Star: Take 3

Whispers of Hope

STAR POV

Noah and I waited impatiently for the detective to arrive with Davis. It had been 3 days since Dianne was spotted in North Carolina. I gnawed at my nails nervously as each minute passed. The detective had been clear-Dianne had been apprehended on a train.

Finally, the sound of the station's doors swinging open signaled the moment we had longed for. Our gazes locked onto the small figure in the detective's arms-our baby Davis.

Without a second thought, Noah and I sprang from our seats and rushed towards them. I reached out, my arms aching to hold our son. As I cradled Davis, the flood of relief was overwhelming, each kiss I planted on his face an affirmation of my love.

Noah's voice, a soft murmur of joy, broke through as Davis grasped his finger. "Hey little man," he said, his smile wide.

"Thank you so much for bringing my baby home to me," I let out. Noah added his own thanks, his voice steady but filled with emotion. "Thank you, detective," he said.

"Hey, detective, is my mom alright?" he asked concerned. "She's in custody," the detective answered, her gaze softening. "Would you like to see her?"

"Not right now. I want to spend time with my son," Noah stated, his priorities clear, yet he couldn't help but add, "I just wanted to make sure she was okay."
The detective smiled and nodded, understanding the complex web of emotions that must be playing through Noah's mind.

Noah and I, decided to stop by Ms. Carlotta's house before heading to my apartment. Everyone was eager to see Davis.

As we stepped through the door, we were met with a warm welcome. Simone was the first to pull me into a hug, her affectionate demand to hold her nephew a moment of light-hearted command. "Now let me hold my nephew," she insisted, planting a tender kiss on Davis's forehead. "I missed you so much," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

Alex was next, her smile radiant as she took Davis into her arms. "Hey cutie," she cooed, as she planted a gentle kiss on his forehead. "You had a lot of people worried about you."

Derek, with a grin that stretched from ear to ear, waited eagerly for his turn. As Alex handed Davis over, he couldn't help but observe the resemblance between Davis and Noah. "He looks like you, Noah," Derek remarked, the pride in his voice clear.

The hours at Ms. Carlotta's house were filled with laughter. Eventually, it was time to return to my apartment, to the life that had been put on pause. A knock at the door drew our attention, and Noah went to answer it. "Hey man, come on in," I heard him say, and when I looked up, Jackson was walking into the room.

"Hey, Star," he greeted, his presence a reminder of the support we had received from all corners. "I just put him down, but you can hold him if you like," I offered, my voice a mix of fatigue and gratitude.

Jackson accepted the offer, his arms cradling Davis with care. "Yeah, I'm glad he's safe," he said sincerely. Jackson revealed the purpose of his visit, pulling out a gold bracelet with a feature that seemed almost too good to be true. "It has a tracker in it, so you'll always know where he is," he explained

"Thank you," I said. "I just wanted to stop by to see how you guys were holding up," he said, a friend checking in on friends. "I'm better now that Davis is home," I assured him, the simple truth that with Davis here, everything else seemed manageable.

"I'm good now," Noah added, his own relief evident in his words.

With a final exchange of goodbyes, Jackson left, passing Davis back to my arms. "See you later," Noah and I called out as the door closed behind him.