Swanson Farms

Chapter 3

The next day Seth showed up earlier than he was supposed to, but I was already out on the porch with Bailey getting her situated in her car seat.

My dress flowed in the breeze and I glanced over when I heard him walk up the porch steps.

"Is Jackie here?" He asked and I shook my head,

"She hasn't come home yet... I'll try calling her for you," I offered, taking out my phone and hitting her contact photo. It rang a while then went to voicemail and I sighed, "She's not answering. I'll go see if she left a list or anything. Come on in, just be quiet, Mom and Dad are still sleeping." He nodded and I quickly took Bailey out of her car seat, walking in the house and looking on the fridge. The only lists on there were grocery and recipes.

"We should go check the barn for a list, if it's not there then I'll see about getting you a job to start on until she shows up." We walked to the barn and into the office and I checked the bulletin board and on the desk for a list, before hearing my phone chime.

I pulled it out to see an email from Jackie,

Subject: List of Chores for Seth
Hey, just incase the power goes out in the cabin and the alarm doesn't wake us up, I sent you a list of chores for you to forward to him.

There was an attachment and I looked at Seth,

"What's your email? She sent a list and details where everything you should need is."

"Uh, sethhunt@gmail.com." He said, and I nodded, forwarding it to him. His phone buzzed and he nodded, "Got it." I nodded and started walking out before he called me back,

"Yeah?" I asked, turning around to find that he was only a few feet away from me.

"Where's her father?" He asked roughly, and I swallowed hard,

"Excuse me?"

"Where's her father?" He asked again, "Who's her father?"

"I... I don't know." I said quietly, looking down at my daughter, my entire world. His voice softened and I could hear him sigh softly,

"Look... I didn't mean it like that, alright?" He said, before he walked out to start his job.

I went into town to the bakery to open it, resting Bailey on the counter in her car seat. The bell rang and I was about to tell whoever it was we weren't open yet until I saw deep brown eyes- almost black, looking at me.

"Charlie," He said softly, almost like he couldn't believe it was me.

"Hi Noah," I said softly, and he walked closer to me,

"When did you get back, Charlie?"

"Almost a month ago..."

"And... You didn't come by?"

"Noah..." I sighed and shook my head, then followed his gaze down to where Bailey's carrier was.

"Is that.. That's not..." He said, swallowing hard, and I shook my head,

"No... She's not yours Noah." He didn't look convinced, so I sighed,

"I... I had a one night stand in Toronto. Whoever that was, is Bailey's father. Not you."

"How old is she?" He asked, and I swallowed hard,

"Three weeks." I watched as he did the math in his head, and he went wide eyed,

"We... Four days before you left..."

"Noah, she's not your daughter. Okay?"

"That's bullshit!" He yelled suddenly and I jumped before taking Bailey out of her carrier.