Chapter 5: The Child
Nobody spoke.
The word seemed to hang above us.
*Mine.*
I looked at Vanessa.
“You had a baby?””
She wiped her cheek.
“Twenty years ago.””
Marcus stared at her.
“You never told me that.””
“You never asked.””
“You told me you couldn't have children.””
Vanessa's expression broke.
“I told you what I needed you to believe.””
Marcus stepped backward.
I looked between them.
“How does my grandmother fit into this?””
Vanessa's lips trembled.
“She was there.””
“When?””
“The night my daughter was born.””
I felt the room tilt.
“Your daughter?””
Vanessa nodded.
“My baby.””
Daniel sat slowly on the sofa.
“Vanessa was nineteen.””
She glared at him.
“Don't tell my story.””
“You've had twenty years.””
“And you had twenty years to keep your mouth shut.””
I turned toward Daniel.
“What happened?””
He looked at me.
“Your grandmother discovered that Vanessa was pregnant.””
“With whom?””
Vanessa answered.
“That doesn't matter.””
“It matters to me.””
She looked away.
Daniel continued.
“She was unmarried. Her family was struggling. Your grandmother offered help.””
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“Help.””
“What did she offer?””
“A place to stay. Medical care. Money.””
“And the baby?””
Vanessa's face went blank.
“She promised she would help me raise her.””
I stared.
“Promised?””
“Yes.””
“What happened?””
Vanessa looked at the old photograph on the table.
“She lied.””
Daniel shook his head.
“She didn't.””
Vanessa snapped toward him.
“She took my daughter.””
I felt my stomach tighten.
“She told everyone the baby died,” Vanessa said.
“Then she disappeared with her.””
Marcus whispered, “That's impossible.””
Vanessa looked at him.
“Is it?””
Daniel opened another folder.
“Your grandmother arranged for the child to be placed with another family.””
I stared at the documents.
“Why?””
Vanessa's voice became bitter.
“Because she said I was dangerous.””
“What did you do?””
“Nothing.””
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
“You threatened to take the child and leave the state.””
“Because she was mine!””
“You were nineteen.””
“I was her mother.””
I looked at the folder.
“Where is the child now?””
Vanessa didn't answer.
Daniel did.
“She grew up.””
My pulse hammered.
“Where?””
“That's what your grandmother wanted Alicia to discover.””
I looked at the second wooden box.
“You said the box contains the truth.””
Daniel nodded.
“Your grandmother left instructions.””
“What instructions?””
“That Alicia must open it herself.””
I held up the emerald.
“So this is the key.””
“Yes.””
Vanessa stepped toward me.
“No.””
I looked at her.
“If you believe your daughter is inside these documents, why don't you want me to open it?””
“Because your grandmother lied.””
“You just said she stole your daughter.””
“I said she lied.””
Vanessa's eyes filled again.
“She told me my baby died.””
I stared at her.
“But you think she didn't.””
“I know she didn't.””
“How?””
Vanessa reached into her suitcase.
Marcus moved forward.
“What are you doing?””
She pulled out a small envelope.
She handed it to me.
“Because I received this six months ago.””
I opened it.
Inside was a photocopy of a birth certificate.
The mother's name:
*Vanessa Cole.*
The child's name was blacked out.
Father unknown.
My hands shook.
“Where did you get this?””
“A woman mailed it to me.””
“Who?””
“I don't know.””
“Then how do you know it's real?””
Vanessa pointed to the bottom.
“Look at the signature.””
I did.
My grandmother's signature.
The same elegant handwriting.
The document had been notarized.
Marcus leaned over my shoulder.
“Alicia…”
I stepped away.
“What?””
“Look at the date.””
I did.
The birth certificate was dated one day after my grandmother had supposedly taken me to the hospital for a family emergency.
I remembered that day.
I had been a teenager.
Grandmother had disappeared for almost two weeks.
She'd returned exhausted and refused to explain where she'd been.
I had assumed she'd been caring for someone sick.
I hadn't questioned it.
I hadn't imagined this.
Daniel reached into his briefcase.
“There is more.””
He pulled out a hospital record.
The patient name had been redacted.
But the date was visible.
Same day.
Same hospital.
I looked at him.
“My grandmother was there.””
“Yes.””
“Vanessa was there.””
“Yes.””
“And the baby…”
Daniel hesitated.
“She survived.””
Vanessa covered her mouth.
A sob escaped.
I stared at the document.
“Then where is she?””
Daniel looked at me.
“That is the question your grandmother wanted you to answer.””
I felt anger rising.
“She left me a puzzle?””
“She left you protection.””
“From what?””
Daniel glanced at Marcus.
“From whoever wanted the child found for the wrong reason.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“What does that mean?””
Daniel didn't answer.
I turned toward my husband.
“Why were you involved?””
He shook his head.
“I wasn't.””
“Then why did you visit Daniel?””
“Because Vanessa came to me.””
I looked at her.
“You approached my husband?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because I needed someone who could get close to you.””
The words cut through me.
Marcus looked devastated.
“I didn't know what she wanted.””
“You knew enough to lie.””
“I was trying to help.””
Vanessa looked at him.
“You promised me you would get the box.””
Marcus closed his eyes.
“I changed my mind.””
“When?””
“When I realized Alicia was being dragged into something she didn't understand.””
Vanessa laughed through her tears.
“You're too late.””
She pointed at the second box.
“It's already started.””
I looked down.
The brass lock waited.
I placed the emerald against it.
A soft metallic click came from inside.
The lock released.
Vanessa whispered, “No.””
I lifted the lid.
Inside was a single photograph.
A hospital bracelet.
And a handwritten letter.
I picked up the photograph first.
My breath stopped.
It showed a young woman holding a newborn baby.
Vanessa.
But standing beside her was my grandmother.
And in the lower corner of the photograph was a hospital crib.
A name card rested against it.
I turned the photograph over.
A single sentence was written there.
*Vanessa was never told who the father was.*
Marcus stared at the words.
Then his eyes widened.
“Alicia…”
“What?””
He pointed at the photograph.
“That man in the background.””
I looked closer.
Behind the hospital glass stood a young Black man.
His face was partially visible.
But I knew that face.
May you like
Even twenty years younger.
It was Marcus's father.
