Chapter 10: The Baby They Said Never Existed
I read the handwritten note three times.
*BABY B — RELEASED TO VANESSA CARTER.*
My daughter had been born in a private hospital in Connecticut. I remembered every detail of that night.
The rain against the windows.
The nurse bringing us warm blankets.
Nia squeezing my hand so tightly that my fingers went numb.
And the moment Grace finally cried.
She had been placed on Nia's chest, wrapped in a white blanket, with a tiny hospital bracelet around her wrist.
There had never been another baby.
At least, that was what I believed.
"Patricia," I said, holding up the photograph, "tell me what this means.""
She examined the bracelet.
Her expression changed.
"Where did Richard get this?""
"He brought it here.""
"Marcus, I need to see the original hospital records.""
Nia stood beside me, trembling.
"Are you saying somebody took another baby?""
Patricia didn't answer.
"Please," Nia whispered.
"Tell me.""
Patricia looked at her.
"I'm saying this photograph raises questions that cannot be answered without reviewing the original records.""
Richard remained seated.
"You're wasting time.""
I turned toward him.
"Shut your mouth.""
He smiled.
"Your father knows the truth. That's why he wants you there tomorrow.""
I stepped closer.
"Where is my father?""
"I told you. At the address on the card.""
"And Vanessa?""
"She's looking for the same thing you are.""
I looked at the security officers.
"Take his phone and make sure he doesn't leave until the police arrive.""
Richard's smile disappeared.
"You can't hold me.""
"I'm not holding you. I'm preserving evidence.""
He looked at Patricia.
"You should tell him what happened to the original birth records.""
Patricia ignored him.
But her silence bothered me.
After Richard was escorted into the security office, I turned toward her.
"There's something you're not telling me.""
She removed her glasses.
"Marcus, the hospital where Grace was born was involved in a medical records investigation several years ago.""
"What investigation?""
"An internal review involving discrepancies in newborn identification records.""
Nia grabbed my arm.
"Grace was born there.""
"I know.""
"Did someone make a mistake?""
Patricia hesitated.
"I don't know.""
Nia's voice broke.
"Then how can we find out?""
Patricia opened her briefcase.
"I'll contact the hospital's legal department tonight. I'll request preservation of every original record, including nursery logs, identification bracelets, and delivery-room documentation.""
I looked at my wife.
"We're going to get answers.""
She nodded, but tears were already running down her cheeks.
That night, I didn't sleep.
I sat beside Grace's crib, watching her little chest rise and fall.
Every few minutes, I checked the bracelet we had kept from her birth.
It was inside a small memory box in our bedroom.
At 2:17 a.m., I finally opened it.
The bracelet was still there.
GRACE CARTER.
Her date of birth.
Her hospital identification number.
I photographed it and sent it to Patricia.
Then I noticed something.
The number printed on Grace's bracelet was different from the number on the photograph Richard had shown us.
I checked again.
The hospital's identification system used two separate codes: one for the mother and one for the newborn.
The photograph showed a different newborn code.
That could mean another baby.
Or it could mean somebody had deliberately created a second record.
At 6:30 a.m., Patricia called.
"Marcus, I've spoken to the hospital's former records director.""
"And?""
"She confirmed that two newborn records were created under Nia's admission number.""
I stood up.
"Two?""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"She couldn't explain it. But she told me something else.""
I waited.
"The second record was deleted from the active system three days after Grace's birth.""
My stomach tightened.
"Who authorized the deletion?""
Patricia paused.
"Vanessa Carter.""
I looked toward the bedroom.
Nia was still asleep, with Grace curled against her chest.
"Did the hospital give you anything else?""
"One more thing. The second newborn record was connected to a discharge authorization.""
"Signed by whom?""
Patricia's voice became quiet.
"Your mother.""
I closed my eyes.
My mother.
Again.
I ended the call and went into the bedroom.
Nia was awake.
She looked at my face and immediately understood that something had happened.
"What is it?""
I sat beside her.
"They found two newborn records under your admission.""
Her expression went blank.
"Two?""
"Yes.""
"Marcus, I only had one baby.""
"I know.""
She looked down at Grace.
Then she began crying.
"I remember her birth. I remember holding her. I remember the nurse telling me she was healthy.""
I wrapped my arms around her.
"I believe you.""
"But what if somebody took another baby?""
I didn't answer.
Because I was asking myself the same question.
At seven thirty, we left for Connecticut.
Patricia accompanied us, along with two private security officers.
The address Richard had given us led to a modest property outside Hartford.
It wasn't a hospital.
It wasn't a hotel.
It was a small house surrounded by tall trees.
A man stood on the porch.
He was wearing a gray sweater and holding a walking cane.
His hair was almost entirely white.
But his face was unmistakable.
My father.
He looked at me.
Then at Nia.
Then at Grace.
His eyes filled with tears.
"Marcus.""
I stepped out of the car.
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
Then I walked toward him.
He opened his arms.
I stopped just before reaching him.
"Why?""
My father lowered his hands.
"I know.""
"Do you?""
He nodded.
"I deserve that.""
I looked at the man I had mourned for five years.
"You let me bury you.""
His eyes filled.
"I had to.""
"You let me grow up believing you were dead.""
"I was trying to protect you.""
"From your own family?""
He looked toward Nia.
"From what they were doing to this family.""
I felt anger rising again.
"Then tell me everything.""
My father looked at Grace.
He reached toward her, but stopped.
"May I?""
Nia hesitated.
Then she nodded.
He gently touched Grace's little hand.
"Hello, sweetheart.""
Grace grabbed his finger.
My father began to cry.
"I should have been there.""
I looked at him.
"Yes. You should have.""
He nodded.
Then he stepped aside.
"Come inside. There's someone you need to meet.""
I frowned.
"Who?""
My father looked at Nia.
"Someone who has been waiting five years to meet her sister.""
Before we could enter, a young woman appeared in the doorway.
She was holding a baby.
And when she looked at Nia, she began crying.
"You're finally here," she whispered.
May you like
Then my father said:
"Marcus, this is Lily. She's the other baby from the hospital.""
