Chapter 2: The Baby in the Photograph
Dad turned the photograph over again.
He examined the date, then the handwriting.
"Whose handwriting is this?""
Grandma answered immediately.
"Your first wife's.""
Dad sank into a chair.
I picked up the photograph.
The baby had a tiny nose, a round face, and a little patch of dark hair.
There was nothing unusual about it.
Except the date.
It was three days after I was born.
"Why would Mom have a photograph of another baby?"" I asked.
Nobody answered.
Vanessa wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand.
"Because your grandmother has spent years trying to destroy my marriage.""
Grandma laughed bitterly.
"Your marriage doesn't need my help, Vanessa.""
"Enough!"" Dad shouted.
The sound made me flinch.
He looked exhausted.
"Both of you. Stop talking around me. I want the truth.""
Grandma nodded.
"Then listen carefully. When Maya was born, there were two babies in the maternity ward whose records became entangled. One was your daughter. The other belonged to a woman named Rachel Collins.""
"Rachel Collins?"" Dad repeated.
"Yes.""
"Who was she?""
"She was a patient at the same hospital. She delivered a little girl on the same morning.""
I looked down at the photograph.
"You're saying the hospital mixed us up?""
"That's what the investigation suggested," Grandma replied.
Dad rubbed his forehead.
"Why didn't anyone tell me?""
"Because the hospital discovered the problem after your wife died. And because somebody decided the easiest solution was to bury it.""
Vanessa shook her head.
"That is not what happened.""
Dad turned sharply.
"Then tell me what happened.""
She took a shaky breath.
"Your wife was frightened. She was heavily medicated. She signed documents she didn't understand. There was no confirmed mix-up.""
Grandma's voice became colder.
"Then why did you pay someone to retrieve the original records?""
Vanessa went completely still.
Dad stared at her.
"What?""
"She had access to the paperwork," Grandma said.
"She wasn't even married to you yet. But somehow, three months after your first wife's death, she was asking hospital administrators about Maya's birth records.""
I looked at Vanessa.
"You told me you met Dad two years after Mom died.""
"I did.""
"Then why were you at the hospital?""
Vanessa's lips trembled.
"I was helping your father.""
Dad slowly stood.
"How?""
She didn't answer.
Grandma continued.
"Your father was grieving. He trusted people too easily. Vanessa offered to help with the paperwork, the insurance, the arrangements. She knew where everything was.""
Dad looked as though someone had struck him.
"Mom, you're saying Vanessa had access to the original documents?""
"Yes.""
Vanessa shook her head.
"I didn't steal anything.""
"Nobody said you stole anything," Dad replied.
"But you clearly know more than you're telling us.""
I stared at the photograph again.
The baby looked peaceful.
I wondered whether that child had grown up somewhere, celebrating birthdays, arguing with parents, and believing the story of her own birth.
Then I wondered something worse.
If that baby wasn't me, where was my photograph?
"Grandma," I asked, "what happened to the other baby?""
Grandma's expression softened.
"That's what I've been trying to find out.""
"Did you ever meet her?""
"Once.""
"When?""
"About six years ago.""
Dad looked up.
"Six years ago?""
Grandma nodded.
"She was living with a family in Ohio. I received a letter from Rachel Collins asking whether I remembered the hospital incident. I contacted her, and we arranged to meet.""
Vanessa let out a sharp breath.
"You never told Marcus about that.""
"Because I couldn't prove anything yet.""
"Who was the girl?"" I asked.
Grandma looked at me for a long moment.
"Her name was Lily.""
The name settled into the room.
Lily.
It sounded ordinary.
Almost painfully ordinary.
"How old was she?"" I asked.
"Your age.""
My stomach tightened.
Dad walked toward the window and stared outside.
"Did you tell Rachel about Maya?""
"I did.""
"And what did she say?""
Grandma hesitated.
"She said she had been searching for her daughter for years.""
I felt my eyes sting.
"Searching?""
"Yes, sweetheart.""
"Why?""
Grandma's voice cracked.
"Because she believed the hospital had given her the wrong child.""
The room went silent.
I looked at Vanessa.
She was no longer crying.
She was watching Dad.
And when he turned toward her, she whispered something I would never forget.
"Marcus, you have to understand. I was trying to protect you.""
Dad's face twisted.
"Protect me from what?""
She looked at me.
"From losing the only daughter you had left.""
I stepped backward.
"Only daughter?""
Vanessa pressed her lips together.
Dad moved closer.
"What does that mean?""
She shook her head.
"Nothing.""
"Vanessa.""
"Please.""
He grabbed the photograph from the island and held it up.
"Why did you hide this?""
Her eyes filled again.
"Because if you found it, you would ask questions.""
"And?""
"And I couldn't let you ask them.""
Dad stared at her.
Then he said, very quietly, "You knew where the other baby was.""
Vanessa didn't deny it.
Grandma closed her eyes.
"Marcus, there's something else you need to know.""
Dad turned back toward the phone.
"What?""
"The woman who gave birth to the other baby wasn't the only person who contacted me six years ago.""
"Who else?""
Grandma swallowed.
"The girl herself.""
I felt my heart pounding.
"What did she want?""
Grandma looked straight at me.
"She wanted to meet her sister.""
Before I could respond, Dad's phone began ringing.
He glanced at the screen.
His expression changed.
May you like
The caller's name was displayed in large letters.
*Rachel Collins.*
