#Chapter 50: A Father's Gift

DORIS I stepped out of the subway station, inhaling the myriad of smells in the morning air. I walked quickly to where I had agreed to meet my biological father, Joe, outside a busy café. We had planned to spend some quality time together. I decided I would let myself get to know him without resenting that is missed out on him my whole life. “Hi, Doris. Long week?” “Long but mostly good.” “Tell me about it.” As we settled into our seats, a comfortable silence hung between us for a moment. Then, my father's eyes twinkled with mischief as he leaned forward, breaking the silence. "Okay, what’s up? How's life treating you these days?" I chuckled, appreciating his casual approach. “Life has its ups and downs, but I can't complain. Noah woke up for a brief moment." I didn't think I'd ever mentioned Noah to Joe before, so I told Joe all about how Noah had saved me, and I brought Joe up to date on the situation. “Sounds like it’s a critical time where you defi