Chapter 13: The Other Little Girl
“She's brought a little girl with her.””
Emily's words seemed to drain the air from the hospital room.
I looked at Ava.
She was six years old, sitting beside Danielle with a half-finished drawing in her lap.
Another little girl.
Another child connected to the same nightmare.
“Who is she?”” I asked.
Emily shook her head.
“We don't know yet. But according to the original maternity records, Margaret gave birth to a second girl six years ago. The child was transferred into private custody.””
Danielle slowly stood.
“Transferred where?””
Emily checked her phone.
“The clinic.””
I looked at Detective Brooks.
“Then we're going there.””
He immediately shook his head.
“No. You've been through enough. My officers are already surrounding the building.””
“My mother is there with a child who might be connected to my daughter. I'm not staying here.””
“Michael, this is an active police operation.””
“And Ava's safety is part of that operation.””
Detective Brooks studied me.
Finally, he nodded.
“You stay behind the officers. You do not approach Margaret without permission.””
I agreed.
Then I turned toward Danielle.
“Stay here with Ava.””
She shook her head.
“Absolutely not.””
“Danielle—”
“That little girl could be our daughter's twin. I'm coming.””
I looked at Emily.
She was already reaching for her coat.
“I'll drive.””
The old St. Mary's clinic looked even more abandoned in daylight.
Police vehicles surrounded the property.
Officers stood near the entrance while Detective Brooks spoke into his radio.
I noticed something strange immediately.
The front door was open.
A small pink backpack sat on the steps.
Beside it was a child's drawing.
Two girls holding hands beneath a yellow sun.
One had dark hair.
The other had blonde hair.
Ava.
I picked it up.
Danielle stared at the picture.
“Michael…”
Before she could finish, a voice came from inside.
“DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!””
Margaret.
Detective Brooks signaled for everyone to stop.
“Margaret, this is Detective Brooks. We need to talk.””
“Send Michael inside.””
I stepped forward.
“I'm here.””
“Alone!””
Brooks caught my arm.
“No.””
I looked through the doorway.
“Mom, what do you want?””
A long silence followed.
Then Margaret spoke.
“I want my granddaughter.””
I felt my jaw tighten.
“Which one?””
She began crying.
“Both of them.””
Danielle stepped beside me.
“Margaret, let the child go.””
“You don't understand!””
“Then explain!””
Margaret appeared at the end of the hallway.
She was holding a little girl.
The child looked about six years old.
She had dark brown hair, large eyes, and a small birthmark near her left eyebrow.
Ava's birthmark was in exactly the same place.
My heart began pounding.
The girl was wearing a pink cardigan and clutching a stuffed rabbit.
She looked at us.
Then at Margaret.
“Grandma, are these the people you told me about?””
Margaret kissed the top of her head.
“Yes, sweetheart.””
Danielle took a step forward.
“What's your name?””
The child looked uncertain.
“Lily.””
I looked at Emily.
She was staring at the girl as if she had seen a ghost.
“That's her,” Emily whispered.
“What?””
“The second child.””
Margaret tightened her arms around Lily.
“Her name is Lily Carter.””
Detective Brooks raised his voice.
“Margaret, put the child down and step away.””
“No!””
The little girl began crying.
“Grandma, I want to go home.””
Margaret's expression crumpled.
“I know, sweetheart.””
Danielle's voice softened.
“Lily, do you know Ava?””
The child looked up.
“Ava?””
Danielle nodded.
Lily slowly reached into her pocket.
She pulled out a folded photograph.
It showed two newborn babies lying side by side.
On the back were two names.
*AVA.*
*LILY.*
I felt my knees weaken.
The hospital records had been right.
There were two girls.
Margaret had somehow hidden one of them.
But why?
And who had raised Lily?
“Margaret,” I said carefully.
“Where did Lily come from?””
She looked at me.
“She was supposed to be mine.””
I stared.
“What?””
Margaret began crying.
“After your father died, I discovered the embryo records. I knew Richard wanted a daughter. I knew Evelyn was planning to create an heir.””
She looked down at Lily.
“But when the twins were born, I couldn't let them take both girls.””
Danielle's expression hardened.
“You helped create this mess.””
“I know.””
“You stole children from their families!””
Margaret shook her head.
“I kept one of them safe.””
“By hiding her from everyone?””
“I gave her a home!””
Lily began struggling.
“Grandma, you're hurting me.””
Margaret immediately loosened her grip.
That was when Detective Brooks moved.
Two officers approached carefully and separated Margaret from the child.
Lily ran toward Danielle.
Danielle knelt and opened her arms.
The little girl stopped just before reaching her.
“Are you my mommy?””
Danielle's face crumpled.
“I don't know yet, sweetheart.””
Emily approached with a photograph.
“Lily, can you look at this?””
She showed her the picture of the newborn twins.
Lily stared.
Then she pointed to one of the babies.
“That's me.””
“How do you know?””
“Grandma told me.””
Margaret began sobbing.
“Please don't take her away.””
Detective Brooks handcuffed her.
“Margaret Carter, you're under arrest for kidnapping, falsifying medical records, and your suspected involvement in the death of Thomas Carter.””
As the officers led her away, she looked at me.
“Michael, there's something you need to know.””
I didn't answer.
She looked at Lily.
“Richard doesn't want the girls because of the money.””
I frowned.
“Then why?””
Margaret lowered her voice.
“Because one of them has the original genetic record.””
Emily went still.
“What record?””
Margaret looked toward the basement.
“Your father hid it in the nursery.””
Detective Brooks stepped forward.
“Which nursery?””
Margaret smiled sadly.
“The one that was never supposed to exist.””
That evening, Lily was taken to the hospital for a medical examination.
Ava was brought in from Danielle's room.
The two girls sat across from each other in the waiting area.
They stared.
Then Ava smiled.
“Do you like coloring?””
Lily nodded.
“Sometimes.””
Ava offered her a purple crayon.
“Here.””
Lily accepted it.
Within minutes, they were drawing together.
Danielle watched them through the glass.
“They look exactly alike.””
I stood beside her.
“Do you think they're twins?””
She nodded.
“I'm afraid of the answer.””
Emily approached with the preliminary test results.
Her expression was serious.
“We have a match.””
Danielle turned.
“What kind?””
“Genetic testing confirms that Ava and Lily are identical twins.””
Danielle covered her mouth.
Then Emily added something else.
“And there's a second result.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
Emily placed the report on the counter.
“Both girls share the same biological parents. The records indicate that Richard Hayes is their biological father, and the egg donor was Danielle.””
Danielle sat down.
“So they're both my biological daughters?””
Emily nodded.
“Genetically, yes.””
Danielle began crying.
I took her hand.
For years, we had raised one daughter without knowing another existed.
Now two little girls were sitting together, sharing crayons as if they had never been separated.
Then Detective Brooks entered.
“We found the nursery Margaret mentioned.””
He placed an old photograph on the table.
It showed a room inside St. Mary's clinic.
Two cribs stood against the wall.
And above them, written in black marker, were two names.
AVA.
LILY.
May you like
But beneath the names was a third inscription.
*ONE OF THESE CHILDREN WAS NEVER MEANT TO LEAVE.*
