Chapter 7: The Woman in the Photograph
“That’s her sister.””
Dr. Reynolds said it so quietly that for a moment I wondered if I had heard him correctly.
I took the photograph from his hand.
The woman looked almost identical to Angela.
Same eyes.
Same long braids.
Same small scar above her left eyebrow.
But there was one difference.
A silver pendant hung around her neck.
I had seen that pendant before.
Around my mother’s neck.
I turned toward Sarah.
She was standing beneath the bright stage lights, one hand pressed against her mouth.
“Mom,” I said, “who is she?””
Sarah looked at the photograph.
Then at me.
“Her name was Denise.””
Vanessa's mother.
The woman who had supposedly altered my birth records.
I felt dizzy.
“Denise was Angela’s sister?””
Sarah nodded.
Marcus stepped forward.
“And she worked at the hospital.””
I looked at him.
“You knew?””
“I knew Denise worked there. I didn't know what she did.””
Dr. Reynolds rubbed his forehead.
“She wasn't just an employee.””
“What was she?””
He looked toward the auditorium doors.
“A records supervisor.””
My stomach tightened.
“So she could change birth records.””
“She had access.””
“Did she change mine?””
Dr. Reynolds didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
I turned toward my mother.
“Why?””
Sarah's eyes filled again.
“Because she told me you would be taken from me.””
“By who?””
She shook her head.
“Charles.””
I stared at her.
“My grandfather?””
“He wasn't your grandfather.””
The words landed harder than anything else that morning.
“What?””
Sarah swallowed.
“Charles Carter was your father's older brother.””
Marcus suddenly looked at me.
“No.””
Sarah nodded.
“Yes.””
I backed away.
“So the man in the photograph…”
“Was your uncle.””
“And you let me believe he was my grandfather?””
“I was trying to protect you.””
“From what?””
She looked at Marcus.
“From the truth.””
Marcus shook his head.
“You should have told him.””
Sarah snapped back.
“And you should have come back.””
“I tried.””
“You sent one letter.””
“I sent twelve.””
My head jerked toward him.
“Twelve?””
Marcus looked at me.
“Your mother never received them.””
Sarah stared at him.
“I never saw a single letter.””
“Because Denise intercepted them.””
Silence.
The auditorium seemed to disappear.
I could hear only the hum of the stage lights.
I looked at Dr. Reynolds.
“You knew about the letters?””
He lowered his eyes.
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because I delivered some of them.””
My voice cracked.
“And you still said nothing?””
“I was twenty-four.””
“You were an adult.””
“I was afraid.””
“Of Charles?””
He nodded.
“Charles had money. Influence. Lawyers. People who owed him favors.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“He also had a secret.””
I looked at him.
“What secret?””
Marcus took a breath.
“Angela had a baby before you were born.””
I stared at him.
The photograph suddenly felt heavy in my hand.
“The first baby.””
He nodded.
“Angela's child.””
“What happened?””
“That's what everyone has been hiding.””
Sarah began crying.
“Ethan, please.””
I looked at her.
“No. I need to know.””
Marcus pulled out his wallet.
From behind an old driver's license, he removed a tiny folded piece of paper.
He opened it carefully.
A hospital room number.
A date.
And a name.
*Baby Reed.*
I looked up.
“Reed?””
“My last name.””
“So Angela had my father’s baby?””
Marcus nodded.
“She was pregnant before we knew what Charles was doing.””
“What did Charles do?””
Marcus looked at Sarah.
“He took the baby.””
My breath caught.
“Why?””
“Because Angela threatened to expose him.””
Dr. Reynolds stepped in.
“That isn't the whole story.””
Everyone turned.
He looked at me.
“Angela didn't have one baby.””
My skin went cold.
“She had twins.””
Sarah whispered, “Raymond…”
Dr. Reynolds closed his eyes.
“One of the babies was listed as stillborn.””
I looked down at the hospital photograph.
The bracelet.
*BABY CARTER.*
My voice barely came out.
“Was that me?””
“No,” Dr. Reynolds said.
“Then who was?””
He didn't answer.
Marcus suddenly grabbed my arm.
“Ethan, we have to leave.””
“Why?””
“Because if Denise is involved, someone else knows we're talking.””
As if summoned by his words, the auditorium doors opened.
A Black man in a charcoal suit entered.
He carried a slim leather folder.
He walked directly toward us.
Dr. Reynolds recognized him.
His face drained of color.
“No.””
The man stopped several feet away.
“Dr. Reynolds.””
Marcus stepped in front of me.
“Who are you?””
The man opened the folder.
“My name is Daniel Carter.””
Sarah stumbled backward.
Daniel looked directly at me.
“And I'm Charles Carter's son.””
He pulled out a document.
“Which means, Ethan, if you're looking for the truth about your birth…”
May you like
He held the paper up.
“…you've been asking the wrong family.””
