Earlier this month, a mother went into labor while browsing at Monkey and Dog Books in Fort Worth, Tex., "setting off a chain of events that quickly captured the attention and hearts of the community," WFAA reported.
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| Seth Burt | |
"It's just so exciting for the shop," said owner Seth Burt. "We've had people propose in the shop, people celebrate birthdays here. This was a first.... This lady comes out of the bathroom and tells our bookseller, 'I am so sorry--my water broke.' "
The parents rushed from the store to a nearby birthing center, leaving behind no names or contact information. Burt said he felt determined to find out how the story ended: "The mission was to figure out who the mysterious book baby was."
After Hurt posted a video on the bookstore's Instagram page explaining what had happened, people across the community became invested in learning the outcome and helping the owners find the couple. "That's what the post tried to do--bring people together," he noted.
Within 24 hours, the family was identified, and two weeks later the mother returned to Monkey and Dog Books with her newborn son, Leo. "I didn't expect to go into labor in a bookstore," she said. "I was just excited.... It was the way it was supposed to be."
The bookstore's owners "presented Leo and his mom with a gift basket and discounted books for life: a fitting perk for the so-called 'bookstore baby,' " WFAA reported, adding: "A story that began between the shelves now serves as a reminder that sometimes, the best stories are the ones no one sees coming."