sister’s Burden

So, they had been to the clinic. They had confirmed the baby was Stella’s, and that Dr. White had, in fact, delivered him. What I couldn't understand was why they were still so fixated on me.

“Mom, what does that baby have to do with me? I didn’t give birth to him.”

“Right now, the most important thing is to find the baby’s father. Anyway, I have to work. Bye.”

I hung up and went about my day. At the office, my colleague Carol slid up to my desk. “Lina, you seeing anyone? I’ve got someone I’d like you to meet.”

My first instinct was to refuse, but I stopped myself.

“Oh yeah? Who is it, Carol?”

“My nephew! He’s three years older than you, a veteran. Owns his own little restaurant now.” She grinned. “How about lunch today?”

I agreed immediately. Carol was thrilled and rushed off to call him.

In my last life, Carol had seen how exhausted I was raising the baby and had thrown a lot of freelance work my way. She’d also tried to set me up, but I was always too afraid that a new man in my life would mistreat my “son.” Looking back, I was unbelievably foolish.

I met her nephew, Cole, for lunch. The connection was instant. We exchanged numbers, agreeing to see where things went.

When I got back, Carol was waiting. “Well?”

I nodded. “He’s great. I’d like to see him again.”

She was ecstatic. “I’m telling you, if this works out, he’ll treat you right. I’ve watched that boy grow up. He’s a hard worker, a good man.”

I felt a blush creep up my neck, which only made Carol more excited.

And so, Cole and I started dating. For two solid weeks, my parents didn’t contact me, and I didn’t go home.

But I should have known it wouldn’t last. My mother found me at work.

I was in the middle of a sales call when the security guard at the front desk rang my extension. “Lina, you need to get down here, now. Your mom just dumped your son with us! You need to come get him, he’s screaming his head off.”

My mind went blank for a second. “What son?” I said, deliberately raising my voice so the entire office could hear. “I’m not married, where would I get a son from? Don’t spread rumors!”

The guard sighed. “I don’t know, man. Just get down here.”

When I hung up, every eye in the office was on me.

“What’s going on, Lina?”

“I have no idea. The guard said a woman claiming to be my mom just dropped off my son.”

Carol gasped. “You’ve got to be kidding me! That’s a new one. Come on, let’s all go see what this is about.”

“Yeah, is this some kind of scam?”

“Lina has a son? I never saw her pregnant.”

“Maybe it was a few years ago. You know how young people are these days, their lives are a mess.”

Hearing that, even Carol shot me a suspicious look. I put on my most bewildered expression, and she couldn't read me.

When we got to the front desk, everyone stared at the tiny, wailing infant.

Carol let out a breath of relief. “There’s no way that’s Lina’s baby. He can’t be more than a month old!”

“Exactly! Who would be so cruel? If it was a toddler, Lina would never be able to clear her name!”

“This is character assassination!”

I was laughing on the inside. The guard just shrugged helplessly. “The woman said she was Lina’s mother. What was I supposed to do?”

An idea sparked. “Pull the security footage,” I demanded. “Let’s see this woman.”

When the footage played, I didn’t recognize the woman who had dropped off the baby.

I knew exactly what to do. “Call the police. That’s not my mother, and I have no idea who she is.”

The others hesitated. I threw my hands up. “This is child abandonment. I’m in sales; I hand out hundreds of business cards. Who knows who got their hands on one and decided to pretend to be my mother. I am not raising someone else’s kid!”

Everyone agreed that made sense. The police were called, and they took the baby away.

I made a point of asking, “Where will he go?”

“Where do you think? If we can’t find his parents, he’ll go to a group home. He’s in the system now.”

Hearing those words, a wave of relief washed over me.

This time, I would not be raising that ungrateful viper.