Chapter 7: The Woman on the Phone
Tiana stood frozen beside the altar, staring at the phone lying faceup on the polished wood.
The woman's voice had disappeared, but the call was still connected.
I picked up the device.
"Who is this?""
For three seconds, I heard nothing but faint breathing.
Then the woman answered.
"My goodness, Malcolm. Your father had that same tone when he was angry.""
My fingers tightened around the phone.
"You knew my father?""
"I knew Daniel Reed before you were born. I knew your mother before she learned to be afraid. And I knew the woman who carried you out of that hospital.""
I looked at Gloria.
Her lips were moving silently, forming a name.
Patricia.
"Are you Patricia Wells?"" I asked.
A soft laugh came through the speaker.
"That depends on who's asking.""
"Malcolm Reed. I'm Gloria's son.""
"No," the woman replied.
"You're the son Gloria raised. Those are not necessarily the same thing.""
My stomach twisted.
"Where are you?""
"Somewhere your fiancée has visited more than once.""
I turned toward Tiana.
She had backed against the altar, clutching her wedding gown with both hands. Her face was pale, and the tears running down her cheeks looked nothing like the calculated display she'd given the guests earlier.
"Tell me what you did to my mother," I demanded.
The woman sighed.
"Your mother made a choice thirty-six years ago. She has spent the rest of her life pretending that choice was made for her.""
Gloria suddenly reached for the phone.
"Patricia, please. Leave him alone.""
The woman's tone changed instantly.
"Hello, Gloria. Still hiding behind your boy?""
"Don't call him that.""
"Why not? You called him your son for thirty-six years.""
My mother flinched as if the words had struck her.
I pulled the phone away from her.
"You're going to explain everything.""
"Am I?""
"Yes.""
"And if I don't?""
I looked at Tiana.
"Then I'll take this recording to the police.""
Another laugh.
"Do you think the police haven't already heard my story? Do you think they haven't spent decades accepting whatever version was handed to them?""
"Then give me something they haven't heard.""
The woman fell silent.
When she spoke again, her voice had lost its amusement.
"Ask Tiana about the rehabilitation center. Ask her what she signed six months ago. Ask her why she requested access to Gloria's medical records.""
I stared at my fiancée.
Tiana shook her head desperately.
"She's lying.""
The woman heard her.
"Am I, darling?""
Tiana closed her eyes.
"Please stop.""
"Tell Malcolm what you agreed to.""
"I didn't know what it meant!""
"Then explain it.""
Tiana opened her eyes and looked at me.
"I went to see Patricia because I wanted answers about your father.""
"What did you sign?""
"Nothing important.""
The woman laughed again.
"She signed a consent form authorizing a review of Gloria's rehabilitation history. She also signed a financial agreement.""
My blood ran cold.
"What financial agreement?""
Tiana's voice dropped to a whisper.
"Malcolm, please.""
I stepped closer.
"What did you sign?""
She wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand.
"Patricia said she could help us find your father. She said she had information about his disappearance and that Gloria's medical records were the key.""
"And in exchange?""
Tiana stared at the floor.
"She wanted me to keep Gloria from changing doctors.""
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"You agreed to control my mother's medical care?""
"I thought Patricia was trying to protect her!""
"By making sure she stayed in a wheelchair?""
Tiana shook her head violently.
"No! I didn't know that was what she wanted.""
The woman on the phone interrupted.
"Your fiancée is telling the truth about one thing. She didn't know everything at first.""
I looked at the phone.
"At first?""
"People rarely become monsters in a single afternoon, Malcolm. They take little steps. They sign one paper.
They ignore one warning. They tell themselves they're helping.""
My eyes returned to Tiana.
"Did you know someone had threatened my mother?""
She couldn't look at me.
"Yes.""
The answer was barely audible.
I stepped back.
"When?""
"Four months ago.""
"And you said nothing?""
"I was trying to find out who was behind it.""
"You could have told me.""
"I thought you'd choose your mother over me.""
The words hung between us.
I stared at her in disbelief.
"You thought I'd choose my mother over the person threatening her?""
Tiana began to sob.
"I was scared.""
"So was she!""
My voice echoed through the chapel.
I pointed toward Gloria.
"Look at her. Look at what you've done to her.""
Tiana turned toward my mother.
Gloria wasn't crying anymore.
She was staring at Tiana with an expression of quiet devastation that somehow felt worse than anger.
"Why?"" my mother whispered.
Tiana covered her mouth.
"I didn't mean for this to happen.""
"You watched me struggle to stand," Gloria said.
"You watched me ask for help. You told me the doctors knew what they were doing.""
Tiana shook her head.
"Please.""
"You told me Malcolm would be happier if I stopped making everything about myself.""
"Gloria—"
"You made me feel ashamed of needing a wheelchair.""
My mother looked down at her hands.
"And now I understand why.""
Tiana collapsed into the nearest chair.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then the woman on the phone cleared her throat.
"Touching. Truly. But we're running out of time.""
I raised the phone again.
"What do you want?""
"I want you to bring Gloria to the rehabilitation center where I live.""
"No.""
"Then you'll never know what happened to Daniel.""
I gripped the phone.
"You're using my father to manipulate me.""
"Of course I am. It's the only thing that still works on this family.""
"Why should I trust you?""
"You shouldn't.""
Her blunt answer surprised me.
"Trust is earned. I don't expect yours. But I can prove what I'm telling you.""
"How?""
"Bring the photograph of the two babies. Bring your father's letter. And bring the woman who signed the agreement.""
Tiana lifted her head.
"Why do you need me?""
"Because you have something I need.""
"What?""
"The original file you photographed.""
Tiana went completely still.
I looked at her.
"What file?""
She didn't answer.
The woman on the phone spoke again.
"The one containing the truth about Gloria's accident.""
My mother grabbed my sleeve.
"Don't go, Malcolm.""
I turned toward her.
"Mom, we can't keep running from this.""
"Some doors should stay closed.""
"Not when somebody has spent thirty-six years keeping us in the dark.""
She shook her head.
"You don't understand what Patricia is capable of.""
"Then help me understand.""
Gloria looked at the phone, then at Tiana.
Finally, she whispered, "The accident wasn't the first time someone tried to take you away from me.""
My breath caught.
"What do you mean?""
Her eyes filled with tears.
"Before you were a year old, someone came to our house and claimed you belonged to another family. Daniel fought them. They left, but your father told me that day that if anything ever happened to him, I must never let anyone take you away.""
I felt as though the floor had shifted beneath me.
"Who came to the house?""
Gloria looked at Tiana.
"Ask your fiancée. She has seen the photograph.""
Tiana slowly reached into the small satin purse attached to her gown.
She removed a folded picture and handed it to me.
It showed a younger Patricia Wells standing outside a modest brick house. Beside her was a man whose face had been scratched out.
In the doorway stood my father, holding a baby.
Me.
On the back, in my father's handwriting, were seven words.
*THEY FOUND US AGAIN. DON'T TRUST THE BRIDE.*
I stared at Tiana.
She stared back, her face crumbling.
Then my phone vibrated.
A message had arrived from an unknown number.
*YOU HAVE TEN MINUTES BEFORE THEY MOVE YOUR FATHER.*
Beneath it was a location.
And a photograph of a man sitting beside a hospital window.
Older. Thinner. Silver-haired.
May you like
But unmistakably alive.
My father.
