Four-

"Do you have everything? Diapers? Food?Clothes? Money?" Mom asks, hovering around the car.

I buckle Skylar in and turn around. "Yes Mom, I have everything."

"Okay. Do you have the hotel address?" She asks. I nod.

"In the GPS already. Don't worry, we'll be fine." I kiss Mom's cheek to reassure her. "I love you and will see you in a couple of days."

She wrings her hands. "Okay. Be careful on the roads honey. I love you."

I get into the driver's seat, turn on the GPS, and start the drive.

I know this may seem crazy, she might not even be at the hospital, hell, she might on even be alive. Something tells me she is but hey, who knows? She did say she was really sick.

Skylar naps for a while and then starts to get restless. Mom let me borrow her iPad for the trip so I put on some kid show and place it in Skylar's lap, along with some juice and crackers. I turn up the car radio a little bit and enjoy the drive.

About thirty minutes away we stop for a bathroom break, which is a challenge. First of all the men's bathroom does not have a baby changing station, so I take her into the family bathroom. Then, when I go, I didn't know where to put her so I brought her into the stall with me and turned her around. I stock up on food, drinks, and gas before finishing the drive.

At the hotel we check in. Mom got us a room with one bed and a small kitchen/living room area. " Are you ready to see mommy?" I ask Skylar. She lets out a cute yawn, which is when I realize it's night time. "Okay, let's eat, sleep, and we'll see mommy tomorrow. Sound like a plan?" She claps her hands, which tells me she agrees.

The mere idea of seeing Trinity again is giving me anxiety. Not only did she not tell me she was pregnant, but she dropped the baby off at my doorstep. Who does that nowadays?

Skylar gets a hell of a lot of attention. I get a lot of compliments on how cute she is and how much we look alike. I honestly don't see it, but I say thanks anyways.

Skylar sleeps in my arms once again that night. If only I was older, then, maybe, I could keep her. But at 18, only a few months from graduating, I can't handle a baby. I don't even have a job!

The next day Skylar is crawling on me, trying to wake me up. I roll over and open my eyes to see her identical brown ones staring back.

"Ready to see mommy?" I ask. She smiles.

After getting her dressed, I put her in the car. We stop at McDonalds for breakfast before pulling into the hospital.

"Recognize this place?" I ask Skylar, looking up at the intimidating hospital. I hate hospitals.

When I step in my nose is filled with a clean scent. Hospitals always seemed too clean for me. At the reception desk I wait to get the nurses attention, who's on the phone. When she sees me, or more specifically Skylar, she hangs up the phone.

"Skylar!" The older nurse says and steps out from behind the desk. Skylar giggles as the lady takes her from my arms and starts kissing her cheeks. This attracts attention from some other nurses, who all crowd around the lady and Skylar.

I clear my throat, trying to get someone's attention. "Um, excuse me, I'm looking for Trinity Logsdon."

It gets quiet as the nurses look at one another with the same expression. The lady that took Skylar hands her back. "Room 202."

Okay, weird... "Thanks."

I try to calm my nerves as I walk closer to her room. What will she look like? The same? How sick is she really?

I knock on room 202 and wait patiently for the feminine voice from inside to say, "come in!"

Taking one more deep breath, I open the door and walk in.

•••••••••••••••

"You're gonna love it man! I've learned more here then anywhere else," Derrik, my lacrosse buddy, says as we pull up to the camp. "And the chicks are sweet!"

We find our way around and go to our cabin. We're staying in the same one with a few other people and our counselors.

That afternoon we start into team building with the girls. They are cute, but none of them really stick out.

Until I see her.

She runs down the hill, quickly throwing her hair into a bun as she does. "Sorry I'm late, I was in the bathroom!" She huffs as she gets to where we are. Her counselor tells her to get in line and she obeys.

We have to introduce ourselves to every single person on the other line a different way, the counselors telling us how.

When her and I are standing across from each other the counselors tell us to say our names along with our favorite food. I say, "hi, my name's Colton and I like steak."

She smiles and I can't help thinking of all the ways I can see that smile again. "Hi Colton, I'm Trinity. My favorite food is... Pizza. No, cheeseburgers. Shit, I don't know. How do you choose just one?"

I don't know if I'm supposed to answer or not so I just shrug and smile myself. When the counselors call out next Trinity smiles again and says, "I'll see you around Colton."

I can't wait to see her again.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

It's like I'm seeing her for the first time again. That same blonde hair is in the normal bun on the top of her head, and her phone is pressed against her ear. Dark circles have formed under her eyes and I can tell she's lost weight.

"Daddy, I don't want a new purse," she groans into the phone and looks up for the first time since I've walked in.

"You can just leave my food..." she trails off when she realizes who's standing in front of her. "Daddy, I'll call you later. Sorry. I love you too."

Her mouth hangs open before her eyes fill with tears. "Skylar." I take that as a hint to hand over Skylar to her. "God, I thought I'd never see you again." Trinity hugs her close as I stand there awkwardly, intruding this mother-daughter moment. How does she miss her so much, it's only been three days.

"Uh, hey," I say.

Trinity's eyes meet mine. The intensity of the stare hits me like a ton of bricks. "Colton."

"Hi," I say again. Trinity looks down at Skylar before up at me again.

"How'd you know I was here?" She asks.

I shrug. "That's not important. What I want are answers."

She sighs before looking at Skylar and smiling again. "How's my little girl doing?" Trinity asks Skylar, giving her a kiss on the forehead.

"Um, can we talk?" I ask again.

Trinity laughs. I'm about to ask what's so funny when she asks, "did you dress her?"

I frown. "Yeah, what's wrong with what she's wearing?"

"Your daddy has no matching skills," she says to Skylar, who giggles.

"She looks fine. That isn't the point, Trinity, I really need to talk to you."

She blows a piece of stray hair from her face before nodding. "You're right. Take a seat, make yourself at home."

I pull the chair closer to her bed and sit in it. I don't know how to start so I ask, "what do you have?"

"It's some heart disease. I'm not supposed to live much longer." Her eyes don't meet mine as she says this, they're solely on Skylar. "I used your name."

I crack a smile. "You thought of it."

"But you chose it," she says with a small smile. "Skylar's beautiful isn't she? I think we did good. Can you bring her back on her birthday? I don't want to miss my baby turning one, if I'm still alive."

I sigh and run a hand through my hair. "Look, Trinity, I don't know if I'll have her on her birthday."

"Why not?" She asks with a frown. I'll do anything for that smile back.

"I don't think I can handle a baby right now," I say honestly. She looks at Skylar again.

"Oh."

"What do you expect? You drop a baby off at my house with nothing but a note. Why didn't you ever tell me about her?" I ask the question I've been thinking since I read that note.

"Because we love two different lives, three hours apart. I knew you wouldn't want a baby. I've been in the hospital for four months now, raising a baby in the hospital while you're seventeen is hard. If I couldn't have her I wanted her father to have her, but I didn't have your number since I switched phones. Look, Colton, do what you want, but I hope you keep her," Trinity says with tears in her eyes. I've only seen her cry once before, after we made love for the first time, and again, I would do anything to make her stop.

"I can't raise a baby, Trin. I'm not capable of being a father at eighteen," I try and reason.

"You are capable. I know you are because if you weren't, I would have never left her with you. It may seem hard now, but I promise, it gets easier."

I shake my head. "I have plans. I'm going to a university, full scholarship, I want to go to parties, I want to full teenage experience."

Trinity scoffs. "Yeah, well, so did I." I'm about to apologize when she cuts me off, "plans change Colton. As much as I wanted to raise Skylar, I couldn't, you know why? Because I got sick. All I want is for her to be with her father." Her eyes squeeze shut. They stay shut for a while.

"Trin, are you okay?" I ask her. She nods.

"Can you just promise me you'll bring her here for her birthday?" She asks, her eyes still squeezed shut. Skylar places a hand on her cheek and Trinity lets a tear fall.

"I will," I say.

"And promise me, if someone adopts Skylar, make sure they're perfect. Make sure they will love her and treat her like their own, but also make sure they're willing to tell her about me." I can't believe this fragile girl in front of me is the same girl that used to jump on top of tables and dance like no one's watching.

"I promise," I whisper because it feels like a whispering moment.

Trinity nods before laying down. Skylar lays beside her like she probably did every day before she was left at my doorstep.

When a nurse comes in to tell me it's time to leave, I pick up a sleeping Skylar and quietly make my way out of the room so I won't wake Trinity.

Back at the hotel I lay Skylar on the bed before stepping onto the porch to check my phone. I have some messages from Mom and Crystal, checking up on me.

Not in the talking mood, I put my phone on silent before laying in bed beside Skylar.