Natalie
That name hit me like a punch.
Natalie was my first real girlfriend. We met in college. Three incredible years—laughing, dreaming, planning a future. We talked about kids. About forever.
But I wasn’t ready. I got scared and walked away after a messy fight. I never saw her again.
Could it be?
I asked the nurse if Ava’s birth certificate was on file. She hesitated, but maybe it was the look in my eyes—or the soot still clinging to my jacket.
An hour later, she handed me a copy.
Mother: Natalie Brooks.
Father: Unknown.
I stared at that paper like it might catch fire in my hands.
Could she really be mine?
