The veil was on, the aisle was waiting, and I was five hours away from saying, “I do.” My heart pounded with excitement. I had imagined this moment for years, dreaming of the day I would walk down that aisle toward Nate, the man I loved. But then, the doorbell rang.
I wasn’t expecting anyone so early. My best friend and maid of honor, Tessa, had a habit of being absurdly punctual, but 7:00 a.m. was extreme, even for her. With a smile, I padded across the cool wooden floor, my wedding dress rustling softly as I made my way to the door.
“Tessa, you are way too—” I started, swinging it open.
But it wasn’t Tessa.
Instead, sitting on my welcome mat was a car seat. A tiny bundle wrapped in a pink blanket lay inside, sleeping peacefully. My breath caught in my throat. My body froze. A baby?
My fingers trembled as I knelt down, my heart thudding so hard it drowned out all other sounds. Attached to the blanket was a small white envelope. With shaking hands, I picked it up and unfolded the note inside.
“The baby is Nate’s now. Ask him yourself.”
The words blurred before my eyes as a wave of dizziness washed over me. I read them again. And again. But they didn’t change.
This couldn’t be real. Nate? A baby? No. We had spent three years together—three years of whispered dreams, promises, and love. He would have told me. Wouldn’t he?
I looked at the baby. She stirred slightly, her eyelids fluttering open. My breath caught. She had the same piercing blue eyes as Nate. My stomach twisted.
“No,” I whispered. “This isn’t happening.”
Panic surged through me. My first instinct was to call him. My fingers hovered over his name on my phone screen. But I hesitated. If this was real—if he had kept something this huge from me—I needed to see his reaction. Face to face.
Swallowing my shock, I picked up the car seat and brought the baby inside. My mind raced. What was I supposed to do with an abandoned infant on my wedding day?
Thankfully, I had a bassinet set up for my cousin’s baby, who was coming to the wedding. I gently placed the little girl inside, relieved when she stayed asleep. My hands shook as I smoothed the blanket over her tiny chest.
Then, another knock at the door.
This time, it was really Tessa, followed by my bridesmaids, buzzing with excitement.
“The bride!” Tessa cheered. “Oh, Claire, you look—wait. What’s wrong?”
I must have looked as pale as a ghost.
“I need to show you something,” I whispered. “But you have to promise not to freak out.”
“Claire, you’re scaring me,” she said, following me upstairs.
The moment she saw the baby, she gasped, covering her mouth. “What the—whose baby is this?”
I handed her the note. She read it, her eyes widening. “Oh my God. Nate has a—”
“I don’t know,” I interrupted. “But I’m going to find out.”
Tessa took a deep breath, then nodded. “What’s the plan?”
“I’m taking her to the ceremony. I want to see his reaction when he sees her.”
“Claire…” She hesitated. “Are you sure?”
“No. But it’s the only plan I’ve got.”
She squeezed my hand. “Whatever happens, I’m with you.”
The chapel was breathtaking—white lilies and blush roses everywhere. Sunlight streamed through stained glass windows, casting colorful reflections across the polished floors. Under different circumstances, I would have been overwhelmed by its beauty.
But my focus was on the baby carrier in my hands.
My father stood beside me, glancing down at it. “Claire, sweetheart, whose baby is that?”
“I’ll explain later,” I whispered. “Just trust me.”
His forehead creased in concern, but he nodded. “Always.”
The music started. The doors opened. Guests rose, their faces lighting up as they saw me. But then, as their gazes dropped to the baby carrier, confusion flickered in their expressions.
And then I saw Nate.
He stood at the altar, handsome in his tuxedo. His face brightened at the sight of me—until he saw what I was carrying. His smile faltered. His eyes widened. His body stiffened.
I walked down the aisle, my heart pounding. Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
When I reached him, I carefully set the carrier down between us. The baby gurgled, blinking up at him with eyes that mirrored his own.
“Claire,” he breathed. “What is this?”
“You tell me,” I said, handing him the note.
He read it, his face draining of color. “I can explain… it’s not what you think.”
Before he could say more, movement caught my eye.
His mother stood from the front row, her voice clear and firm. “Nate, tell her the truth. Now.”
The chapel fell silent. The pastor shifted awkwardly. “Perhaps we should—”
“No,” I said. “I need to hear this.”
Nate swallowed hard. “She’s not mine, Claire. She’s my sister’s.”
“Your sister?” I repeated. “You never told me you had a sister.”
“Because she ran away when she was 17,” his mother said. “We… we didn’t handle things well.”
Nate nodded. “She contacted me last month. She had a baby, couldn’t take care of her, asked for money. I told her I couldn’t help. I never thought she’d do this.”
I looked down at the baby. So innocent. So helpless.
“Did you even try to find her?”
“I’ve been trying for years,” he said. “But when she reached out about the baby, she blocked me before I could help.”
I took a deep breath, making my decision. “This little girl is your family, Nate. And if I’m marrying you, she’s mine too.”
His eyes filled with emotion. “So… you’re staying?”
I turned to the guests. “Sorry for the unusual start, but it looks like our family just got a little bigger today.”
A soft murmur spread through the crowd. Then, slowly, people started smiling.
Tessa raised her glass. “To Claire and Nate. And to little Rose.”
As glasses clinked and laughter filled the air, Nate leaned in. “Thank you. For not running away.”
I smirked. “You’re in for a serious talk later. But for now? Let’s get married.”
He grinned. “Best wedding surprise ever.”
As the pastor continued the ceremony, I held Rose in one arm and Nate’s hand in the other. Our wedding day hadn’t gone as planned.
But somehow, it was better.
