Against the Odds (Fighting to Survive #2)(11)

Drake Sinclair

“Be there, and don’t be late! This is my family we’re talking about and I have no intentions of giving her up.” I slam the phone down so hard that it makes my coffee cup rattled against the saucer. I know my temper gets out of control at times and I am trying to maintain it. I know it scares my wife and our children to see me mad. Ever since we heard that the girls who were switched at birth were ours — our biological daughter and the one we are raising — it has taken all my willpower to not kill someone. Literally, I want to kill whatever dumbass is responsible for this f*ck-up.

A light tap sounds on the door before it creaks open. I am reminded that I am at home and not at my office. I try to replace my scowl and frown lines with a soft smile. I know from the soft tap on the door that it’s one of my children walking in.

“Are you mad, Daddy?” Madison asks in an angelic voice. I look at her long black silky hair, dark eyes and beautiful smile and my anger is replaced with love. She is wearing a floral dress with black patent leather shoes and ruffled white socks. Ever since we received the news the Madison was switched at birth, our lives have been turned upside down.

“No Madison, Daddy’s not mad.” I watch as Madison slowly walks further into my office. “Is Mommy and Caden ready?”

“Yes, Daddy. Momma wanted me to come get you. Grandpa’s here to watch Caden.”

I stand up and button my suit jacket. “Come on. Madison, we shouldn’t keep your momma waiting.” I take her small hand in mine and walk out of my office. My three-year-old son, Caden, and my wife, Chelsea, are standing at the front door waiting for us. My son is dressed in shorts and a Spiderman t-shirt. My wife is dressed in a flowery dress, almost identical to Madison’s.

“Are we ready?” I ask my wife. She is holding an envelope and a gift for… I can’t even say it. The other child may be my biological daughter, but I don’t feel a connection to her. Madison, on the other hand, is my pride and joy. I’ll never let her go.

“We are, your dad is here to watch Caden.” My mom died of bone cancer a few years ago and my father never remarried. He is very active in his grandchildren’s lives.

“Let’s not keep the good people of Manatee County waiting,” I say, sarcastically.

“Be nice, Drake,” Chelsea says as she loops her arm through mine.

“Always.” We were informed by my high-priced attorney we should cooperate with the hospital and listen to how they plan to correct this. We were also advised to meet with the other family and possibly we all can agree to the same conclusion and end this civilly. You keep your child and we’ll keep Madison. Case closed! After the first certified letter we received from the hospital revealing the baby swap, I haven’t signed for another certified letter from the hospital, since. There has only been one that I am aware of. Whatever they have to say to me, they can say it to my face.

We walk through the house and I pass my dad in the family room. He is setting up a board game for him and Caden to play.

“Dad, do you need anything before leave?” I ask my father as he shuffles the cards to Candy Land.


“No, Drake. Caden and I have everything we need while you guys are gone.” He walks towards me and smiles when Madison walks around the corner. “Well, Madison, don’t you look like a princess.”

“Thank you, Grandpa,” she says with an angelic voice.

“Oh, if Grandma could see you now.” He picks up Madison and hugs her. “Grandma loved you so much.”

“I miss her.”

“Well Madison, you know she is looking down on you from heaven, right now.”

“I know Grandpa, I still miss her.”

“I do, too, Madison.”

“We’ll be late if we don’t leave now,” Chelsea says.

“I know, I’m sorry. I’m prolonging the inevitable, aren’t I?” He kisses Madison again and lowers her to the floor.

“I know, Dad. This is something none of us wants to do, but we have to,” Chelsea says. Chelsea called my parents Mom and Dad very early in our marriage. My mom insisted.

“Well, you best be going. Take plenty of pictures. I want to see what the new addition to our family looks like.”

“Dad?”

“Oh, relax, Drake. You can’t change it, so you might as well accept it. Madison will have a sister.”

Leah

Mom and Dad and Robert’s Mom and Dad show up at the house bearing gifts. Everything is wrapped beautifully. They must have known that I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on wrapping gifts this morning. I can barely hold it together. I’m trying, but it’s not working. Robert was working out when I woke up this morning and he spent most of the morning in the basement. He’s barely holding it together, too.

“The gifts look beautiful.”

“Thank you, Leah. We each bought her toy, but we got her a book from you and Robert. We thought it was fitting,” Margie says.

“A book, that’s perfect. Thank you.”

“You look beautiful,” my Mom says.

“Thank you. I’m a bundle of nerves. I have a bad feeling about this.”

“I imagine you do. Do you want us to go with you?” Mom asks.

“No, I want you all here waiting for us. I have no idea how this will work out.”