Near the baby’s left collarbone was a small, dark oval.
Caleb made a broken sound somewhere between a laugh and a sob.
“There.”
My vision blurred.
Every part of me wanted to reach for that baby.
I didn’t.
Not yet.
Denise stepped between us.
“We are not exchanging infants based solely on a birthmark.”
“Good,” I said.
Marissa nodded immediately.
“Test them.”
The hospital drew samples for an urgent parentage test while administrators began reviewing security footage, transfer records, and everyone who had handled both newborns.
Until the results came back, each baby remained with the family currently holding her under staff supervision.
Those hours were unbearable.
Caleb kept staring toward the hallway.
Marissa cried repeatedly.
And I tried not to think about the possibility that I was soothing her daughter while she was holding mine.
Later that day, Denise returned.
One look at her face told me everything.
