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"Riggs got out, and what?" Russell asked, alerting Georgie to the fact that Naomie had put the call on speaker.
"He jumped."
There was a moment of silence before Russell asked. "Is my son alive?"
"Alive and without a scratch, sir. He saved the child."
"Oh, thank God. So, what's the problem?"
Georgie returned to the room and saw that the doctors had finished with Riggs and the baby. The nurse was wrapping the child in a soft blanket. She hurried over to Riggs. "Talk to your father."
He accepted the phone. "I need help, Dad."
"Are you sure you're okay? You didn't screw up your—"
"I'm fine. So is Georgie."
"Wait!" Naomie blurted. "Why would you say that? Why wouldn't Georgie be fine."
"I reckon because she jumped off a bridge. But she's okay. Not a scratch. She found me and Robby in the water before rescue arrived and helped me stay afloat and keep him alive."
"Dear Lord," Naomie breathed.
"And what is the help you need, son?" Russell asked, almost on top of Naomie's comment.
"I promised his mother before she died that I'd take care of him. He's mine, Dad. Robby is mine."
"Robby?"
"Robert, but they called him Robby. And Dad? He was born the night Gramps died. The same time as the time of death listed on Gramps. And he knows me, Dad. I can tell. Robby knows me. I have to raise him, Dad. Will you please help me?"
There was a long silence before Russell spoke again. "Well, I never imagined I'd hear those words come out of your mouth, son, but you know I will. What can I do?"
"Whatever it takes. Use the disability I'm sure to get, my retirement, my trust, anything and everything. Just make an adoption happen so that he's my son legally."
"If you're sure that's what you want."
"It's what I have to do, Dad."
There was another silence, and then Naomie spoke up again. "Why do you feel it's up to you, Riggs? What happened that makes you so sure?"
"I just know."
"Okay, I believe you believe, but can you tell me what sparked that belief?"
Riggs blew out a frustrated breath and opened his mouth to speak but saw the nurse headed for the door with Robby in his arms and called out. "No, no, no. Bring my son to me."
The nurse looked confused but did as he said. Once Riggs cradled the baby against his chest, he turned his attention to the phone call.
"She knew she was going to die, Naomie. Her husband was already dead, and she was trapped in the car. The impact drove the dashboard down, pinning her legs. There was no way to get her out. Her only thought was of her child.
"She made me promise to take care of him. I said I'd make sure he was put with a good family, and she argued. "No. It has to be you," she said. "You're who God sent to save him. Don't abandon him, Mister. You're all he has. Please."
"I asked his name, and she said it was Robert, but they called him Robby."
He paused and looked down at the baby. "I'll never forget it, Naomie. I looked down at this baby, and something irrevocable happened. I was changed, and I know that sounds insane, but I was. Here he was, in the middle of an experience from hell, and he wasn't crying or squirming. He just watched me. I felt this… this connection is the best word I can use to describe it to you.
"And God, he was so amazing. I was so humbled. Here was this fragile, helpless baby, losing everything he knew in life, and he was looking at me with eyes of trust. In all this fear and loss, that child trusted me.
