Chapter 8: The Name on the Record
The siren grew louder.
Then faded into the distance.
Kiara barely noticed.
She was staring at Rochelle.
“Why are you afraid of his answer?””
Rochelle shook her head.
“Because you're not ready.””
“I've been ready since you lied to me.””
Calvin lowered the folder.
“Your mother is right about one thing.””
Kiara turned toward him.
“What?””
“You're not ready for the whole truth.””
She laughed through her tears.
“Then give me half.””
Calvin looked at Darnell.
“Tell her.””
Darnell stared at the ground.
Kiara's voice sharpened.
“Tell me.””
Darnell slowly lifted his eyes.
“The name on the original certificate…”
He stopped.
Calvin finished.
“Was mine.””
Kiara froze.
“What?””
Rochelle whispered, “Calvin—”
“My name was on the original record,” Calvin said.
“But it wasn't supposed to be.””
Kiara's confusion deepened.
“You just said you're my biological father.””
“I am.””
“Then why wasn't your name supposed to be there?””
Calvin took a breath.
“Because Rochelle wasn't supposed to be pregnant with my child.””
Kiara stared at him.
“What does that mean?””
Darnell closed his eyes.
Calvin continued.
“Your mother was married to Darnell when she found out she was pregnant.””
Kiara looked at Darnell.
“You were married?””
Darnell nodded.
“For three years.””
“And Calvin?””
“Wasn't supposed to be in our lives.””
Rochelle whispered, “We were young.””
Darnell looked at her.
“We were already married.””
“I know.””
“You promised me.””
“I know.””
Kiara felt dizzy.
“You cheated.””
Rochelle began crying.
“Yes.””
The word landed harder than anything else.
Kiara stepped backward.
“With Calvin?””
“Yes.””
Darnell's voice cracked.
“And you knew the baby wasn't mine.””
Rochelle looked at him.
“I didn't know at first.””
“You knew.””
“Not until after the test.””
Kiara looked at Calvin.
“You took a DNA test back then?””
Calvin shook his head.
“No.””
“Then how did you know?””
“Because Rochelle told me.””
Rochelle covered her face.
Kiara's eyes narrowed.
“Then why did she put Darnell's name on the birth certificate?””
Calvin looked at Darnell.
“Because Darnell agreed to raise you.””
Kiara stared at him.
“Did you?””
Darnell's voice was barely audible.
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because you were innocent.””
Kiara's tears finally spilled.
“You knew I wasn't yours.””
“Yes.””
“And you stayed.””
“Yes.””
“You raised me.””
“Yes.””
She looked at Calvin.
“And you left.””
Calvin's jaw tightened.
“I didn't leave willingly.””
“What happened?””
“I was forced out.””
“By who?””
Calvin looked at Rochelle.
She whispered, “I didn't know they would do that.””
Darnell snapped.
“Stop saying that.””
Rochelle looked at him.
“What was I supposed to do?””
“Tell the truth.””
“I was trying to save Kiara.””
“From Calvin?””
“From everyone!””
Kiara stared at her.
“Everyone?””
Rochelle looked toward the black SUV.
Then back at her daughter.
“You don't understand what happened after you were born.””
“Then explain it.””
Rochelle shook her head.
“I can't.””
Calvin's expression darkened.
“You can.””
Rochelle's eyes flashed.
“You weren't there.””
“I was.””
“No. You were gone.””
“I was locked away.””
Kiara's head snapped toward him.
“Locked away where?””
Calvin hesitated.
Darnell answered.
“At a private psychiatric facility.””
Kiara stared.
“Why?””
Calvin laughed bitterly.
“Because somebody signed papers saying I was dangerous.””
“Who?””
Calvin looked at Darnell.
Darnell shook his head.
“Don't.””
Kiara's voice rose.
“Who signed them?””
Calvin pointed at Darnell.
“He did.””
Kiara stared at the man who had raised her.
Darnell's eyes filled with tears.
“I was trying to stop you from being taken.””
“You committed your own best friend.””
“I was told you were in danger.””
“By who?””
Darnell didn't answer.
Calvin stepped closer.
“Ask your mother.””
Kiara turned.
Rochelle was trembling.
“Mom?””
Rochelle whispered, “I thought it was the only way.””
“What was?””
“To keep you.””
Kiara's face hardened.
“Keep me from who?””
Rochelle reached into her purse and pulled out another folded paper.
She held it toward Kiara.
“This was delivered to me the day after you were born.””
Kiara took it.
Her eyes moved across the page.
At the bottom was a signature.
Her mother had signed it.
Above that was one sentence:
*I, Rochelle Carter, acknowledge that the child is not the biological daughter of Darnell Carter.*
Kiara looked up.
“Why would you sign this?””
Rochelle couldn't answer.
Calvin stepped closer.
“Turn it over.””
Kiara did.
There was another page attached.
A name was typed across the top.
She read it.
Then stopped breathing.
Darnell saw the page.
His face collapsed.
“No.””
Kiara looked at him.
“What?””
Darnell shook his head.
“That name can't be there.””
Kiara stared at the document.
It wasn't Calvin.
It wasn't Andre.
It wasn't Darnell.
It was the name of a man Kiara had heard her entire childhood.
A man Darnell had always called his closest friend.
A man who had supposedly died twenty-five years ago.
Kiara whispered his name.
“Marcus Carter?””
Darnell stumbled backward.
Rochelle began sobbing.
May you like
Calvin looked at Kiara.
“Now you know why I disappeared.””
