For weeks, I had noticed a little girl across the street who waved at me day and night. Every time she did, there was something about her—her eyes. They were intense, almost like she was trying to tell me something. I couldn’t stop thinking about her, even though I had no idea who she was.
It became something that I couldn’t ignore, and when I finally decided to find out the truth, nothing could have prepared me for what I would discover behind that door.
Every evening, like clockwork, she stood at the window. A small figure, no older than five, always with her little hand raised in a wave. Her eyes, wide and focused, locked onto mine with such an intensity that it gave me chills. It felt strange, like she was reaching out for me. What did she want?
Why did she do it? I turned to Sandy, my wife, who was curled up on the couch, reading her book. “Babe, she’s there again,” I said, pointing across the street.
Sandy lifted her eyes from the page. “The girl who always waves at you?”
I nodded, a strange feeling settling in my chest. “Yeah, there’s something about her… something in her eyes. I can’t explain it, but it feels like she’s trying to tell me something.”
Sandy set her book down and joined me at the window. “Oh, Arnie,” she said softly, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. “Maybe she’s just a lonely kid. Have you tried waving back?”
I shook my head, unable to look away. “No, it’s more than that, Sandy. It feels like she’s calling to me, like she needs something.”
Sandy’s grip tightened on my shoulder. “You’re starting to scare me a little. It’s just a kid, honey. Don’t read too much into it, okay?”
I forced a smile, trying to calm myself. “You’re probably right. Maybe I’m just overthinking it.” But as I shut the curtains, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was missing something important, something I couldn’t explain.
That night, I couldn’t sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the little girl, her face twisted in a desperate cry for help.
“Don’t leave me,” she sobbed in my dream, her voice cracking. “Please, don’t go.”
I woke up in a cold sweat, my heart racing. Sandy was beside me, her face filled with concern. “Arnie? Are you okay? You were talking in your sleep.”
I sat up, breathless. “It was her. The girl. She was crying in my dream. She… she was begging me not to leave her.”
Sandy’s eyes widened. “Maybe we should talk to someone about this. A therapist, maybe?”
I shook my head, my resolve hardening. “No, I need to do something about it. I can’t keep ignoring this.”
By morning, I was exhausted, but the smell of pancakes from downstairs couldn’t lift my spirits. I slowly walked to the kitchen, where Sandy handed me a steaming cup of tea and a plate of golden pancakes.
“Rough night?” she asked, her voice soft with concern.
I nodded, taking a sip of the tea. “Yeah, I couldn’t shake off the dreams.”
As I ate, I glanced out the window. My heart skipped a beat. There she was again, standing in the window, her little hand raised in that same wave.
Her eyes met mine, and I couldn’t ignore the pull I felt towards her. It was like she was drawing me in. I slammed my cup down on the counter, the clink echoing through the room. “That’s it. I’m going over there. I have to talk to her parents. I can’t take this anymore.”
Sandy’s eyes widened in surprise. “Arnie, are you sure about this?”
I nodded, determined. “I have to know, Sandy. I can’t just let this go on. What does she want? I don’t understand it, but I can’t shake this feeling.”
Sandy wrapped her arms around me from behind, resting her chin on my shoulder. “Just be careful, okay? And call me if anything feels off.”
I turned and kissed her forehead. “I will. I promise.”
The walk across the street felt like the longest journey of my life. My chest was tight, and my palms were sweaty as I stood in front of the apartment building. I pressed the buzzer for the apartment I had seen the girl in so many times.
There was a long pause before a woman’s voice crackled through the intercom. “Yes? Who is it?”
“Hi, I’m Arnold from across the street. I just wanted to talk to you about your daughter.”
The pause felt like an eternity before the door buzzed open.
When the door swung open, I felt like the ground had shifted beneath me. There, standing in the doorway, was someone I never expected to see again.
“JULIETTE?” I whispered, disbelief thick in my voice.
She nodded, her eyes full of tears. “Hello, Arnie. It’s been a long time.”
Before I could even react, a small figure appeared behind her. The little girl. She looked up at me, her eyes wide with hope.
“DADDY?” she chirped.
My breath caught in my throat. I gripped the doorframe, feeling dizzy. “What did she say?” I asked, my voice shaky.
Juliette stepped aside, motioning for me to come in. “Come inside, Arnie. We need to talk.”
I stumbled inside, my mind racing. We sat down on the worn couch, and Juliette’s voice trembled as she spoke.
“Arnie, do you remember that weekend at the lake house? Six years ago?”
I nodded, memories rushing back. “Our last weekend together before—”
“Before we broke up,” she finished, her voice cracking. “What I didn’t know then was… I was already pregnant.”
I froze. “What? But how? Why didn’t you tell me?”
Tears spilled from Juliette’s eyes. “I tried, Arnie. I really did. But you’d disappeared—moved away, changed your number. It was like you vanished.”
“I had a right to know,” I choked out, the anger and hurt rushing back.
“I know,” she whispered. “I was scared, Arnie. By the time I finally found the courage to look for you, years had passed. I thought it was too late.”
The little girl, Heidi, was sitting quietly in the corner, her eyes never leaving me.
I couldn’t breathe. She was my daughter.
“When did you move here?” I asked, trying to steady myself.
“A few months ago. I got a job transfer. And when I saw you through the window that first day…” Juliette’s voice trailed off, her eyes distant. “I told Heidi you were her father. I thought maybe it was fate giving us another chance. But then I saw you with someone else—”
“She’s my wife, Sandy,” I said, the words bitter in my mouth.
A long silence stretched between us. Then, I stood abruptly. “I need to go. I need to think.”
Heidi’s small voice stopped me. “Daddy? Are you leaving?”
Her words sliced through me like a knife. I knelt in front of her, trying to keep my voice steady. “I’ll be back, sweetheart. I promise. I just need some time, okay?”
She nodded solemnly, and I felt a wave of love so intense it almost knocked me off my feet.
As I left the apartment, Juliette called after me. “Arnie? I’m sorry. For everything.”
I didn’t have the strength to respond.
The walk home was a blur. When I got back, Sandy was waiting for me at the door, her face full of concern.
“Arnie? What happened? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
I collapsed into her arms, the tears finally breaking free. Between sobs, I told her everything—about Juliette, about Heidi, about the daughter I never knew I had.
Sandy held me tight, not saying a word at first. When I finished, she pulled back, her eyes searching mine. “What are you going to do?” she asked softly.
I shook my head, my mind a whirlwind. “I don’t know, Sandy. I have a daughter. A little girl who’s been waving at me… reaching out to me. How do I just walk away from that?”
Sandy paused, then nodded. “I’m just as shocked as you are, Arnie. But we need to be careful. You can’t just take everything Juliette says at face value.”
“What do you mean?”
“We should get a DNA test first. Just to be sure,” Sandy said, squeezing my shoulders.
The next day, I stood on Juliette’s doorstep again. When she opened the door, I blurted out, “Juliette, I think we need a DNA test.”
Her face instantly hardened. “What? You think I’m lying? You just found out you have a child, and now you’re doubting me?”
“I just want to be sure before I commit to anything,” I explained, but she slammed the door in my face.
I went home, feeling defeated, and told my mom what had happened. She listened quietly, then asked for Juliette’s address.
I wasn’t sure what she said, but the next day, Juliette called.
“Hey, it’s Juliette. I got your number from your mother. I’ve thought about it, and I understand. We can do the DNA test.”
Relief flooded through me. “Thank you, Juliette.”
We agreed to meet at the lab. The results took a week. The wait felt endless. But when I saw that paper, I couldn’t breathe.
Heidi was mine. What do you think of the story? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
