Chapter 10: The Boy in Our Wedding Photograph
I stared at the photograph until the edges began to blur.
There I was, standing beside Rachel on our wedding day.
She was wearing the ivory dress she had chosen after visiting six different bridal shops. I remembered how she had laughed when I accidentally stepped on the train during our first dance.
Behind us stood a little boy.
Maybe seven years old.
Dark hair. Blue jacket. One hand resting on the shoulder of a woman whose face was partially hidden.
I had never seen him before.
But something about his eyes felt familiar.
I turned the photograph over again.
*Ask Daniel Carter why he never remembers his first family.*
My first instinct was anger.
Someone was playing a cruel game.
My second instinct was fear.
Because the photograph was genuine.
I remembered that wedding.
I remembered every detail.
And I remembered nobody bringing a child.
"Mr. Carter?""
A nurse was standing beside Maya's bed.
"Sir, I need you to move back. Her heart rate is settling, but she needs a moment.""
I slipped the photograph into my pocket.
"Is she okay?""
"She's frightened. We need to keep things calm.""
Maya opened her eyes.
"Daddy?""
I immediately took her hand.
"I'm here.""
"Was that Grandma?""
I looked toward the door.
"She's gone, sweetheart.""
"She said you would remember.""
My stomach tightened.
"Remember what?""
Maya looked at the photograph in my pocket.
"She said you forgot someone.""
I glanced at the nurse.
She was adjusting the monitor.
I lowered my voice.
"Who did she say I forgot?""
Maya swallowed.
"The little boy.""
I felt the blood drain from my face.
I pulled the photograph out.
"Have you seen him before?""
Maya nodded.
"Where?""
"At Grandma's house.""
"When?""
"Before Mom died. I saw his picture in a drawer.""
I stared at her.
"Did you know his name?""
Maya shook her head.
"But Grandma called him her little miracle.""
I sat motionless.
My mother-in-law had apparently been alive all this time.
She had visited my house.
She had spoken to Maya.
And she had photographs of a child who appeared in my wedding picture.
I needed answers.
I called Thomas.
"Can you come back?""
"What's happened now?""
"I need you to look at something.""
He arrived twenty minutes later.
When I showed him the photograph, his expression changed.
"Daniel...""
"What?""
He pointed to the little boy.
"I know him.""
My heart started pounding.
"How?""
Thomas sat down.
"Not personally. But I've seen this face before.""
"Where?""
He rubbed his chin.
"At your house. Years ago. There was an old photograph in Rachel's study. You were standing beside a woman and a little boy.""
I shook my head.
"That wasn't possible.""
"I remember because Rachel asked me to help move some furniture. The picture was in a wooden frame. When I asked who they were, she told me it was a complicated family matter.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I thought you knew.""
I looked at the photograph again.
"Do you remember the woman?""
Thomas studied it.
Then he whispered, "I think it was your first wife.""
The room seemed to stop moving.
"My what?""
Thomas looked uncomfortable.
"Daniel, I may be wrong.""
I stood.
"I have never been married before Rachel.""
He said nothing.
I pulled out my phone and searched for an old contact.
Michael.
He answered immediately.
"Daniel?""
"I need you to investigate something about my past.""
"What?""
"Was I ever married before Rachel?""
Silence.
Then Michael said something I would never forget.
"Daniel, I think you should come to my office.""
"Why?""
"Because your original marriage certificate is in the estate file.""
I felt my knees weaken.
"You're telling me I was married?""
"Yes.""
"To whom?""
Michael hesitated.
Then he gave me the name.
"Laura Bennett.""
I closed my eyes.
Nothing.
The name meant absolutely nothing.
But Michael continued.
"There's also a birth certificate for a boy named Ethan Carter.""
My throat tightened.
"How old?""
"Twenty-one.""
I stared at the little boy in the photograph.
Twenty-one.
If the child in the wedding picture was Ethan, then the photograph had been taken years after my supposed first marriage ended.
"Michael, where is Laura now?""
"I don't know.""
"Was she alive when I married Rachel?""
"According to the records, yes.""
I felt dizzy.
"Then why didn't Rachel tell me?""
Michael's voice became quiet.
"That's the question you need to answer.""
I ended the call.
Maya was watching me.
"Daddy?""
I forced a smile.
"It's okay.""
She shook her head.
"No, it isn't.""
I sat beside her.
"You're right.""
She squeezed my hand.
Then she said something that made me feel as though the floor had disappeared.
"Mom told me once that you had another little boy before me.""
I stared at her.
"What?""
"She said his name was Ethan.""
I couldn't speak.
Maya continued.
"She said he was your son. But Aunt Vanessa told Mom never to talk about him.""
I looked at Thomas.
He was pale.
Then my phone vibrated.
An email from Michael.
The subject line read:
*URGENT — ETHAN CARTER*
I opened it.
There was an attached photograph of a young man.
Twenty-one years old.
Dark hair.
Blue eyes.
And a small scar above his left eyebrow.
I looked back at the wedding photograph.
The boy behind Rachel had the same scar.
At the bottom of the email was one sentence.
*Daniel, Ethan was reported missing eleven years ago. His disappearance was investigated by Detective Robert Harlan.*
I slowly lowered my phone.
The detective who had investigated Rachel's death had also investigated my son's disappearance.
And suddenly, the woman in the black coat made sense.
Eleanor hadn't come to threaten me.
May you like
She had come to tell me that someone had stolen more than my daughter's inheritance.
Someone had stolen my memory of having a son.
