I recently posted a little bit of info about Kayla being born to a girlfriend of mine when I was 17. Kayla was not my baby, but I did take care of her until she was 6 months old. Her mother had been a hardcore party person who frequented raves and drug parties quite often…until she found herself pregnant. Once she discovered a baby growing inside of her, she quit everything. She actually became a great person to be around and that’s when I came into a relationship with her. I found out a little while later that she was preggers from some random dude.

But I loved her. (insert rolling eyes here) At least I thought I did. What can I say. I was stupid.

So I decided that I could handle that kind of relationship even though I was just a high-school kid. I could raise a family and we could live happily ever after right? Wrong. Things went south quickly once Kayla was born. Her mom got right back into drugs and partying, leaving me to baby-sit or find babysitters and go half-crazy in the process.

All said and done, her mom dropped me so she could be “free” to live it up. It was terrible at the time, and I thank Jesus every time I think of it now. My then-girlfriend’s mom and dad stepped in to take Kayla into their custody and they have had Kayla ever since. From what I know, she’s lived a great life so far. She’s 9 years old now and she’s had people around her who love her all her life.

Allison and I saw them at the grocery store a couple of years ago and I nearly fainted. Kayla looked right at me and I swear it seemed as if she knew who I was. She was beautiful and happy. Just as she was when she was a baby.