Chapter 2: The Photograph
The paper never reached Evelyn's hands.
A waiter hurried past, nearly colliding with Sarah.
She pulled the document against her chest.
Evelyn rose slowly from the marble floor.
“Maya,” she said without looking away from Sarah, “come here.””
Maya didn't move.
“She scared me.””
Evelyn's jaw tightened.
“I know.””
“You threw water at me.””
“I know.””
Maya stared at the woman in the emerald gown.
“You were mean.””
Evelyn looked down.
For the first time that evening, she had no answer.
Sarah stepped into the ballroom.
The crowd parted without being asked.
Every eye followed her.
She stopped several feet from Evelyn.
“You shouldn't have seen her like this,” Sarah said.
Evelyn looked at Maya.
The soaked dress.
The trembling hands.
The silver chain.
Then back at Sarah.
“You knew.””
Sarah's eyes filled again.
“Knew what?””
“Don't do that.””
Evelyn's voice sharpened.
“Don't stand there and pretend you don't know what that photograph means.””
Sarah glanced at the locket.
“It means exactly what you think it means.””
A murmur moved through the guests.
Evelyn took another step.
“Who is she?””
Sarah looked at Maya.
Maya was watching them both.
“My daughter.””
Evelyn's face twisted.
“Your daughter?””
“Yes.””
“The child in that photograph is mine.””
Sarah didn't answer.
Evelyn's voice rose.
“That baby was mine.””
“I know.””
“You know?””
Evelyn laughed once, but there was no humor in it.
“You've known all these years?””
Sarah held the document tighter.
“You need to calm down.””
“Calm down?””
Evelyn pointed toward Maya.
“You walk into my gala with a child wearing my locket, carrying a photograph of me holding my newborn daughter, and you tell me to calm down?””
Maya stepped closer to Sarah.
Sarah immediately put an arm around her.
Evelyn noticed.
Her eyes dropped to Maya's face.
“What's your name?””
Maya answered quietly.
“Maya.””
“Maya what?””
Sarah said, “That's enough.””
Evelyn looked at her.
“No. It isn't.””
Sarah's expression hardened.
“You don't get to interrogate her.””
“You don't get to decide what I get to know.””
“I decided that twenty-nine years ago.””
The words landed like a slap.
Evelyn went silent.
Twenty-nine years.
Maya looked confused.
“What happened twenty-nine years ago?””
Neither woman answered.
A man near the champagne table whispered something to his wife.
Evelyn heard it.
“Everyone out.””
The ballroom quieted.
She turned toward the guests.
“I said everyone out.””
One of the event managers approached nervously.
“Mrs. Whitmore, the gala—”
“Cancel it.””
“But the donors—”
“Cancel it!””
Her voice cracked through the ballroom.
Guests began moving toward the exits.
Sarah watched them leave.
Maya stayed beside her mother.
When the last few people had disappeared through the doors, Evelyn turned back.
The massive ballroom suddenly felt empty.
Only the chandelier lights remained, reflected in the marble floor.
Evelyn held the locket.
“Tell me everything.””
Sarah shook her head.
“Not here.””
“Then where?””
“Somewhere Maya can't hear.””
Maya immediately spoke.
“I can hear you.””
Sarah looked down.
“I know, sweetheart.””
Evelyn's gaze returned to Maya.
“What did you tell her?””
“Nothing.””
“Why?””
“Because she was a baby.””
Evelyn flinched.
“Don't call her that.””
Sarah stared at her.
“What?””
“Don't talk about her like she was yours.””
Sarah's expression changed.
“She was mine.””
Evelyn stepped closer.
“You stole her.””
“No.””
“You disappeared.””
“I was forced to.””
“By whom?””
Sarah said nothing.
Evelyn slammed her palm against the table.
“By whom?””
Maya jumped.
Sarah pulled her closer.
“Don't yell.””
Evelyn looked at Maya and immediately lowered her voice.
“I'm sorry.””
Maya studied her.
Then she asked, “Did you know my mom?””
Evelyn looked at Sarah.
“Yes.””
“Before I was born?””
“Yes.””
“Were you friends?””
Sarah answered before Evelyn could.
“No.””
Maya looked puzzled.
“Then why do you have my picture?””
Evelyn looked at the photograph inside the locket.
“Because that isn't your picture.””
Maya's eyebrows pulled together.
“It isn't?””
Evelyn slowly turned the locket around.
The newborn in the photograph was wrapped in a white hospital blanket.
On the back, almost invisible beneath years of scratches, were three handwritten words.
*Baby Evelyn Whitmore.*
Evelyn's breathing stopped.
Sarah saw the writing.
Her face changed.
Maya leaned closer.
“What does it say?””
Sarah quickly took the locket from Evelyn.
“Nothing.””
“But—”
“Nothing, Maya.””
Evelyn stared at Sarah.
“You didn't tell her.””
“No.””
“You kept this from her?””
“I kept her alive.””
Evelyn's eyes narrowed.
“Alive from what?””
Sarah looked toward the ballroom doors.
For a moment, she seemed to listen.
Then she whispered, “We don't have much time.””
Evelyn frowned.
“What are you talking about?””
Sarah pulled the old hospital document from her coat again.
“This isn't the only copy.””
Evelyn stared at the folded paper.
“How many are there?””
“Two.””
“Where's the other one?””
Sarah hesitated.
Then a phone began ringing.
Not hers.
Evelyn's.
The sound came from inside her handbag.
She pulled out her phone.
The screen showed a number she hadn't seen in almost thirty years.
A number she had been told was disconnected.
Evelyn answered.
“Hello?””
Silence.
Then a man's voice whispered:
“Evelyn, don't let Sarah show you that document.””
Evelyn went rigid.
“Who is this?””
The line crackled.
Then the man said four words.
“Your daughter is watching.””
The call ended.
Evelyn slowly lowered the phone.
Maya looked at her.
“Who was that?””
Evelyn didn't answer.
Sarah stared at the phone.
She knew the voice.
And the color drained from her face.
“Sarah?””
Sarah whispered, “We need to leave.””
“Why?””
May you like
Sarah looked toward the ballroom entrance.
Because someone had just locked the doors from the outside.
