Chapter 6: The Photograph
“Maya's real mother?””
Marcus repeated the words as if they belonged to someone else's life.
Maya stared at him.
“What does that mean?””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
Marcus looked at her.
“You're going to explain.””
“I can't.””
“You can.””
“I don't know how.””
Marcus's mother was still on the phone.
“Marcus, what is happening?””
He put the call on speaker.
“Mom, stay on the line.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“Please.””
Marcus ignored her.
He crouched beside Maya.
“Sweetheart, there's something I need to ask you.””
Maya nodded.
“Do you know your mother?””
Maya frowned.
“You mean Mom?””
Marcus's throat tightened.
“No. Your birth mother.””
Maya looked confused.
“You told me she died.””
Vanessa covered her mouth.
Marcus slowly stood.
“I told you that?””
Maya nodded.
“When I was little.””
Marcus turned toward Vanessa.
“You told her?””
Vanessa couldn't meet his eyes.
Marcus's voice became dangerously calm.
“When did her mother die?””
Vanessa whispered, “I don't know.””
“You don't know?””
“I wasn't there.””
“You've been in Maya's life for years.””
“I know.””
“And you never knew?””
Vanessa shook her head.
Marcus looked at Maya.
“Who told you she died?””
Maya pointed at Vanessa.
“She did.””
Marcus's jaw clenched.
Vanessa finally looked up.
“I was trying to help.””
“By telling my daughter her mother was dead?””
“She was gone.””
“That isn't the same thing.””
“She wasn't coming back.””
“How do you know?””
Vanessa didn't answer.
Marcus stepped toward her.
“How do you know?””
She began crying.
“Because I saw her.””
Marcus stopped.
“When?””
“Before you met me.””
“Where?””
“I don't remember.””
“You expect me to believe that?””
Vanessa wiped her face.
“I was younger.””
“You were old enough to remember a woman who supposedly died.””
“She didn't die.””
The words came out so quietly that even Vanessa seemed shocked she'd said them.
Maya stared.
Marcus whispered, “What?””
Vanessa covered her face.
“She didn't die.””
Maya began crying.
“Dad?””
Marcus immediately turned to her.
“I've got you.””
“But you said—”
“I know.””
“You said she was dead.””
“I know.””
Maya looked at Vanessa.
“Why did you lie?””
Vanessa couldn't answer.
Marcus took Maya's hand.
“Come on.””
Vanessa stepped forward.
“Marcus, wait.””
“No.””
“I can explain.””
“You've had years.””
“I did it because I loved you.””
Marcus stopped.
Vanessa's voice cracked.
“If she came back, you would have left me.””
Marcus stared at her.
“So you erased Maya's mother.””
“I didn't erase her.””
“You told my daughter she was dead.””
“I thought she was.””
“But you just said she wasn't.””
Vanessa's tears fell.
“I was afraid.””
Marcus shook his head.
“You were jealous.””
She didn't deny it.
Maya looked down.
Her small shoulders shook.
Marcus wrapped an arm around her.
“You didn't do anything wrong.””
Vanessa whispered, “I never wanted her to hate me.””
Marcus looked at her.
“She didn't hate you.””
Vanessa's face crumpled.
“She was afraid of you.””
The sentence landed harder than anything else.
Marcus turned away.
He looked at the notebook.
At the list.
At the bags.
At the shoes.
Then he remembered the name.
Evelyn.
“Where is she?””
Vanessa remained silent.
Marcus took out his phone.
“I'm calling Derrick.””
“You can't.””
“Why?””
“He knows where she is.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Good.””
He dialed the number again.
This time, it rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
A man answered.
“Marcus.””
“Tell me where Evelyn is.””
Derrick exhaled.
“I knew you'd call.””
“Where?””
“Before I tell you, you need to understand something.””
“I don't have time.””
“You've got more time than you think.””
Marcus's patience snapped.
“Where is she?””
Derrick was silent for a moment.
“St. Anne's.””
Marcus frowned.
“The hospital?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Derrick lowered his voice.
“Because she's been there for three years.””
Marcus stared at Vanessa.
“What happened to her?””
Derrick said, “That's what Vanessa never told you.””
“What?””
“She didn't disappear.””
Marcus's eyes narrowed.
“Then what happened?””
Derrick answered slowly.
“She was in a car accident.””
Marcus looked at Maya.
“Three years ago?””
“Yes.””
“And you're telling me she's alive?””
“She survived.””
Marcus closed his eyes.
Maya whispered, “My mom?””
Marcus nodded.
“She survived.””
Vanessa suddenly grabbed his arm.
“Don't go there.””
Marcus pulled away.
“Why?””
Vanessa's face was terrified.
“Because she knows everything.””
“Everything about what?””
Vanessa looked at Maya.
Then at Marcus.
“About the money.””
Marcus froze.
Derrick was still on the phone.
“What money?”” Marcus asked.
Vanessa whispered, “The money your daughter was supposed to inherit.””
Marcus slowly turned toward her.
“What inheritance?””
Vanessa's silence answered before her words did.
Derrick spoke through the phone.
“Marcus, check your old life-insurance policy.””
Marcus frowned.
“Why?””
“Because the beneficiary was changed.””
“To whom?””
Derrick took a breath.
“Not Vanessa.””
Marcus's eyes moved to the shopping bags scattered across the hallway.
Then to the list demanding Maya earn thirty-four dollars.
His voice was barely audible.
“Who?””
Derrick answered:
“Your daughter.””
Vanessa suddenly lunged for Marcus's phone.
Marcus stepped back.
She missed.
The phone slipped from his hand and struck the floor.
The call disconnected.
Maya cried out.
“Dad!””
Marcus picked up the phone.
He looked at Vanessa.
“You've been controlling her money.””
“No.””
“You knew about the inheritance.””
“No.””
“You made her earn shoes while her own money sat somewhere you could access.””
“I never took it!””
Marcus stared at her.
“Then why are you so afraid of Evelyn?””
Vanessa's breathing became ragged.
“Because she has proof.””
“Proof of what?””
Vanessa said nothing.
Marcus stepped closer.
“Proof of what?””
She finally whispered:
“That I didn't just lie about Maya's mother.””
Marcus waited.
Vanessa looked at Maya.
“I helped make her disappear.””
The hallway seemed to stop breathing.
Maya's eyes widened.
Marcus's face went completely cold.
And from somewhere behind them, a woman's voice quietly said,
“She's telling the truth.””
Marcus turned.
At the end of the hallway stood an older woman in a dark coat.
Beside her was a nurse.
And in the woman's hand was a photograph.
Maya stared at it.
May you like
The woman lifted it toward her.
“I think,” she said softly, “you deserve to know who your mother really is.””
