FLASHBACK (BRAD’S POV)
The entire two years that I spent in prison I searched for my daughter. I took the help from several nonprofit organizations who were fascinated with my story. I even got interviewed by Geraldo Rivera, telling my story to America while I did my time.
I admitted what I did was wrong but I only attempted to rob that bank so that I could have money for Whitney and the baby. I knew a guy who got away with it and I thought I could too. When I revealed that Whitney (of course I didn’t give her name) gave my baby up for adoption I got a flood of letters from people who were sympathetic.
One letter was from a woman named April Mentis. It came three months before I was to be released. In the letter April revealed that she was single and wanted a child and she believed the child she adopted almost two years ago was my daughter.
I wrote her back and on the next visiting day, April came and brought in Madeline. She was so beautiful and I cried when I saw her through that fiber glass. April didn’t tell her I was her daddy because we needed to do a paternity test to be sure. I agreed to do whatever it took to find out if she was my baby.
The next day a doctor came and swabbed my mouth and sent my sample to the hospital Whitney gave birth in. Two weeks later, I fell to my knees when April wrote me back telling me I WAS MADELINE’S FATHER!
April brought Maddie (the nickname I gave her) to visit me every week until I was released two months later. I cried the first time she called me daddy.
When I was released April was so nice as she didn’t fight me when I told her I wanted full custody. We made love that night too. After I found my job working on a construction site less than two weeks later April and I decided to become a couple.
Things were great for four years. I even thought of marrying April. I had a ring picked out and everything. But all good things must come to end. I learned that the hard way.
I had gotten off work and I was super excited to see my girls. I expected Maddie to jump into my arms like she did everyday and I would hug and kiss her and ask her how school went. I expected to see April in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on our dinner; it should’ve been a normal day.
But I didn’t see any of that. Maddie wasn’t even home when I got there. Where was she? And on a school night no less. I walked further in the house and saw April sitting on the couch. She looks like she was waiting for me to come home but she didn’t look in a good mood.
“Hey baby. Where’s Maddie?” I ask her as I place my car keys on the coffee table.
“Brad, I’m pregnant.” she whispers right off the back and I see tears in her eyes.
Why would she be crying? This was great news! I mean, we weren’t trying for a baby but Maddie would love a little brother or sister! I wanted to jump for joy but I didn’t because April didn’t look happy.
I move to sit next to her on the couch and I attempted to take her hands in mine. She snatches them away and I look at her in confusion.
