01/24/2025
I ADOPTED A BABY WHO WAS LEFT AT THE FIRE STATION - 5 YEARS LATER, A WOMAN KNOCKED ON MY DOOR & SAID, "YOU HAVE TO GIVE MY CHILD BACK"
I still remember the night I found himโa tiny bundle wrapped in a worn-out blanket, left in a basket near my fire station. It was my shift, and the cold wind howled as if mourning the little soul abandoned to fate.
He was barely a week old, his cries weak but determined. My partner, Joe, and I exchanged glances, unspoken words passing between us.
"We'll call CPS," Joe said, his voice steady. But I couldn't shake the feeling that this baby was meant for something moreโฆ or maybe just meant for me.
Months passed, and when no one came forward to claim him, I filed for adoption. I named him Leo because he roared through every challenge, just like a little lion.
Being a single dad wasn't easy, but Leo made it worth every sleepless night and every ounce of spilled spaghetti sauce on the carpet. He was my son in every way that mattered.
Fast forward five years, and our little life together had settled into a rhythm. Leo was thrivingโa chatterbox who loved dinosaurs and believed he could outrun the wind. That night, we were building a Jurassic Park out of cardboard when a knock at the door shattered our peace.
Standing there was a woman in her early thirties, her face pale, her eyes carrying the weight of world.
"YOU HAVE TO GIVE MY CHILD BACK," she said, her voice trembling but firm.โฌ๏ธ
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