A man tries to raise his triplets after his wife dies, believing they are his own. However, things quickly fall apart when he encounters a stranger in the graveyard and discovers that the infants he had dedicated his life to raising were not his.

As Jordan Fox carried his baby stroller through the grandiose doorway of the Manhattan cemetery, dried, rotting brown leaves crunched beneath his feet. Dried flowers and half-burned candles were scattered around the yard. A gust of wind howled through the row of Eastern red cedars, disturbing the solemn calm as he approached his late wife Kyra’s monument. It was her first death anniversary.

“We’re going to see Mama…” he said to baby Alan, one of his triplets, resting his fat diapered bottom on his left hip. The other two, Eric and Stan, reclined in the stroller, staring at the sky and chattering about spotting dragonflies.

Jordan’s pulse raced when he saw a silhouette of a stranger, who appeared to be in his late 50s, standing near Kyra’s grave. The man adjusted his Irish cap and bent down to touch the headstone engraved with the epitaph, “A twinkle in our eyes and hearts is now in the skies.” — In Loving Memory of Kyra Fox. Jordan tried hard to recall but couldn’t identify the tall, strong man. “Who is he, and what is he doing near my wife’s tomb?” he thought before approaching him…

“Amen!” he murmured with a crooked sneer as he completed making the sign of the cross and sternly turned around to welcome Jordan. He grinned with anticipation in his eyes and raised his hand for a handshake, but he quickly withdrew it when he noticed the babies.

Jordan’s brows furrowed in astonishment. He wanted to know who this person was and why he was at Kyra’s cemetery. Jordan couldn’t recall ever seeing this man before, not even at Kyra’s funeral. “So, who is he now?” And what is he doing here?” Jordan was perplexed.

“I am offering you $100,000! I’m willing to give you more if you desire. Please accept the money and kindly provide me with the babies.

“You must be Jordan Fox. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Fox,” the man said. “I knew you’d be here today, and I was waiting for you. I’m Denis from Chicago. Kyra’s ‘old’ friend.”

Kyra had never mentioned to Jordan that she had an old friend from Chicago named Denis, which surprised him.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Denis.” I am not sure I know you. Have we met before? I’ve never gone to Chicago before.

“Not really!” I’ve just arrived in Manhattan. “I discovered that… Denis hesitated and swallowed upon seeing the infants again. “Can I see your babies…if you don’t mind?”

Jordan paused and feigned to dismiss the man’s plea since he wasn’t ready to trust his children with a stranger. Denis interpreted it as a no, but he couldn’t help himself from moving forward and peering over the stroller to see the other two babies.

“They’re angels! Sweet, tiny cinnamon buns! They’ve got my nose, eyes, and chestnut hair.” “And those big lashes…I had them when I was little!” Denis said. He suddenly glanced up, stating something Jordan was not expecting to hear.

“Mr. Fox, I know this may confuse you, but I bet you’re curious about my identity and purpose. I am the boys’ REAL FATHER, and I have come here to take them.”

“EXCUSE ME??” Jordan scowled, wanting to slap the man in the face for even suggesting this. He spared him because of his age and attempted to sneak by him, believing he was insane.

Mr. Fox, please trust me. I am the father of the children. A mistake I made in the past still haunts me. I’d like to repair it before it’s too late. Please send the children with me. “I even have an incredible offer for you.”

“Are you crazy, old man?” “Get out of my way before I call the cops,” Jordan said, holding the stroller and baby Alan closer and ignoring the man.

Denis refused to budge, and he began giving specific facts about the late Kyra, which astonished Jordan.

“Kyra is your wife… She enjoyed discos and bikes…she was a brunette with an appreciation for art and French cuisine… Her favorite dishes were soupe à l’oignon and crème brûlée. She was sensitive to peanuts, had a little burn scar on her right leg, and this…”

“ENOUGH…STOP!” Jordan shouted. “I would rather not hear another word about my wife. Who the heck are you, and how can you know everything? “What do you want?”

“I told you I am the father of her children. Mr. Fox, I understand that this is unusual, but I am unable to obtain custody of my children. I understand, okay? But I’m confident you won’t want to squander your youth on them and will appreciate my help in raising them. You are youthful, charming, and have your entire life ahead of you. But look at me. I am elderly and have only these infants. I want them returned. Please deliver them over to me and then walk on.”

“Look, I’m not sure what you’re talking about. And it is none of your concern what I have to do in life, okay? Are you insane, old man? You sound crazy..”. Go acquire a life. I do not know you, and I believe you have mistaken me for someone else. Back off and stay away from my kids.”

“Mr. Fox, the kids are mine…and I’m willing to do whatever to keep them with me. But I would rather not cause problems for you after you’ve been raising them for so long. So let me get this straight: I’m offering you $100,000. I’m willing to give you more if you desire. Take the money, and give me the babies.

“You know less about your wife Kyra than I do. Take your time and come back to me, okay”? Here is my card.”

Jordan began to cry tears of astonishment and despair. He couldn’t believe Denis was so knowledgeable about Kyra. For a second, he imagined it was a lie and that some random older man was pulling a joke on him. Jordan, however, could not get past Denis noticing the burn mark on Kyra’s right thigh.

“This is not a bribe, Mr. Fox. See, I just want to thank you for parenting my children, okay? You don’t have to worry about anything. I am fifty-seven years old and have had enough experience parenting children. You must be relieved to have children in excellent, trustworthy care. I know how you must be feeling. But do not worry. Take your time thinking about it and come back to us. Call me at this number, okay? I will be waiting. Denis Roberts despises receiving a negative response; therefore…

Denis slipped a visiting card into Jordan’s palm and hurried away, leaving him with more than just astonishment and sadness.

The flickering flame and candle smoke on Kyra’s gravestone brought Jordan back to the present time. He laid the flower on the grave and, after a minute of quiet, raced out of the cemetery with his children. For a time, he was plagued by everything Denis told him.

Jordan couldn’t concentrate on the road. He stopped his car at odd intervals on the roadway, attempting to focus, but in vain.

“Was everything she told me a lie?” “How could she do this to me?” He wept, envisioning Kyra sitting next to him in the passenger seat. Jordan sought answers to many questions but didn’t want to buy Denis’ statements.

But what about the burn scar on her right thigh? He couldn’t help but mistrust her, given the circumstances of their meeting two years before.

It was spring of 2016. Jordan was mixing cocktail shots behind the bar counter when he noticed Kyra, a young and gorgeous woman. She was with her buddies and was the loudest in the group. Jordan found Kyra attractive and wanted to date her, but he never had the time or resources to pursue a relationship. Kyra began to frequent the bar over time, and Jordan was thrilled to serve her anytime she came in.

“One more Margarita on the rocks, please!” she frequently informed him, a glossy smile spreading over her lips. Kyra never looked at Jordan ‘differently’ and simply regarded him as a kind, young bartender. Jordan had already fallen deeply in love with her. Every day, he would leave for the night shift, practicing his grin and adjusting his hair, black bow tie, and muted gray shirt at least a dozen times, confident in his ability to impress Kyra.

Jordan was upset one night when he saw her kissing another guy in the pub. Reality hit him hard when he realized Kyra was treating him like a bartender and nothing more. Jordan, heartbroken, began to separate himself from her, knowing she would never be his. However, one night, he couldn’t help but cry when he spotted Kyra crying alone in the lounge.

“Miss, hey, are you alright?” He inquired and observed her boyfriend, Shawn, dancing with another female. Jordan’s heart softened, and he could only surmise what had harmed Kyra. Her eyes were swollen and red-rimmed. Warm tears streamed down her cheeks, leaving discolored streaks of smeared eyeliner in her makeup.

“I want to go somewhere… Please take me away. “I want to die,” she said, burying her face in her palms and crying. She sobbed her heart out to a stranger, but Jordan didn’t treat her like one. She meant everything to him; therefore, he was willing to do whatever to calm her down.

He took an hour off and volunteered to drive her home since she was too inebriated to leave alone.

“Shawn and I have known each other for six months,” Kyra said, her breath smelling of booze. “What a pervert!” He dumped me for the idiotic Lily. What does she have that I do not? Jerk! He indicated he did not want to continue this affair with me. “What a—”

“I’m sorrowful for you. Be strong, Miss. It happens…and life must carry on. Perhaps he does not deserve you at all. It is his loss. Please do not weep. I’m always here as a buddy anytime you need me, okay?”

Kyra nodded, her moist eyes fixated on Jordan, and then she fell asleep in the seat. When he arrived outside her house, he woke her up and assisted her in leaving.

“Thanks, Jordan!” Kyra grinned through the foggy window of the automobile. “See you around!”

After that, their meetings became a routine. Jordan and Kyra fell in love and began dating. They danced, explored Manhattan’s night-lit streets, and kissed before declaring, “I love you!” He asked her to vow to stop drinking, and she agreed. She urged him to promise not to leave her as her ex-boyfriend did, and he agreed.

It had only been two weeks since their love story began when Kyra informed Jordan that she was pregnant with his triplets and convinced him to marry her. He was astonished since everything happened so rapidly. He was unprepared for this, but he was excited to become a parent.

Soon after, the couple married in a private ceremony, and it seemed weird that none of Kyra’s family members came. Jordan knew nothing about her parents, and when he inquired, she told him they had died. That was all he knew, and he avoided bothering her again since he didn’t want to hurt her. Currently, nothing was more important to him than starting his life with her, and he totally trusted her.

It all seems like a cruel joke now. Jordan stared at the wedding band he was still wearing after Kyra died, realizing she had always held him in a web of falsehoods.

“I was an idiot!” Everything she told me was a lie. Her love was a manipulation; she married me because she wanted someone to father children that were not mine.

“I should’ve known the babies weren’t mine when she told me she was expecting in just two weeks.” I was so foolish! She cheated on me with an older man. “How disgusting!” He sniffled, tears pouring from his bloodshot eyes.

The infant abruptly awoke and began sobbing in the backseat. Jordan was so frightened and upset that he wanted to flee somewhere where he couldn’t hear their sounds. At the same time, he couldn’t start hating his children because someone informed him they weren’t his. He was perplexed about the veracity of Denis’ allegations, so he returned home immediately, being doubtful about the following move.

Jordan resolved to forget about his experience with the stranger and go to work. He placed the babies in their cribs, scooping one at a time to remove their diapers. Alan went first, followed by Eric and Stan. He showered and changed his babies’ diapers. He sang a lullaby, trying not to sound like a hungry bear snarling in the forest.

Jordan began scrubbing the dishes after the three had fallen asleep in their cribs after eating, but before he could finish, he noticed something burning. “Oh, damn, the spaghetti!” he said, nearly burning his fingers while attempting to take the pan from the heat. He suddenly recalled the laundry and dashed upstairs to a bathroom filled with foam. Jordan had overused detergent owing to stress. That day, it seemed like all he had to deal with were issues.

He realized it was almost time to get to the pub for the night shift. He then asked his elderly neighbor, Mrs. Wills, to come over and supervise the kids.

“Thank you, Mrs. Wills…” He told her, “I’ll be here until you arrive,” and then went to check on his babies. They were fast asleep in their cribs. Seeing them troubled Jordan, making it difficult for him to remain calm. Previously, he believed he had the energy and enthusiasm to accomplish everything for his children. But suddenly everything felt strange and unpleasant, and Denis’ words echoed in his thoughts.

“Kyra, why did you do this to me? I’ve never lied or cheated on you, so how could you do this? You had always lied to me about everything, which makes it difficult for me to distinguish between what is real and what isn’t; even on the day you died, you claimed that you were at the party. I still don’t know where you went that night,” Jordan whispered, tears streaming down his cheeks as he remembered the awful day that still tormented him.

It was a wet night, and Jordan kept peering out the window to see whether Kyra had arrived. His phone began to heat owing to his continuous calls to all of her pals, asking whether she was with them. Kyra had informed him she was at a friend’s party, but nobody had seen her. Jordan became concerned when her phone turned off, most likely owing to a low battery, as it was almost midnight. His newborn infants began wailing. They were hungry, and he had no idea how to calm them down.

Jordan had apparently put his babies to sleep. He took out his phone to see whether Kyra had phoned but instead received a call from the station.

“Yes, Jordan Fox here.”

“Mr. Fox, we’re phoning from the station. Could you kindly visit the morgue? We need help recognizing a woman’s corpse.”

Jordan began sweating as he raced to the hospital after leaving his children with a neighbor. An automobile accident that night summoned him to identify a young woman’s body.

Upon raising the thin white sheet covering the corpse for identification, Jordan slowed and nearly stopped. Jordan’s heart fell, and tears streamed from his eyes. Later, we discovered that Kyra’s lifeless corpse was suffering from a narcotic overdose at the time of the collision.

Jordan’s world shifted after that. He felt numb, weak, and scared of raising his children alone. He felt sorry for the survivor, but his anger dried his tears. Jordan couldn’t forgive Kyra for leaving him with so much responsibility. He couldn’t accept her death and go on, but he forced himself to do so after seeing his children.

They were the sole reason he kept going. He promised himself that he would do whatever it took to provide a wonderful life for his children. Jordan did not date another lady after that since he still loved Kyra. He still wore their wedding ring and assumed she hadn’t left.

He took up the roles of both mother and father for his three little kids and dedicated his entire life to them. Jordan was always juggling work and raising his children, leaving little time for himself. He’d forgotten what a peaceful night looked like. He stopped hanging out with his pals and began living a life that was more about his children than himself.

But now that he knew he wasn’t their biological father, he began to wonder if he could ever view them the same way again and if he truly wanted to spend his time and energy parenting them.

“I can’t do it any longer… Jordan stuttered, shoving his chair, its legs scraping across the hardwood floor, startling his children asleep. A weird idea occurred to him as he slammed the door shut and hurried away without even saying his normal “Thanks and have a good day!” to his neighbor Mrs. Wills when she arrived to care for the kids.

Jordan was unable to remain tranquil throughout the night in the tavern. He arrived home after his work and went directly into his room to look for Denis’ card. He didn’t even look at his infants or embrace them like he always did.

Jordan emerged from his room minutes later, his attention turning to the three small children pointing at him and babbling ‘Da-Da’ in their baby language, begging him to hold them.

Jordan’s heart sank into the earth. “How could I…how could I even consider leaving you? I can’t live without you; you’re everything to me. God, how could I ever think of abandoning them?” he sobbed, his gaze now fixed on the call that had already been sent to Denis.

“Hello?” Hello, anyone there?” The elder man’s feeble voice crept through the phone.

“Mr. Roberts, it’s me, Jordan.”

“Mr. Fox, I was waiting for your call.” I’m so glad you called…finally! So, what did you decide? When should I meet you with the payment and take the babies?”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Roberts, but I can’t accept your offer.” A father is someone who raises his offspring, not necessarily the one who gave birth. I may not be their biological father, but they are still my children. “I can’t imagine my life without them,” Jordan spoke seriously and respectfully.

“Mr. Fox, please wait a minute. Look, we can discuss this again, okay? You do not comprehend… I want my babies.” I can’t live without them.

“I apologize, Mr. Roberts. Even I could not live without them. They are my universe. And I do not want your money. You can’t swap love for money.

“I will tell the kids about you when they are older. It is up to them to pick who they will choose. But I can’t send them to you since I love them and am their father! Goodbye!”

Denis felt discouraged. “Okay, if that’s your decision. But may we meet tomorrow at the café…or perhaps at your place?” You make the decision.”

“I apologize, Mr. Roberts, but I have a full day tomorrow. I don’t believe I can…

“Don’t you want to know the whole truth, Mr. Fox? I’ve only told you part of it. There’s something else you don’t know yet.

Jordan agreed, recovering his breath, taken aback by Denis’s unexpected inquiry. He took the night shift off the next evening and excitedly awaited the man’s arrival at his home.

Denis arrived a few hours later with many boxes. “Just some new sweaters, diapers, and blankets for the babies!” he joked, hanging his overcoat on the hook and making himself at ease. Denis’s attention landed on the empty crib, and he realized Jordan had kept his children out of sight and reach.

Jordan despised the stillness around him. He was eager to learn the ‘truth’ that the man had boasted about, and after a few seconds of just looking at each other, he broke the guy’s silence.

“So, what is it?” “You said I still needed to know something.”

Denis bitterly grinned before opening his jacket and pulling out an old photograph. He continued gazing at it, and Jordan thought it was odd.

“Mr. Roberts, what is it?” Look, I don’t have time, and I’d love it if you could create it quickly.”

Denis suddenly burst into tears. He couldn’t keep them back while his eyes remained locked on the photograph.

“Mr. Fox, the infants with you are not yours, nor are they mine. Actually, I am their GRANDFATHER!”

Denis then handed Jordan the photo of him with Kyra and Rose, and he walked sobbing to the window.

“Oh, my God…” Where have you been these days…? Kyra informed me her parents had died… She never told me about you. What has happened to you? Why didn’t you attend her funeral?

“I was such a bad father, Mr. Fox,” Denis said. “I did something no father would do to his child.”

“After my wife died, I raised my daughter alone. I gave her everything: love, money, and education. I wanted her to live the life I had envisioned for her, but her drug difficulties caused her to lose focus.”

“I wanted Kyra to go to treatment and even threatened to disinherit her. But she refused, and things went bad from there. She began arriving home late, and I would see a different male drop her off every night. My name and reputation were being ruined, so I booted her out. She was outraged, and before leaving, she told me I was the worst father ever and warned me not to seek her. I assumed she would return after her money ran out, but she never did. I can’t forgive myself for not attempting to assist my child. I abandoned her, and she’s gone forever.”

But how did you locate me? “And how did you know the babies weren’t mine?” Jordan interrupted Denis, eager to put the puzzle together.

“I had no idea my daughter was married, had children, and died until I just met Amy, her best friend in Chicago… She told me about you and the babies, so I flew here right away to meet you,” Denis explained.

“When Kyra was pregnant, she met with a friend and told her about her anxieties. She had told Amy she was frightened you would abandon her if you discovered the babies weren’t yours.”

“Oh my God…are these her ex-boyfriend Shawn’s children, then?” Jordan was astonished.

“I’m not sure since my daughter told Amy that she dated and broke up with three other guys around the time she married you. Kyra wasn’t sure who the father was. Denis wept, “We still don’t know who our real father is, and we don’t want to know.”

“All I can say is I’m glad my grandsons have a man they can call ‘Dad.'” Mr. Fox, only you can love and raise them properly. I apologize for lying to you about being their father. I’m not sure what got into my brain. I was scared you wouldn’t let me raise them, and I knew I wouldn’t gain custody until you gave them up. This is why I promised you money. I apologize. I’m guilty, and I have no more tears to shed. I am becoming older and simply want to be a part of my grandchildren’s lives. I wasn’t a good father, but I want to be a good grandfather.

Jordan said nothing more and hugged Denis. It was the least he could do to console the sad old guy, who couldn’t forgive himself for abandoning his daughter when she needed him the most.

Denis gradually began to pay more frequent visits to Jordan and the children, eventually deciding to move in with them. He regarded Jordan like a son and was happy to be a part of his grandchildren’s development.