I discovered a positive pregnancy test and a note in a package addressed to my dad, so I ended up tailing his date

I never expected to find a positive pregnancy test in a package meant for my father. And I definitely didn’t expect the romantic note signed with a teasing “darling.” Was my father cheating on my mother? Was he going to have a child behind our backs?

I had always believed my parents had the perfect marriage. They laughed at the same dumb jokes, danced in the kitchen when they thought no one was looking, and never missed a chance to remind me how much they loved each other.

But now? Now I wasn’t sure what to believe.

I moved out of my parents’ house when I was eighteen, eager to chase my independence in the city.

My apartment was tiny. It had just enough space for me, a sagging couch, and a kitchen that barely fit two people. But it was mine, and I was proud of it.

Between work and school, I barely had time to breathe, let alone visit my parents in the suburbs. We kept in touch, of course. But I hadn’t actually seen them in months.

So, when my phone buzzed that afternoon and I saw my dad’s name, I grinned and picked up immediately.

“Hey, stranger,” I teased.

“Hey, kiddo,” he said warmly. “Guess what? I’m coming to the city tomorrow for work.”

“What? No way!” I shot up from my couch. “That’s amazing! Where are you staying?”

“Some hotel downtown. Just for a couple of nights.”

“Well, I’m definitely coming to see you. No arguments.”

He chuckled. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

I hung up, buzzing with excitement.

My dad and I had always been close. He was the one who taught me how to drive, who never missed a single one of my school plays, and who made the best Saturday morning pancakes.

I couldn’t wait to see him.

The next afternoon, I arrived at his hotel, practically skipping through the lobby. When he opened the door, I threw my arms around him.

“Dad!” I squealed.

“Hey, kiddo,” he laughed, squeezing me tight. “Wow, you look great.”

“So do you,” I said, stepping back to take him in. He looked the same, but his hair was more grey and longer than the last time I saw him.

And his smile? That was unchanged.

We sat in his hotel room, catching up like no time had passed.

He asked about school, my job, and if I was eating enough.

Meanwhile, I asked about Mom, the house, and our dog, Buster. Everything about our meeting felt normal. I felt safe and super happy.

That was until the knock on the door.

Dad was in the bathroom when I heard it.

“Can you grab that for me?” he called out. “Must be the courier.”

I got up and opened the door to a delivery man holding a small brown package. I signed for it and read the label.

“You want me to open it?” I asked.

“Sure, it’s probably just something from work.”

I peeled back the tape, expecting documents or maybe a replacement part for something.

Instead, I found something I could’ve never imagined.

A positive pregnancy test.

With it was a printed note that read, My congratulations, darling! Meet me at Café *** at 7 p.m.

My head spun as I stared at the note and then at the pregnancy test.

This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be real.

I looked at the note again, trying to make sense of it all.

My father was having an affair? My devoted, loving father was cheating on my mom? With a pregnant mistress?

Bile rose in my throat. I felt sick.

My hands shook as I shoved everything back into the box and sealed it.

At that point, all I could think of was one person. My mom. My beloved mom.

I believed she deserved to know what was happening here. But it wasn’t my place to have that conversation.

Suddenly, my dad came out of the bathroom, nudging me out of my thoughts.

“What was it?” he asked as he wiped his hands on a towel.

I swallowed hard, forcing my face to stay neutral. “Uh… just a package. Didn’t open it.”

He nodded, taking it from me without a second thought.

But I wasn’t letting this go.

I needed to find out what was going on. I needed to see who my dad was dating.

Later that evening, I slipped on a jacket and headed to the place mentioned on that note. My heart pounded against my chest as I took a seat in a quiet corner.

I looked around the restaurant, trying to see if the woman who sent my father a note was already there.

Is she the one? I thought while looking at a blonde woman sitting alone. She looked like she was in her forties.

But then my suspicion died when a man came and sat next to her.

As I looked the other way, my gaze landed on a familiar face walking through the door. It was my dad.

He had arrived at exactly 7 p.m.

He wasn’t sneaking in or looking over his shoulder like a guilty man. No. He strolled in like he had nothing to hide, standing tall, and scanning the room.

And then, I saw it.

A bouquet of roses in his hand.

I clenched my fists under the table, my pulse roaring in my ears. Roses? Seriously? Was he about to hand those to his pregnant mistress?

My heart slammed against my ribs as I gripped my coffee cup. I had prepared myself for the worst, but seeing it happen in real time was something else.

I kept my head low, pulling my hoodie up slightly, hoping he wouldn’t notice me. I needed to see who he was meeting.

Minutes passed. The tension sat thick in my chest.

Then, the door chimed and someone walked in.

I held my breath as I watched a woman step inside.

I knew her.

And she was the last person I expected to see.

It was my mother.

I blinked hard, certain I was imagining things. But no. It was her. She was standing in the doorway, eyes sweeping the room until she spotted him.

She gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.

What was going on?

My dad stood, his face lighting up like a kid on Christmas morning. In three long strides, he was across the room, sweeping her into his arms.

They laughed. Kissed. Whispered to each other in hushed, giddy voices, completely oblivious to the stunned woman (read: me) gaping at them from across the café.

Then, as she pulled back, my dad bent down slightly, pressing a reverent kiss to her stomach.

My jaw nearly hit the table.

That’s when I saw it.

The slight swell beneath my mother’s dress.

She was pregnant.

I gripped my phone with trembling fingers, instinct taking over. I hit record and began capturing the beautiful moment.

It was hilarious how I had spent the entire day convinced my father was a cheating liar. And now, I found out he was just an over-the-moon, still-madly-in-love husband.

Later that night, I sat in my apartment, watching the video over and over. I felt super relieved.

My parents had been together for twenty years, and yet, they still looked at each other like they were falling in love for the first time. I had spent hours agonizing over the worst possible scenario, only to realize I had been so, so wrong.

And now, they were having another baby.

A baby.

I shook my head, letting out a breathless laugh. “Unbelievable.”

For so long, it had just been the three of us. Me, their only child, the center of their world.

And now, at forty-two, my mother was starting over? I could hardly wrap my head around it.

I played the video again, watching my dad pressing a kiss to my mom’s stomach, their whispered laughter, the look of sheer love between them.

This was too good not to share.

***

Six months later, at my mom’s baby shower, I stood in front of a room full of family and friends, holding up my phone.

“I have a story to tell,” I announced, my eyes twinkling as I glanced at my parents, who sat side by side, my dad’s hand resting protectively on my mom’s now very round belly.

They looked at me in confusion.

I hit play.

On the screen, the short video clip came to life. It showed my dad leaning down, pressing a kiss to my mom’s stomach, her delighted laughter, and the soft whispers only they could hear.

The room filled with sentimental sighs and warm smiles.

Then, as the video ended, I took a deep breath and told everyone the full story of how I had found the package, thought the absolute worst, and then practically stalked my own father.

By the time I finished, my dad was laughing so hard he had tears in his eyes. My mom swatted my arm playfully, shaking her head.

“Amelia!” she scolded, though she was grinning. “You really thought your father was cheating?”

“I panicked!” I defended. “It’s not every day you find a pregnancy test in a package addressed to your dad!”

The room erupted in laughter, while my dad wiped his eyes, still chuckling.

“Well, that’s one way to get your heart rate up,” he said.

I looked around at the faces of the people who had shaped my life including my parents, my soon-to-be-born baby brother, and a room full of love and laughter.

That’s when I knew this was a story we’d be telling for years.