Chapter 7: The Second Baby
Aaliyah held the photograph with both hands.
“Why does this say there were two babies?””
Nobody answered.
The silence was louder than the graduation ceremony had ever been.
Derrick looked at Monique.
“Two babies?””
Monique's lips trembled.
“Yes.””
Aaliyah stared at her.
“Where is the other one?””
Monique looked down.
“I don't know.””
Calvin suddenly laughed.
It was quiet.
Almost exhausted.
“You finally found out.””
Derrick turned toward him.
“Found out what?””
Calvin looked at Aaliyah.
“You were never supposed to know about your sister.””
Aaliyah's breath caught.
“My sister?””
Renee whispered, “Calvin, stop.””
Aaliyah spun toward her.
“You knew?””
Renee's eyes filled with tears.
“I knew there was another baby.””
Derrick stared at his wife.
“You knew I had another child?””
Renee shook her head.
“I didn't know she was alive.””
Monique stepped forward.
“She was alive.””
“Was?”” Aaliyah whispered.
Monique closed her eyes.
“I don't know.””
Aaliyah looked at the photograph again.
Two babies.
Two hospital bracelets.
One labeled *Aaliyah Carter*.
The other had a different name.
*Amara Carter.*
Aaliyah read it aloud.
“Amara.””
Monique's face crumpled.
“That was her name.””
Derrick pressed his fingers against his forehead.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because after they took her, I was told she'd died.””
“Who told you?””
Monique looked at Calvin.
“He did.””
Calvin shook his head.
“You were unstable.””
“I had just given birth to two children.””
“You were threatening to expose the hospital.””
“I was trying to find my daughter.””
“You couldn't even care for yourself.””
Derrick stepped between them.
“You're going to explain everything.””
Calvin looked at him.
“I already did.””
“No.””
Derrick pointed toward the photograph.
“You're going to tell me why there are two babies.””
Calvin sighed.
“Because there were two.””
“Why did nobody tell me?””
“Because Renee believed you couldn't handle it.””
Renee snapped, “That's not what happened.””
“Then tell him.””
Renee stared at Calvin.
He smiled.
“You've been lying for twenty-two years. What's another minute?””
Aaliyah stepped toward Renee.
“Where is Amara?””
“I don't know.””
“You knew her name.””
“Yes.””
“You knew she existed.””
“Yes.””
“Then what happened?””
Renee wiped her cheeks.
“Your mother was unconscious after the delivery.””
Monique nodded.
“I remember waking up.””
“Not at first,” Renee said.
“You were sedated.””
Monique's eyes hardened.
“Because of him.””
Renee looked at Calvin.
“I was told to take one baby.””
Aaliyah's heart stopped.
“What?””
Renee swallowed.
“I was told Aaliyah was the baby your father wanted.””
Derrick stared at her.
“Why me?””
“Because he wanted you to have a child.””
“I already had one.””
“You were grieving.””
Monique looked confused.
“What does that mean?””
Renee looked at her.
“Your first baby had complications.””
Aaliyah frowned.
“First?””
Monique whispered, “Amara.””
Renee nodded.
“She was born weaker.””
Calvin interrupted.
“She was premature.””
Monique's face tightened.
“She was breathing.””
“Yes.””
“You said she died.””
“I said she wasn't going to survive.””
“You lied.””
Calvin didn't answer.
Derrick looked at the photograph.
“So someone took her.””
Renee's voice became barely audible.
“Yes.””
“Who?””
Renee looked at Calvin.
“His people.””
Monique stepped forward.
“Where?””
“I don't know.””
“You're lying.””
“I swear.””
Aaliyah looked at Detective Harris.
“Can you find her?””
The detective glanced at the photograph.
“We can try.””
“Try?””
“If the hospital records were altered, there may be another set of records somewhere.””
Calvin suddenly shook his head.
“There aren't.””
Detective Harris looked at him.
“You seem very certain.””
Calvin said nothing.
The detective reached into the briefcase and removed a folded document.
“We found this hidden inside the original evidence box.””
Calvin's expression changed.
Derrick saw it.
“You know what that is.””
Calvin stood.
“No.””
Detective Harris unfolded the paper.
“It's a transfer authorization.””
Monique moved closer.
Aaliyah watched her mother read the document.
Then Monique's hand flew to her mouth.
“What?””
Monique couldn't speak.
Derrick took the page.
His eyes scanned the lines.
Then stopped.
“Amara Carter,” he whispered.
Underneath was a date.
And a destination.
Aaliyah leaned closer.
“What does it say?””
Derrick looked at her.
“She was transferred.””
“To where?””
He turned the document around.
At the bottom was an address.
But before Aaliyah could read it, Calvin lunged forward.
Detective Harris caught him.
The paper tore.
Half remained in Derrick's hand.
The other half fell beneath the podium.
Renee dropped to her knees and grabbed it.
Aaliyah reached her first.
Their hands touched the torn paper.
Renee stared into Aaliyah's eyes.
Then whispered:
“If you find Amara, you'll destroy the only family you've ever known.””
Aaliyah pulled the paper from her hand.
“No.””
She looked at the torn address.
“I'll finally find my family.””
But when she unfolded the remaining piece, she saw something that made her blood run cold.
The destination wasn't a hospital.
It was a private adoption agency.
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And beside the agency's name was a handwritten note:
*Do not contact. Child was placed under new identity.*
