2. The Foster Daddy Pool

“You know you’re a natural with her.”

“Hmmm…she’s just hungry, that’s all.” I grin as she gobbles down the formula, I can’t deny she is seriously cute, but I am not ready to be a guardian or father, and I am fairly sure her mother will come back for her. Or once social services take her, she will get easily adopted out.

“If you say so…but something tells me, that you may have found the one woman that will finally get a commitment from you.” He shoots back and Thomas laughs and nods.

“I bet you $20 he doesn’t make it out of the hospital tomorrow without her, Captain.” He’s packing his med bag up and putting all Willow’s personal items into an evidence bag ready for social services.

“Oh, I am not taking that bet – I know he’s not leaving the hospital without her. I knew it the minute he muttered about her perfect cherub face.” John replies and I look up sharply – did I really say that out loud?

Willow gurgles as she finishes the entire bottle, and I lift her up to my shoulder, patting her back repeatedly as Thomas instructs to the wind out of her. She mewls and sucks on my shoulder as I keep patting her until at last a loud burp sounds. When I pull her back to check on her, she gives me a wide-eyed look – just as surprised by the sound she made as I was. There is a connection in our gaze, one I can’t quite describe, like our souls recognize each other and see kinship in our stares.

“Keep patting her Conall, she’s bound to have more wind than that.” John says, serving up pasta across the kitchen counter, then brings a bowl and fork over and place it before me. I put Willow back on my shoulder and keep patting, her adorable little hiccups and burps enchanting the crew as we eat together.

“So Conall, given you are baby watch, that means you will have to stay behind if we get a call out – which means we need to swap duty rosters - you good with that?” James asks, as he finishes the last of his meal, a grin on his face.

“Yep, I’ve got no issue swapping roster with you, even if it means I’m on clean up duty – you’re favorite.” I wink back, knowing he thinks he’s getting the better end of the deal. Willow finally stops burping and I cuddle her into the crook of my neck, moving from back pats to rubs – this time under John’s instruction.

“Ok boys, who wants in on the Foster Daddy Conall pool?” Thomas asks, and the the entire crew zero’s in on me as Willow slumps against me in sleep, a very soft snuffly snore sounding from her, that tugs at my heart. “I’ve got $20 on him not leaving the hospital without her, who else wants to place bets?”

John gives me a look and a nod to follow him to his office. I get up carefully, james helps me pull out my chair so it doesn’t scrape and wake the baby. The crew are all making their bets, sure that I will be taking Willow home with me – like I have the capacity to look after a baby. I would probably need a nanny, or to have my mother move back in with me.

I can’t believe I’m even thinking about logistics right now.

John closes the door behind us as I enter his office, he sits down behind his desk, motions for me to sit as well, then calls his wife, putting her on speaker for me.

“Hey baby, what’s up?” she answers and real sweet grin crosses his craggily face as he hears his wife’s voice.

“Hey sweetheart, you’re on speaker and we’ve got ourselves a bit of a situation here at the station. Conall found an abandoned baby tonight.” He explains a softness to his voice that I only hear when he speaks to Missy. “Thomas has checked her over and as there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong requiring immediate medical assistance, we are going to wait for the rain to ease before taking her to the hospital for a full checkup. But I need to check her in with my local social services counsellor.”

“Well, consider me checked in, I will get the paperwork started here at home and then can meet you at the Hospital when you go. Do we have any information on the baby – parent – or is it a john or jane doe?” She asks and I can hear her moving about, probably going to her office to log into her laptop. Jahn looks at me and raises his brows, hinting for me to continue.

“It’s a girl, almost 3 moths, we have a photo with who I assume is her mother, the back had writing with the name Willow Sage and 10^th of June listed. That’s the only thing even close to identification that we found.” Willow snuffles slightly at the sound of my vice but settles easily back down again. I can hear Missy typing through the phone, and it sets my teeth on edge for some reason.

“Ok that’s more than I was expecting, to have a photo included normally indicates that the parent intends to come back – it’s not in every case, but generally anyone that gives up a child for good, rarely includes anything that can identify them and make it possible to find them. I’m thinking we will probably need to find her a foster carer in the interim.” Missy muses as she continues to type away, and I hate to admit it but I don’t want anyone else to look after Willow. I found her, and when I did something in me shifted and clicked into place.

I clear my throat nervously, wetting my lips with my tongue as I consider the right question to ask. “Missy, what’s the process for becoming a Foster carer?”

John’s eyes look up from the phone to meet mine, a knowing smile on his face, as Missy pauses in her typing for a second.

“Well, this is a welcome enquiry, Conall.” Missy says with a smirk in her voice. “I assume you have someone that would be able to support you and look after her when you are on shift?”

“Yes, my mother can move in with me to help.” I answer, keeping my gaze focused on the phone, ignoring the widening grin splitting Johns mouth wide.

“If you are serious about this Conall, and you need to be really sure, then I can get you vetted and cleared by tomorrow as you already have background checks on record from your job.”

I look down at the innocent vulnerable baby girl sleeping on my shoulder and know my decision is already made. “Start the paperwork – I’ve got to go call my mum.”

John and Thomas where right – Willow is mine and whoever bet tomorrow afternoon on the Foster Daddy pool just made themselves some money.