Chapter 11: The Daughter Vanessa Tried to Erase
The police took Richard outside.
Vanessa remained at the kitchen table, crying into her hands.
I didn't comfort her.
I couldn't.
I called my mother and asked her to bring Maya home.
When they arrived, Maya ran straight toward me.
“Dad! What happened?””
I held her shoulders.
“We found out something important.””
She looked at the documents scattered across the table.
“Is it about Mom?””
“Yes.””
“Was she telling the truth?””
I nodded.
“Your mother suspected that you and Sophie had been switched at birth.””
Maya blinked.
“What?””
I crouched so we were eye level.
“You and Sophie are biological sisters.””
She stared at me.
“And you're my father?””
“Yes.””
She began crying.
I pulled her into my arms.
“I never stopped being your father, Maya. Not for one second.””
She held me tightly.
“What about Sophie?””
I looked toward Vanessa.
She was staring at the floor.
“Sophie is your mother's biological daughter,” I said gently.
Maya pulled away.
“So Mom's baby was raised by Vanessa?””
“Yes.””
“And Vanessa's baby was raised by Mom?””
I nodded.
Maya looked confused.
“Does Sophie know?””
Vanessa suddenly stood.
“No.””
Her voice was barely audible.
“She doesn't know anything.””
Maya looked at her.
“Why didn't you tell her?””
Vanessa wiped her cheeks.
“Because I didn't want to lose her.””
Maya's expression changed.
“You didn't want to lose Sophie, but you didn't mind losing me?””
Vanessa opened her mouth.
No words came out.
Maya took a step backward.
“You made me sleep in the smallest bedroom. You threw away my mom's things. You told Dad I was difficult. You wouldn't let me go on vacation.””
Vanessa began crying harder.
“I know.””
“You knew I was your daughter?””
“Yes.””
Maya stared at her.
“For three years?””
Vanessa nodded.
Maya's voice became very quiet.
“Then you knew exactly what you were doing.””
I put an arm around my daughter.
Vanessa reached toward her.
“Please, Maya. I was wrong.””
Maya stepped away.
“Don't touch me.””
Vanessa lowered her hand.
For a moment, the only sound in the kitchen was her crying.
Then my phone rang.
Sophie.
I answered.
“Hello?””
“Marcus, where's Mom?””
Her voice sounded frightened.
“She's here.””
“Is she okay?””
I glanced at Vanessa.
“She's upset.””
Sophie hesitated.
“Can I come home?””
I looked at Maya.
Then at the woman sitting across from us.
“Yes. But we need to talk.””
Twenty minutes later, Sophie walked through the front door.
She was wearing the same gray sweatshirt she'd worn on the day Vanessa threw Maya's suitcase onto the marble floor.
Her eyes moved from Vanessa to Maya.
“What's going on?””
Vanessa stood immediately.
“Nothing, sweetheart. Come here.””
Sophie didn't move.
“Mom, Richard called me.””
Vanessa froze.
“What?””
“He said I should ask you why I was never allowed to see my birth certificate.””
Vanessa's face drained of color.
Sophie looked at me.
“Is it true?””
I took a breath.
“There are some things we need to explain.””
She shook her head.
“No. I want the truth.””
I handed her the DNA report.
She read it once.
Then again.
Her lips began trembling.
“I'm Emily's daughter?””
Nobody answered.
She looked at Maya.
“And you're my sister?””
Maya nodded slowly.
Sophie sat down.
For several seconds, she didn't move.
Then she began crying.
“I don't understand.””
Maya approached her carefully.
“Neither do I.””
Sophie looked up.
“Why did Mom treat you like that?””
Maya glanced toward Vanessa.
“Maybe because she knew.””
Sophie covered her mouth.
Then she turned toward Vanessa.
“You knew I was Emily's daughter?””
Vanessa nodded.
Sophie stood.
“Then why did you let me grow up thinking Emily was some woman Dad used to be married to?””
Vanessa cried.
“I wanted to protect you.””
“From my mother?””
“No.””
“Then from what?””
Vanessa had no answer.
Sophie looked at Maya.
“Did you know?””
“No.””
“Did you ever hate me?””
Maya hesitated.
“I was jealous sometimes.””
Sophie looked down.
“Because Mom loved me more?””
Maya nodded.
Sophie began crying again.
“I didn't know.””
Maya reached for her hand.
“It's not your fault.””
For the first time, I saw the two girls standing together as sisters rather than children competing for Vanessa's attention.
They were both fourteen and seventeen, but in that moment they looked much younger.
Two children discovering that the adults responsible for protecting them had made decisions that changed their entire lives.
Then Sophie noticed something on the table.
A photograph of Emily holding a newborn baby.
She picked it up.
“That's my mother?””
I nodded.
“Yes.””
Sophie studied Emily's face.
Then she looked at Maya.
“She looks like you.””
Maya smiled through her tears.
“Everyone says that.””
Sophie turned the photograph over.
There was another message on the back.
To my daughter, Sophie. If you ever find this, please know I never stopped looking for you.
Sophie pressed the photograph against her chest.
“Why didn't she come get me?””
I swallowed.
“She tried.””
Sophie looked at me.
“What happened?””
I glanced at Rachel.
The nurse had been quietly examining the documents.
She stepped forward.
“Emily filed a legal request to have the hospital records corrected. She was preparing to challenge the adoption and custody arrangements.””
Sophie looked horrified.
“Adoption?””
Rachel nodded.
“The hospital records were falsified to make the switch appear legitimate. The paperwork was used to establish the wrong parentage.””
Sophie looked at Vanessa.
“Did you adopt me?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“Richard arranged everything.””
“Did you sign?””
Vanessa lowered her eyes.
“Yes.””
Sophie stepped away.
“You signed papers saying I was your daughter?””
“I was raising you.””
“That's not what I asked!””
Vanessa flinched.
Sophie turned toward me.
“Can I see the original records?””
Rachel opened the envelope.
“I have copies. But there's something else.””
She removed a smaller document.
It was dated two weeks before Emily died.
“Emily had already contacted an attorney. She was preparing to expose the switch.””
I examined the page.
There was a handwritten note in the margin.
Do not let Richard obtain the original birth records.
I looked at Rachel.
“Why?””
Rachel swallowed.
“Because the original records contain the name of the person who authorized the exchange.””
“Richard?””
She shook her head.
“No.””
She turned the page toward me.
The authorization signature belonged to someone else.
Someone who had been helping Vanessa from the beginning.
My mother leaned closer.
Then she whispered:
“That's impossible.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
She pointed to the signature.
“That's my handwriting.””
I stared at the document.
The name beneath it was unmistakable.
May you like
*Margaret Hale.*
My mother.
