“I’m sorry, Jo.At the time, it made sense to look into anyone and everyone who got too close to Tray.I didn’t know at the time how things would go, but I’m also fucking thankful that he had me look into you because it helped me locate your daughter.”
“I still don’t see how that’s possible.”She threw her hands in the air.“It’s been fifteen years, Dom.Who’s to say that Kaitlyn even stayed in the town I left her, or that they didn’t change her name?This is like finding a needle in a haystack except the barn is full of drug users, so there are needles everywhere.”
I scrunched my face and shook my head.That was just gross.
“You and your dad lived in Brooksville until he died.After that, you moved to Grand Falls with your uncle.I looked up small towns surrounding Grand Falls and found Junction Pass.Does that sound familiar?”
Her eyes widened slightly as she swallowed hard but didn’t respond.
“Junction Pass is a super small town, so when a scandal hits, people talk about it.Like when a pregnant teenager shows up, delivers a baby in the only clinic in town, then leaves before anyone can confirm her identity.There were several articles published in their local newspaper fifteen years ago as the town rallied together to find the mother of the baby left behind.”
Tears filled her eyes as she listened, focused on every single word that came out of my mouth.
“In my search this morning, I also found that Junction Pass has proudly introduced its first Safe Haven baby box.It seems that one of their local doctors—who just so happened to deliver a baby left in their town fifteen years ago—pushed for their clinic to get one.”
Jo’s head tipped forward as tears ran down her face.
I turned the computer to face her, waiting until she was ready to see the picture I had pulled up on the screen.
“In the article, it says that Dr.Easton has been pushing to provide safe spaces for mothers who need help ever since she adopted her daughter fifteen years ago.”
Jo’s head whipped up as she stared at me.Shock washed over her face, quickly replaced with recognition as her eyes landed on the computer screen.
Standing in front of a safe-haven baby box was a woman dressed in a silk shirt and slacks, with a stethoscope hanging around her neck.Beside her stood a teenage girl who was the spitting image of Jo.
Forty-Two
Jo
Ididn’t ask beforeI reached out and grabbed the laptop, yanking it forward as I stared at the image.There was no doubt that the girl in the picture was my daughter.She had my eyes and the same light complexion, but it was the small beauty mark beside her lip that solidified it was Kaitlyn.
I had been obsessed with her after she was born, and I soaked in every detail of her beautiful face as I held her, knowing it would be the last time I would see her.Her beauty mark had surprised me, but in the best way.It was like I had been given a sign from the universe that if I ever needed to try to find my daughter, this would be my confirmation that it was her.
My eyes scrolled down the page until I read the caption below the picture.
Dr.Mariah Easton and daughter Kaitlyn Easton celebrate the opening of Safe Haven Baby Box at the Junction Pass Clinic.
