Here’s a compelling short story based on your prompt:
Husband Returns from Business Trip and Sees Newborn Baby on Table with Two Notes Beside — Story of the Day
Daniel unlocked the front door, exhausted from his week-long business trip. The house was unusually silent. No sounds of the TV, no footsteps, nothing. He dropped his suitcase by the door and stepped inside.
As he walked toward the kitchen, he froze.
Right there, on the dining table, wrapped in a soft white blanket, was a newborn baby. Beside the infant lay two notes. His hands trembled as he reached for the first one.
“Her name is Lily. She’s yours. Take care of her.”
The handwriting was unfamiliar. Daniel’s heart pounded. Who had left the baby here? And why did they say she was his? He frantically grabbed the second note.
“I’m sorry. I had no other choice. Please forgive me.”
His head spun. His wife, Emma, was nowhere to be seen. He checked the bedroom, the bathroom—empty. Panic set in. He picked up his phone and called her. It rang and rang, but no answer.
His eyes darted back to the baby. She stirred, making a soft cooing noise. He hesitated, then carefully lifted her into his arms. His mind raced through a hundred possibilities. Had Emma been hiding a pregnancy? Had someone abandoned the baby, mistakenly thinking he was the father?
A knock on the door startled him. He rushed to open it.
There stood an elderly woman, her eyes filled with sorrow. “Mr. Daniels?” she asked.
“Yes,” he replied, gripping Lily protectively.
“I need to tell you something about your wife,” she said.
Daniel felt his stomach drop. “Where is she?”
The woman sighed. “She’s in the hospital.”
“What happened?” His voice was barely above a whisper.
“She collapsed earlier today. She gave birth alone and… she wasn’t well.”
Daniel felt like the ground had vanished beneath him. “Take me to her.”
The woman nodded. “I’m her neighbor. She asked me to bring the baby here before she was rushed away. She didn’t want you to worry.”
Tears filled his eyes. He had left for his business trip thinking life was normal, and now everything had changed.
An hour later, Daniel sat beside Emma in the hospital. She was weak but awake. When she saw him holding Lily, fresh tears ran down her cheeks.
“I wanted to tell you,” she whispered. “But when I found out I was pregnant… the doctors said there were complications. I didn’t want to burden you if something happened.”
He squeezed her hand. “Emma, you’re my wife. We face things together.”
She let out a soft sob. “I thought I might not make it. That’s why I left the notes.”
Daniel kissed her forehead. “You’re here. She’s here. That’s all that matters.”
As he held his daughter in one arm and his wife’s hand in the other, he knew—his life had changed forever. And he wouldn’t have it any other way.
Would you like any tweaks to the story? 😊
