The Girl He Left Behind. Patricia Kay

nodded. “Yeah. There were six girls born that day within a four-hour period.”

      “I feel sorry for those parents,” Garland said. “I really do, but I don’t need a DNA test to tell me what I already know. I have the child I gave birth to—she is a part of me.”

      “For the record, I believe Amya is yours, as well.”

      “Then let’s change the subject, please.”

      “Sure,” Trina responded hesitantly.

      Garland silently struggled with the uncertainty that had been aroused by their conversation.

      “While I was in Arizona, I reconnected with an old boyfriend.”

      “Really? How did that go?”

      Trina broke into a grin. “It actually went very well.”

      Garland smiled. “Is this the one from college you were telling me about?”

      Her friend nodded. “Yeah. He works for a pharmaceutical company, but get this...he’s been thinking about relocating to Charleston. He has a frat brother in the area who’s offered him a nice position.”

      “Wow...that’s wonderful.”

      “He did mention the guy is single, Garland.”

      She quickly shook her head. “I have no time for men right now. I want to focus on Amya and my shop.”

      “Garland, I know that you’ve been through a lot, but you can’t lock your heart away forever.”

      “I’m not,” she responded. “I just don’t have any more time for lies and games. Maybe in a few years I’ll consider dating again, but right now Amya needs me most.”

      “What do you need, Garland?” Trina inquired. “You can’t live your life just for your daughter or your business.”

      “I’m human, Trina,” she uttered. “Of course, I would like to spend time with someone special. But right now that’s something I can live without. Besides, I have extremely bad taste in men. Remember Noah?”

      Trina burst into laughter. “I do.”

      “He was supposed to steal my heart, not my flat-screen TV and my laptop.”

      “Noah had a serious drug addiction.”

      “I had no idea, though.”

      “Well, he did apologize to you,” Trina stated. “That’s more than you got from Calvin.”

      “I had no expectations of Calvin being sorry for anything. He was a dog and he expected me to be okay with it.”

      “He was a screwup for sure.” Trina shook her head. “Hey, I’ve had my share of nightmare relationships, as well.”

      “Our lives have been filled with so much more glamour and romance since we got rid of those deadbeat dates,” Garland said with a chuckle.

      “So far, this guy I’m seeing again is good,” Trina stated. “He’s still on my mandatory trial period, though.”

      Garland shook her head at her friend’s usual antics. “When am I going to meet Mr. Wonderful?”

      “I said he was good. He’s not wonderful yet—if he survives probation, then he might graduate to wonderful.”

      Garland laughed. “He might as well be dating someone of the highest social class in society the way you’re vetting him.”

      “Honey, he is dating royalty,” Trina interjected. “I am a queen.”

      “I hear you,” Garland said.

      “Enough about me. Now I’m serious—it’s time for you to get back into the dating pool. Amya can’t be your whole life, sweetie.”

      “For now, she’s enough,” Garland insisted. “Speaking of your godchild, it’s time we woke her up.”

      * * *

      “Thanks for taking care of Kai for me,” Ryker told Jordin when he arrived home shortly after 6 p.m. “Her teacher was sick and I didn’t want to expose Kai to whatever may be going around. The administrator said it is some type of stomach virus.”

      “It’s my pleasure. You know how much I love that little girl.” She rose to her feet and began putting away a stack of papers.

      He gestured toward her laptop. “Were you able to get any work done?”

      Jordin nodded. “Quite a bit, actually. Kai watched television and played with her toys until lunch. After we ate, I took her to the park. She took a nap as soon as we got back.”

      Her eyes traveled to the television in the family room. A news reporter was going over the dead nurse’s confession.

      “Can you believe that?” Jordin asked. “I just don’t understand why that nurse didn’t come forward sooner, especially if she even suspected she may have switched the babies. This could have been corrected much sooner. It must have haunted her all this time, from what I’m hearing.”

      “I suppose she was worried more about her job,” Ryker responded. “It was selfish for her to keep this secret. She’s not even sure she gave the babies to the wrong parents. It may create upset for no reason at all.”

      “This is true, Ryker, but we have no idea what her life was like,” Jordin pointed out. “Maybe all she had was her work as a nurse. At least she left the hospital and found other work so that she couldn’t make the same mistake again.”

      He shrugged in nonchalance. “It was still wrong.”

      She nodded. “You’re right. I just feel bad for her.”

      Jordin followed Ryker into his office. “Kai was born at that very same hospital on the same day,” she said. “Yet you don’t seem worried about this at all.”

      He met her gaze. “I’m not worried, Jordin. I know that she is my daughter. I’m sure I would know if she wasn’t my child.”

      “Would you really?” She sat down in the plush leather chair across from Ryker.

      “What are you trying to say?”

      “We all love her, Ryker, but wouldn’t you want to know if there’s a chance that you were given the wrong baby? It would mean that your biological child is still out there in the world somewhere.” Jordin studied his face. “You mean, with everything that’s going on, you haven’t considered this possibility at all?”

      “No, I haven’t. Kai is my daughter, Jordin,” Ryker stated in a tone that brooked no argument. “I feel bad for the people involved. If it happened to me, I would sue the hospital for everything it’s worth and I hope they will, too. In fact, I may offer my services pro bono to the parents. This is something awful to have to deal with. I don’t know what I’d do if someone came to me saying that Kai may not be my child.”

      Jordin’s expression was solemn. “I don’t know what we’d do either, quite honestly. But I know we’d find a way if that were ever the case. We’re a strong family. Ryker, we’d figure it out.”

      Jordin then collected her belongings before moving toward the door. “Remember, anytime you need me, I’m a phone call away.”

      Ryker offered her a slight smile and watched from the doorway as she walked to her car, which was parked directly out front.

      After Jordin pulled off, Ryker walked back inside, secured the door, and spent time with his daughter until it was time for her to go to bed.

      Kai now settled and sleeping, Ryker sat down in the family room to watch television. During a commercial, Ryker checked his voice mail messages. Only one in particular caught and held his attention—the one from the hospital.

      Why are they calling me? he wondered.