“About five years ago I was on a business trip. I met a woman on the plane, and we hit it off. Once the flight landed, we didn’t want to part ways just yet.”
Veronica grinned. “So you took her back to your hotel didn’t you, dear brother?”
I shook my head but couldn’t help the smile that came across my face. “Anyway, when I woke up, she was gone but left me a note that said that ‘if the universe brought us back together,’ then we’d see each other again.”
She placed her hands over her heart and let out a sigh. “I love it.” Despite Veronica and I looking a lot alike, her personality had always been far more romantic than mine when it came to matters like this.
“You would. Anyway, as fate or the universe or whatever it is would have it, guess who my new next door neighbor is?”
Veronica’s eyes went wide. More noise sounded from the girls, and she quickly craned her neck to make sure that everything was alright outside, turning her attention back to me once she was satisfied that everything was fine.
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope.”
“Well, that’s one way for the universe to bring you back together.”
“She moved in last weekend,” I said. “Along with her four-year-old daughter. A four-year-old daughter who looks just like me.”
Veronica regarded me with total disbelief for a long moment, finally letting out a squeal and running over to me.
“You’re a dad!” She prepared to throw her arms around me.
I stepped back and raised my hands, stopping my sister in her tracks.
“That’s the thing—I don’tknowif I’m a dad or not.”
Veronica was confused. “But didn’t you just say that you hooked up five years ago? And that the girl is four and that she looks just like you?”
“Could be a total coincidence for all I know. Maybe she was a serial one-night stander, or met someone right after we hooked up. Sure, the facts are lining up for me to be the girl’s father, but Piper hasn’t said a word about it to me.”
She nodded. “Has she saidanythingabout the girl’s father? You know, like an offhand comment about him visiting or anything like that?”
“Nope. As far as I know, he’s not in the picture.”
Veronica grinned. “That is, until now.”
“Alright, that’s enough. Seriously, I have no idea what to do.”
“Easy, you get her to spit on a Q-tip, then send it to one of your bloodwork buddies.” She laughed, stopping short when she saw the expression on my face. “Only joking.”
“You’re joking, but damned if it wouldn’t be nice to know for sure one way or another.”
“You could always ask her. I mean, I think you’re well within your rights to do so.”
“What, just corner her and say, ‘hey, that kid looks a lot like me, and the timeline makes sense, is she mine?’”
“Yes! Exactly that!”
The idea had sounded completely insane in my head. Now that it was out in the open, however, now that I’d spoken the words, it all seemed a little more sensible. I stood still, trying to process the notion.
“What if I’m not?”
“Well, then you’re not.”
“She might get offended if I question her like that.”
Veronica chuckled. “I mean, she might be a little taken aback if it’s not the case, but you’ve got a damn good reason to ask. You could even do it obscurely, like, ask a question about the father.”
