Daniel was 27 years old and the little league baseball team coach at his former elementary school. Growing up, he had no idea that working with kids would so be fantastic, but this job stumbled upon his lap, and it was better than being in a classroom all the time. He went to college and got a degree in Education, but after a couple of years teaching English to uncaring teenagers, he quit.<\/p>\n
A buddy offered him the job, knowing that Daniel had played ball for many years, and it was like fate. Everything aligned perfectly, and he loved it. He had been doing it for some time now and couldn\u2019t imagine anything else in the world. But it wasn\u2019t easy. It took a lot of patience, and you constantly had to remind kids that they could do it.<\/p>\n
Like at that moment with little Josh. He was shy and a bookworm, but his parents forced him into the team, and Daniel could see that he had talent, but he was a bit afraid of getting hit. Hopefully, Josh will get better soon and start enjoying it.<\/p>\n
Finally, Josh hit the ball, and it went farther than the rest of the team imagined, so the boy ran excitedly to first base and jumped around in delight. \u201cGood job, Josh! That\u2019s right!\u201d Daniel yelled at the field, clapping and smiling at the boy.<\/p>\n
\u201cCoach Givens?\u201d Mrs. Finkle called his attention, standing next to a boy Daniel had never met. \u201cThis is Robert Marshall, a new student. He was transferred at the beginning of the week and wanted to try out for the team.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAwesome! Nice to meet you, Robert. Let\u2019s get through these sets first, and we\u2019ll see what you can do. But don\u2019t worry, we\u2019re sure you\u2019ll make the team easily,\u201d Daniel said with a smile, and Robert returned his grin.<\/p>\n
The boy sat down with some of the other kids while Mrs. Finkle went back to her office. But Daniel frowned for a second too long at Robert at the dugout. The kid looked familiar for some reason, but he couldn\u2019t put his finger on why. He shrugged and continued practice.<\/p>\n
Robert was a natural at baseball, and he made the team quickly. He was also social, and the other boys laughed at almost everything he said. Finally, the parents started arriving, and Daniel saw his new student running towards a woman with a kind smile. She bent down, hugged him, and stood up again.<\/p>\n
Finally, it clicked. Daniel remembered why he thought the kid was familiar. He looked precisely like Emily, his former girlfriend. \u201cBut he can\u2019t be, right?\u201d he said aloud to himself. But the more he thought about it, the more it seemed like a possibility.<\/p>\n
Ten years ago, he got his girlfriend Emily pregnant. Naturally, neither of them was ready to be parents at 17 years old. Both their parents told them that abortion was out of the question. Therefore, Emily went through with the pregnancy and died giving birth to their son.<\/p>\n
Her parents were distraught and refused to have anything to do with their grandchild. Daniel\u2019s parents urged him to give him up for adoption when things got too difficult for him. But he was conflicted. Emily had died for this kid, and he loved him. How could he give him up? However, he had no money, and his parents insisted.<\/p>\n
It seemed like he had no choice, so Daniel obeyed his parents and gave the baby up. But he thought about him all the time, feeling guilty. Maybe, that\u2019s why he loved coaching the little league team. They were in the same age group.<\/p>\n
However, Robert might not be his son. He had to get those thoughts out of his head, or he would drive himself insane. A minor resemblance was not enough to make him suspect it. Granted, the baby had been blonde with green\/blue eyes and looked nothing like Daniel. He was all Emily. Robert had more masculine features and bright green eyes.<\/p>\n
But after a month of practice every week, Daniel couldn\u2019t stay quiet. The boy acted so much like he did in school and was just as good at baseball. The resemblance to Emily and even him was becoming more apparent, and he had to ask his mother at least.<\/p>\n
\u201cMrs. Marshall, can I talk to you for a second?\u201d Daniel approached Robert\u2019s mother who was sitting on the bleachers while the kids went to the showers after practice.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, Coach Givens. Call me Nina. I\u2019m not married,\u201d the woman replied, standing up and giving him her full attention.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy mistake. Listen, this might sound crazy and completely out of the blue, but is Robert your biological son?\u201d Daniel wondered, feeling a little braver about his question now that he knew Nina was not married.<\/p>\n
\u201cWow, hmmm. No one has ever asked me that question before. Robert and I look very alike, but no. He\u2019s not biologically mine. He\u2019s adopted. He already knows. Why would you ask, though?\u201d Nina answered, frowning at Daniel\u2019s question. But she didn\u2019t seem offended.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just\u2026 well, I gave a child up for adoption when I was 17, and I\u2019ve had this feeling it might be Robert,\u201d Daniel revealed, looking down as if ashamed of himself. But Nina surprised him.<\/p>\n
\u201cSit down. Tell me more. What happened?\u201d she insisted.<\/p>\n
Daniel unloaded everything about his child\u2019s birth and what happened after Emily died, but he also told her he had regretted that decision for ten years. \u201cI mean, I know I gave him up, but I loved him. I swear. If Robert turns out to be him, I\u2019ll be so glad that he turned out so well. I guess I need to know for sure,\u201d he finished.<\/p>\n
\u201cOk, well. I\u2019m sorry for your loss. The adoption agency never said much about his birth parents, so you could be right about him. If we get a DNA test, what will happen?\u201d Nina asked seriously.<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing! I swear. I wouldn\u2019t dare intrude on your life. I just want that peace that he is loved and has a family,\u201d Daniel added, trying to make Nina understand why he needed to know.<\/p>\n
\u201cFair enough. Let\u2019s do it,\u201d she agreed and grinned tentatively.<\/p>\n
The results confirmed that Robert was Daniel\u2019s kid, but he fulfilled his promise not to interfere with their life. However, Nina invited him and his baseball buddies to Robert\u2019s birthday that year. Afterward, she said they should tell the kid the truth and see if he wanted a relationship with Daniel.<\/p>\n
\u201cNina, are you sure?\u201d Daniel asked her.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s my son\u2019s decision. I must tell him the truth. If he wants a relationship with you, it\u2019s up to him. But I want to warn you. You have to be all-in. I can\u2019t let him be hurt,\u201d Nina cautioned.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course! I promise!\u201d<\/p>\n
Nina told her son the truth, and it took a while, but finally, he opened up to Daniel. He already trusted him as a coach, so the transition to a father figure was easy. But as he spent more time with his son, Daniel also started falling for Nina, and soon enough, their relationship turned romantic.<\/p>\n
Robert was ecstatic when Nina and Daniel told him they were getting married. He finally had a dad like most of his friends, and now he was getting a complete family.<\/p>\n