Chapter 3: The Woman Who Had Been Searching for Me
Dad didn't answer immediately.
The phone continued vibrating against the kitchen island.
Rachel Collins.
The name Grandma had mentioned moments earlier.
The name attached to the baby in the photograph.
Finally, Dad picked up.
"Hello?""
A woman's voice came through the speaker.
"Marcus? It's Rachel.""
Dad glanced at Grandma's face on the tablet.
"How did you get my number?""
"I've been trying to reach you for years.""
"Why?""
There was a pause.
Then Rachel spoke.
"Because I think your daughter deserves to know what happened at St. Mary's Hospital.""
My knees weakened.
Dad pulled out a chair.
"Who gave you my number?""
"Your mother.""
He looked at the phone.
"Mom?""
Grandma nodded.
"I asked her to call.""
Vanessa suddenly walked toward the kitchen entrance.
Dad noticed.
"Where are you going?""
"I need some air.""
"You're staying here.""
She turned around.
"Marcus, I cannot do this.""
"Then you should have told me the truth before today.""
Rachel's voice interrupted.
"Is Vanessa there?""
Dad looked at his wife.
"Yes.""
Rachel went quiet.
Then she said, "I was afraid she would be.""
Vanessa's face drained of color.
I moved closer to the phone.
"Can I talk to you?""
Dad looked at me.
"Maya—"
"Please.""
He handed me the phone.
I held it with both hands.
"This is Maya.""
Rachel inhaled sharply.
"Oh, sweetheart.""
I hated how familiar her voice sounded.
As if she had practiced saying my name.
"Do you know me?""
"I've known about you since the day you were born.""
"Have we met?""
"Not officially.""
"What does that mean?""
There was a soft rustling sound on the other end.
Then Rachel said, "I have a photograph of you in my living room.""
My chest tightened.
"Why?""
"Because I was told you were my daughter.""
I looked at the photograph on the counter.
The baby in the yellow blanket.
"Was I that baby?""
"No.""
The answer came immediately.
I blinked.
"Then who was?""
"My daughter.""
The kitchen seemed to disappear around me.
Rachel continued.
"I gave birth to a little girl on October 14. Your mother gave birth to you that same morning. The hospital records were mixed up. I was sent home with you, and your mother was sent home with my daughter.""
I couldn't breathe.
"Are you saying my mother raised your daughter?""
"Yes.""
"And you raised me?""
Rachel started crying.
"No, sweetheart. That's the part I've never understood.""
Dad stepped closer.
"Rachel, what are you saying?""
"I raised Lily. I was told she was my biological daughter. I loved her.
I still love her. But when she was twelve, she needed surgery, and the doctors discovered that our blood types and medical history didn't make sense together.""
Dad closed his eyes.
Rachel continued.
"We requested genetic testing. The results confirmed that Lily wasn't biologically related to me.""
I stared at Vanessa.
She had turned away, staring at the tiled floor.
"Did you find out who her biological parents were?"" I asked.
"Eventually. We hired a lawyer, contacted the hospital, and traced the original records. Your mother's name appeared.""
My voice trembled.
"So Lily is my sister?""
"Yes.""
"Where is she now?""
"She's twenty years old, Maya. She's living in Columbus. She knows about you.""
I felt tears slide down my cheeks.
"Does she want to meet me?""
Rachel paused.
"She does.""
I looked at Dad.
He was staring at Vanessa as if he were seeing her for the first time.
"Why didn't anybody tell us?"" I whispered.
Rachel answered carefully.
"Because someone interfered with the investigation.""
Dad's head snapped up.
"Who?""
"We found evidence that the original hospital records had been altered. There were also payments made to an outside records consultant. The consultant was interviewed, but before he could give a full statement, he withdrew his cooperation.""
Grandma spoke from the tablet.
"Tell them what you found in the consultant's old files.""
Rachel hesitated.
"I have copies of two letters.""
Dad gripped the edge of the counter.
"Whose letters?""
"One was written by your first wife. The other was written by Vanessa.""
Nobody moved.
I looked at my stepmother.
"Why would you write to the hospital?""
Vanessa's eyes filled.
"Because I was trying to help.""
Rachel's voice became sharper.
"Then why did your letter say that the identity of the second child must never be disclosed to Marcus Bennett?""
Dad looked at Vanessa.
The silence that followed was unbearable.
"Is that true?"" he asked.
Vanessa shook her head.
"Those letters have been taken out of context.""
"What context could possibly explain that?""
She wiped her face.
"I found out about the mix-up before I married you. I knew you were already struggling. You had just lost your wife, and Maya was barely old enough to understand what had happened.""
"So you decided to hide it?""
"I decided not to destroy your life.""
Dad laughed once.
It wasn't a happy sound.
"You decided that I didn't deserve to know whether the child I was raising was biologically mine?""
Vanessa's voice rose.
"You loved Maya! You were her father! What difference would it have made?""
I stepped forward.
"Then why did you hide the letter?""
She looked at me.
For the first time, there was no comforting smile.
No gentle voice.
No carefully chosen explanation.
"Because you would have wanted to find Lily.""
"Of course I would.""
"And then everything would have changed.""
I stared at her.
"Everything already changed. You just made sure we didn't know.""
Dad walked away from her.
He went to the kitchen drawer and removed the hidden letter again.
"How long have you known?"" he asked.
Vanessa lowered her head.
"Since before our wedding.""
Dad closed his eyes.
Twelve years.
Twelve years of birthdays, Christmas dinners, school photographs, and family vacations.
Twelve years of a secret sitting beneath the silverware tray.
Then Rachel spoke again.
"Marcus, there's something you haven't heard yet.""
He turned toward the phone.
"What now?""
"My daughter Lily recently received a package. It contained copies of the original birth records and a handwritten note.""
"From whom?""
"Someone who claimed to have been present at the hospital that morning.""
Dad looked at Grandma.
Grandma's expression had changed.
She seemed frightened.
"What did the note say?"" I asked.
Rachel took a shaky breath.
"It said that the hospital mix-up wasn't an accident.""
My fingers went numb.
Dad leaned closer.
"Explain.""
Rachel continued.
"The person who sent it claimed that one baby was deliberately moved from one room to another. And the person who ordered it wasn't a hospital employee.""
Vanessa suddenly covered her mouth.
I turned toward her.
"Who ordered it?""
Rachel's voice dropped to a whisper.
"Your mother.""
Dad froze.
Grandma's eyes filled with tears.
May you like
And Vanessa, after twelve years of silence, finally said the words that shattered everything.
"Your mother did it because she knew which baby was in danger.""
