Vanessa, tired but relieved to be home, had no idea her evening would take such a surprising turn. After several weeks of work travel in Paris, she merely wanted to return to her nice home, her husband, and their cozy bed in Nice.
What’s her plan? Surprise Eric by arriving home early. She enters softly, removes her shoes, places her luggage, and walks up to their bedroom without saying anything. But instead of her husband sleeping alone in bed, she discovers something else. Something keeps her frozen in place.
A baby. I slept peacefully next to Eric, wrapped in a blue blanket.
Vanessa cannot believe her eyes.
The astonishment, followed by inquiries
Without hesitation, she gently but firmly shakes her spouse. Eric awakens, astonished not just to see her, but also by the storm in her eyes.
– “Would you mind explaining to me what a baby is doing in our bed?”
Eric, perplexed, attempts to clarify. He claims a baby was left on their doorstep a few days ago, with no word or explanation. Surprised, he decided to take care of it while he pondered his next move.
But Vanessa isn’t convinced. Why didn’t he contact Social Services? Why would he keep something so essential from her? And, most importantly, whose child is this?
An unexpected revelation
Vanessa is awakened early in the morning by the sound of a woman’s voice. She gets up, intrigued, and listens in on Éric’s talk with a stranger. The term “DNA” causes her to jump. She rushes into the living room, thinking she has finally found the truth. But what she discovers is very different.
What about the woman in question? Mariah. And, despite all chances, she claims to be Eric’s sister.
The two appear to have grown up separately, unaware of their blood relationship. They appear to have started conversing after a fortuitous encounter in a store. Striking similarities, common memories… everything seems to fit. While waiting for the DNA test, Mariah had a family emergency and asked Éric to watch her kid, Léo, overnight.
From surprise to emotion
After the first astonishment, Vanessa looks closer at Mariah and notices a troubling likeness. Her reservations dissipate over time, giving way to true emotion. Eric had not done anything wrong. On the contrary, he had taken care of his potential nephew while keeping a finding as unpleasant and delicate to himself.
A few days later, the DNA test results revealed that Eric and Mariah were, in fact, brother and sister.
Vanessa is relieved. And touched. She observes Éric growing in his new role as uncle, despite having never experienced a close family. Léo, despite his modest stature, becomes the connection to a long-forgotten family history.
Vanessa was gone for business. She returned with an extended family.
