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I point a shaky finger back toward my house “Baby Front porch”

Pepper’s face morphs into confusion and someone behind her says, “Hey, Pepp…is that the hot hockey player that lives next door? Have him come in and play some Scrabble with us”

She ignores the person as do I Instead, Iher physically through her doorway I turn and run down the porch, and Pepper follows me without question or complaint

I drag her right up onto the porch whereeven more violently as I point down at the baby wrapped in the blanket It’s still whi softly

“Oh my God,” Pepper exclaims as she jerks her hand out of mine and stoops to pick up the baby She peels the blanket back further to stare at the little creature She finds its hand and pushes her finger into its and I’htly

Her head turns to me “You just found this on your porch?”

I can’t even speak so I just nod effusively

“Where did it come from?”

I shake

Pepper takes a step back and looks down at where the baby was lying We both see a note there which must have been underneath the bundle

I pick it up My hands are still shaking as I open it, and immediately realize it’s too dark to see I oodenly down ed deep in the pit ofme want to puke

Moving to the front of hts sufficiently illuuely aware that Pepper’s at side me

Legend,

I hate to spring this on you, but I find myself unable to care for our baby She’s fourteen days old and I haven’t na as a surprise, but you’re in a better position to care for her than I am

Lida“You had a baby?” Pepper asks softly

“No,” I mutter “I mean…if this is true, yes But I had no clue I saw this woman briefly while I ith the Spartans down in Florida I had no idea she was pregnant”

“Wow,” Pepper murmurs as I twist my neck to look at her Her eyes are soft and wondrous “Talk about a surprise, huh?”