Abandoned [h.s.]

two

Harry bounced Lilly gently in his arms, it seemed to keep her pretty calm and he didn't want to risk her going into another fit of screaming while he was on the phone.

"Harry! How have you been sweetie?"

A smile smile graced his lips at his mother's tone, "Hi Mum, I've been good although there's something that's just come up that I sort of need your help with if that's alright?"

Lilly started to tug on his hair, small noises passing her lips as her tiny fingers wrapped around his soft curls and Harry smiled brightly as his mother told him she would help the best that she could after he explained just what it was.

"Well, early this morning, about three AM, someone left this adorable little baby girl on my doorstep. There was a note that said 'Please take care of her; she's yours I just can't take care of her right now, I'm so sorry.' and her birth certificate without the mother's name along with her social security card. I went out as early as I could to get the things I needed to properly take care of her for a bit but I really would like to find her mother. She shouldn't grow up without one even if I'm here to take care of her."

"Oh...You're certainly right, a mother figure is a key thing to have for a little girl. Do you know for sure that she's yours?"

Harry nodded despite the fact that she couldn't see him, "Yes, she's got my eyes and I can just...feel it if that makes sense. But I can't remember the last time I was with someone like that, it's been so long and even so no one ever came to me and let me know that I had gotten them pregnant. I would have been there, God, I definitely would have been there Mum. Is there any way that you can think of that I could find her mother?"

"You might be able to go to the hospital she was born at and ask around, but that's all I can think of if her name isn't on the certificate. How old is she?"

Harry retrieved the paper from the kitchen table, shifting Lilly in his arms as she continued to pull on his hair, even going to the extent of putting it in her mouth which had him laughing lightly, "She's seven months, almost eight."

He heard his mother sigh lightly on the other end, "You won't have much luck at the hospital, but I would still try."

Harry nodded as he walked over to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of formula, "Yeah, definitely. Thanks Mum. I'll send you a picture of her after I get her some much needed breakfast, right now she thinks my hair is food."

Anne laughed on the other end, "Adorable. Alright, bye Harry, I love you."

"Love you too Mum, bye."

Harry ran her bottle under the warm faucet for a bit before shaking it's contents and testing it on his skin to make sure that it wasn't too hot for her. He'd discovered early on that she preferred warmer formula, about room temperature, over the colder alternative.

He smiled as she drank from the bottle greedily, "I wish your Mummy left me with a list of your preferences so I didn't have to upset you so much this morning. But I guess that's how it works."

After she'd decided that she'd had enough to eat and after he had burped her, he took a cute little picture that he sent to his mother.

You were absolutely right, she is ADORABLE! What's her name?

Harry smiled to himself as he sent back a text that read simply 'Lilly (:' and took Lilly upstairs with him so that he too could get dressed for the long day ahead of them.

It was a good thing that his finances were quite well off otherwise he wouldn't have been able to take care of her. His thoughts trailed back to who her mother was and why she had decided to keep this a secret from him until she decided that she couldn't properly take care of their daughter.

He loved children and had always wanted one of his own and if they knew him at all, like he had assumed they had because they had ended up together at some point and time, then she would have known that it was alright to tell him and that he would have cherished both her and their little girl for all this time.

He really needed to find her mother.
                                                                                                       . . .

"How may I help you sir?"

Harry ran his free hand through his hair nervously, his other hand holding Lilly in her cute little carrier, "I actually have a question. Last night this adorable little baby girl was left on my doorstep with her birth certificate but the mother's name was missing and I was wondering if maybe, possibly, anyone here who was working that way could maybe help me find out who she is? I really want this little girl to grow up with a Mum and this is the only thing I could think of."

The woman behind the desk gave him a sad look, "I don't know if that's possible but I will certainly try. Could I see the certificate?"

He handed her the paper quickly and drummed his fingers nervously as she disappeared to see if anyone who had worked that day and at those hours in the maternity ward was working.

She returned about two minutes later with a pretty nurse, "Hi, my name is Melody, I heard that you have some questions for me?"

Melody stuck out her hand and he was quick to return the gesture, "Harry and yes, I do if you don't mind. You were working in the maternity ward on April 12th?"

Melody smiled and nodded, "Yes I was, a lot of cute babies born that day."

Harry notched his head to where Lilly lie sound asleep in her carrier, "I can imagine, Lilly here was one of them. She was left at my door early this morning and I was wondering if maybe you had any idea as to who her mother is? Her name isn't on the certificate but I don't want this precious little girl to grow up without her proper Mummy."

A soft smile graced her pink stained lips, "Oh yes, I remember this little one. She's so cute! I don't remember the Mother's name but I do remember that she had darker hair and brown eyes. Are you the father?"

Harry nodded, that information didn't slim down the list very much but it was helpful nonetheless, "Thank you. Yes, I am although I wish her mother had told me so before well, before she kind of just abandoned her on my doorstep."

Melody frowned, "I'm sorry to hear that but I hope that you find her. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

Harry scratched the back of his head feeling dumb for even asking the question, "Yes actually, how do I know if she um had all of her shots and blood work done already?"

The woman's smile returned, "She should have them every few months. I'd say it's a safe bet to bring her somewhere when she's reached nine months and then again at twelve, fifteen, eighteen, and twenty four months. I can go back and check to see if she's received her shots at the hospital if you'd like?"

He didn't particularly like hospitals, sure, they did help people, but they were also where people died and brought with them all kinds of sickness. Despite how he felt about the more time he spent there, he did really need to know so he nodded and thanked her as she disappeared to go check the records.

Lilly had woken up soon after Melody had left and Harry's eyes widened at just how loud her infant cries were in the large room before he'd picked her up and gently rocked her in his arms, soothing her fairly quickly.

"It's okay sweetie, you're okay, daddy's here."

"She's taken a liking to you very quickly I can see."

Harry smiled and lifted his eyes to Melody so he wouldn't seem rude, "Yeah, it looks like she has. Did you find anything?"

"Well, I only had records for her two month immunizations but I did check the system for you and she has had all of her shots up to date so you have nothing  to worry about."

Lilly started to pull on his hair again and he laughed as he replied, "Thank you so much, I hope that I didn't take up too much of your time."

"Not at all! Good luck finding her Mummy!"