canned the empty street, hoping to spot someone

to do next. Should she call for help? Maybe take the ba

outh working as if searching for comfort. She brushed her knuckles over i

was what she had wished for, over and over again-only for fa

gry, she figured. That would

bottle, and a handful of diapers. That was all. No letter, no clue, not even a name. The em

another second. She grabbed the bag and carried the

d once obsessed over childcare books, convinced she'

ried to boil water. As she waited, she gently loosened the swad

erfect, probably no more than three months old.

framed by damp, curled lashes. His li

her heart melt

rdinary, offering no hint about where

. The moment the bottle touched his lips, he latched on and drank hu

s grew heavy and fluttered closed. The warmth of hi

y, so delicate and small. No wonder Joa

t-a future forever barren, a dream

ut, sleep claiming him before he could finish his bottle. Wa

d to the police once he'd eaten. But cradling that sma

e wandered around her apartment, t

idea took root: she

bout her life had unraveled since her marriage ended, all because she couldn't give Kyle a ch

for him, she would return him, no questions asked. Until then,

he baby up and walked into the

cers barely reacted. They guided her and the child to a run-down orphanage,

tood in stark contrast to the group of wide-eyed c

eck for the orphanage and signed the necessary form

greeted her and the baby as they settled in. When anyone asked where the b

d joy in small things, and the ache from her failed

nd before she knew

on her son. "Lucas, can you tell me why you hit your friend?

k from his spot in the corner. "He grabbed my toy and

the answer. What if you had really hurt him? Do you understand?" Her chest heaved as she tried to c

work, but keeping up with Lucas felt like

for getting into trouble, and every neighbor seemed to have a compla

ct her! Archie took my snacks, so I got him back. The Smith brothers set their dog loose on everyone,

he bridge of her nose, too tired to respond. Whenever she tried to sc

admired him and stuck by his side, while others schemed fo

interrupted her thoughts. A woman's voice carried through the open window. "Allison! Ge

t the center of it all, his hair wild and his clothes a mess

ne and sighed inwardly.

d to grab her son. Lucas, recognizing the threat,

bled to herself, "With no dad around, it's no wonder the boy's like this. If it

he comment and we

quickly. A woman arriving with a child bu

ison dressed, how she seemed to liv

nding money, though no one had ever seen him.

she watched him, the more she wondered if it was time to return to Streley. Lucas was growing wilder by the day, and

inging Lucas back to the same place where Kyle once lived left her uneasy. In

ngs simple. "Your dad and

nd gossip from the neighbors got under her sk