Chapter 4: The Woman Who Looked Like Emily
"Maya!""
I shouted her name into the phone, but the call had already ended.
For a moment, I couldn't move.
The hospital.
A woman who looked like Emily.
A woman claiming to be Maya's real mother.
Detective Harris grabbed his radio.
"Get units to St. Mary's Hospital immediately. Possible missing child located. We need officers at every entrance.""
I turned toward Vanessa.
"You're coming with me.""
She shook her head.
"Marcus, please—"
"Get in the car.""
We drove behind the police cruiser, its sirens cutting through the morning traffic.
I kept calling Maya's number, although she didn't have a phone. The unfamiliar number had probably belonged to someone at the hospital.
Every few seconds, I looked at Vanessa.
She sat rigidly in the passenger seat, gripping the hospital bracelet so tightly that its plastic edge dug into her palm.
"Who is she?"" I demanded.
Vanessa stared through the windshield.
"I don't know.""
"Stop lying.""
"I'm not!""
"You told me Maya was your biological daughter. Now someone at the hospital claims to be her mother, and you expect me to believe you don't know who she is?""
Vanessa began crying.
"There's something Emily never told you.""
"Then tell me now.""
She took a shaky breath.
"Emily and I weren't separated because we were adopted into different families.""
I glanced at her.
"What?""
"Our biological mother was alive when we were children. She gave Emily away, but she kept me.""
"Why?""
"Because Emily was sick.""
I tightened my grip on the steering wheel.
"What kind of sick?""
"She had a heart condition. Our mother couldn't afford treatment for both of us. She believed Emily would have a better chance with another family.""
"That's not what you said before.""
"Because I was ashamed.""
Vanessa looked down at the bracelet.
"When Emily and I found each other again, she told me our mother had died. But she hadn't. She was living under another name.""
"Where?""
Vanessa shook her head.
"I don't know.""
"You're telling me you don't know where the woman who supposedly gave birth to you lives?""
"Emily knew. She found her first.""
I slammed my palm against the steering wheel.
"Then why is someone at the hospital claiming to be Maya's mother?""
Vanessa closed her eyes.
"Because that woman is our mother.""
Before I could respond, the police cruiser turned sharply into the hospital parking lot.
I barely waited for it to stop before getting out.
Inside, the emergency department was crowded.
A nurse directed us toward the family consultation rooms.
Detective Harris was already speaking with a security guard.
"Have you seen a little girl, approximately six years old, wearing a pink jacket?""
The guard nodded.
"She was brought in by a woman about twenty minutes ago.""
"Where are they?""
"Room twelve.""
I ran.
A nurse stepped into my path.
"Sir, you can't—"
"I'm her father!""
The door to Room 12 opened.
And there she was.
Maya sat on an examination bed, clutching Luna's red collar.
Her eyes were swollen.
Her pink jacket was unzipped.
The moment she saw me, she jumped down.
"Daddy!""
I caught her before her feet reached the floor.
She wrapped both arms around my neck.
"I thought you weren't coming.""
I held her so tightly that she squeaked.
"Never think that, sweetheart. I'm always coming.""
She buried her face against my shoulder.
Then I noticed the woman standing beside the window.
My breath caught.
She had Emily's eyes.
The same dark brown eyes that crinkled slightly at the corners when she smiled.
The same small scar near her left eyebrow.
Even her hair fell across her cheek in the same way.
For a terrible second, I thought I was looking at my dead wife.
The woman took one step toward us.
"Marcus?""
I instinctively moved Maya behind me.
"Who are you?""
She looked at the child.
Then she looked at Vanessa, who had just entered the room.
Her face changed.
"Vanessa.""
Vanessa stopped.
The woman whispered, "You weren't supposed to bring him here.""
Detective Harris stepped between them.
"Ma'am, I need your name.""
She hesitated.
"Rachel Reed.""
Vanessa let out a broken laugh.
"You're supposed to be dead.""
Rachel looked at her daughter.
"I know.""
The room went silent.
I felt Maya's small hand tighten around mine.
"Daddy," she whispered, "she says she knew Mommy when Mommy was little.""
Rachel crouched slightly.
"Hello, Maya.""
Maya moved closer to my leg.
Rachel's expression crumpled.
"I understand you're frightened. I won't touch you.""
I stared at her.
"Why did you tell my daughter you're her real mother?""
Rachel looked at me.
"Because I am.""
"No, you're not.""
She swallowed.
"I gave birth to Emily. And I gave birth to Vanessa. But there's something else you need to understand.""
She reached into her handbag and removed a sealed medical envelope.
"Emily wasn't supposed to have children.""
I looked down at Maya.
"What?""
Rachel placed the envelope on the table.
"She underwent a medical procedure when she was young. Doctors told her pregnancy would be extremely unlikely. When she became pregnant, she contacted me.""
"Why?""
"Because she was terrified.""
Rachel's eyes filled.
"She believed the child would inherit the same heart condition.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"What heart condition?""
Rachel glanced at Vanessa.
"She was diagnosed with a hereditary cardiac disorder. Emily's condition had worsened before Maya was born.""
I looked at the medical envelope.
"Was Maya sick?""
Rachel shook her head.
"Not that we knew.""
"Then why did Emily keep all this secret?""
"Because she discovered that someone had altered the original medical records.""
Vanessa suddenly spoke.
"Rachel, stop.""
Rachel turned.
"You've kept quiet long enough.""
Vanessa's face had gone white.
Detective Harris took the envelope.
"Who altered the records?""
Rachel looked directly at Vanessa.
"Ask her.""
Vanessa shook her head.
"No. You don't understand.""
Rachel continued.
"Someone changed the hospital identification records after Maya was born. Someone made it appear that Vanessa had given birth to her.""
I stared at my wife.
"What?""
Vanessa stepped backward.
"Marcus, listen to me.""
I couldn't hear anything except the blood pounding in my ears.
Rachel pointed to the bracelet in Vanessa's hand.
"That bracelet was never Maya's original identification bracelet. It was created afterward.""
Detective Harris examined it.
"Who created it?""
Rachel's voice dropped.
"Vanessa.""
Maya began crying again.
I immediately picked her up.
"That's enough. We're leaving.""
But as I turned toward the door, Rachel spoke one final sentence.
"Marcus, before you take Maya home, you need to know why Emily put that key inside Luna's collar.""
I stopped.
Rachel looked at the red collar in Maya's hand.
"Because the person who changed Maya's birth records wasn't trying to steal a baby.""
May you like
She swallowed.
"She was trying to hide who the baby's father really was.""
