Chapter 7: The Brother Who Carried My Father’s Name
Nobody spoke.
Not because there was nothing to say.
Because there was too much.
The photograph sat on the table like a bomb waiting to explode.
A third baby.
A third Hale child.
A child named Thomas.
My father’s name.
I looked at William.
“You’re telling me there was another baby named after my father?””
William didn’t answer immediately.
He stared at the photograph, his face pale.
“I’m telling you what the record says.””
“That’s impossible.””
My mother shook her head.
“It can’t be.””
But her voice didn’t sound certain.
It sounded like someone trying to convince herself.
Lucas picked up the photograph carefully.
“Look closer.””
I moved beside him.
The image was old and slightly damaged.
Three newborn babies.
Three hospital tags.
Two were clear.
Lena Hale.
Lucas Hale.
The third one was partly covered.
Thomas Hale.
My fingers touched the edge of the photograph.
“Why would they name him Thomas?””
Nobody answered.
Then my mother whispered:
“Because your father was there.””
I turned toward her.
“What?””
She looked at the floor.
“Your father was at the hospital that night.””
My heart stopped.
“You told me Dad was outside waiting.””
“He was.””
“Then why does this say his name?””
She closed her eyes.
“Because the third baby wasn’t named after him.””
I frowned.
“Then what?””
My mother looked at me.
“He was named by him.””
The room became silent.
I felt a chill.
“Dad knew?””
My mother nodded slowly.
“Yes.””
Lucas stepped back.
“So Thomas knew about the third baby?””
“Yes.””
“And he never told anyone?””
My mother looked devastated.
“He tried.””
William immediately looked at her.
“Rebecca.””
She ignored him.
“He spent years trying to find that child.””
I stared.
“My father searched for Lucas.””
“And the third baby.””
My mind struggled to process everything.
My father.
The man who taught me honesty.
The man who hated secrets.
The man who kept a locked drawer.
He wasn’t hiding one child.
He was searching for two.
“Why didn’t he tell me?””
My mother’s eyes filled with tears.
“Because every time he got close, someone stopped him.””
“Who?””
She looked at William.
Nobody spoke.
Then William finally said:
“The Aurelius Foundation.””
I felt anger rising.
“They were behind everything.””
“Possibly.””
“Possibly?””
William sighed.
“We have evidence they were involved. But Thomas never found proof connecting them directly to the disappearance.””
Lucas looked at the photograph.
“Maybe because someone inside the hospital helped them.””
William nodded.
“That was Thomas’s theory.””
I looked at the hospital tag again.
The third child.
The missing Hale.
“What happened to him?””
William opened the old file.
“There was one clue.””
“What?””
“A transfer record.””
“To where?””
He pulled out a paper.
The top was stamped.
*St. Catherine Medical Center — Neonatal Transfer Department.*
My heart raced.
“But you said the hospital records were changed.””
“They were.””
“Then how do you have this?””
William looked uncomfortable.
“Your father found it hidden inside an employee archive.””
“Which employee?””
William hesitated.
“A nurse.””
My mother suddenly looked up.
“What nurse?””
William looked at her.
“Margaret Ellis.””
The color disappeared from my mother’s face.
“You know her?””
My mother stood.
“She was there that night.””
Lucas looked confused.
“Who was she?””
My mother walked toward the window.
“The nurse who helped deliver you.””
I stared.
“And she knew about the third baby?””
“Yes.””
“Where is she now?””
Nobody answered.
That answer made my stomach turn.
William closed the file.
“She disappeared fourteen years ago.””
Of course she did.
Everyone connected to the truth vanished.
My grandfather.
The records.
The nurse.
The children.
Everyone except the people left behind to carry the damage.
I looked at Lucas.
“Did your adoptive mother know about the third baby?””
He shook his head.
“No.””
“How do you know?””
“Because she spent years trying to find my biological family.””
He looked down.
“She always told me there was something wrong about my adoption.””
“What do you mean?””
Lucas reached into his pocket.
He pulled out another letter.
“She wrote this before she died.””
He unfolded it.
“My adoptive mother believed the paperwork was incomplete.””
William took the letter.
His eyes scanned the page.
Then he stopped.
“What?””
He looked at me.
“She mentions a second child.””
My heart jumped.
“A second child?””
William nodded.
“She wrote that when she received Lucas, the agency worker told her something strange.””
“What?””
“She said, ‘You’re taking the safer one.’”
The room went cold.
“The safer one?””
Lucas looked at me.
“What does that mean?””
My mother whispered:
“Oh my God.””
Everyone turned.
She looked terrified.
“I know what it means.””
“What?””
She covered her mouth.
“When I was in the hospital, before I woke up…”
She paused.
“I remember hearing doctors arguing.””
“About what?””
“About the babies.””
My heart pounded.
“What did they say?””
She closed her eyes.
“One doctor said they needed to separate them immediately.””
“Why?””
Her voice shook.
“Because keeping all three together would make them easier to find.””
Nobody moved.
I felt like the walls were closing in.
“Find by who?””
My mother looked at me.
“I don’t know.””
Lucas looked angry.
“You’re saying they took us because someone wanted us separated?””
My mother nodded.
“But why?””
Before anyone could answer, the lights flickered again.
This time, they didn’t come back immediately.
The room went dark.
A second later, we heard something.
A sound from outside.
A car door closing.
William immediately walked toward the window.
“Stay back.””
He looked outside.
Then froze.
“What?””
He didn’t respond.
I moved closer.
Outside the house was a black sedan.
Parked across the street.
Someone was sitting inside.
Watching.
Lucas saw it too.
His expression changed.
“They found me.””
William reached for his phone.
“I’m calling the police.””
But before he could dial, the person in the car stepped out.
An older woman.
Gray hair.
Carrying a small bag.
My mother gasped.
“No.””
I looked at her.
“You know her?””
My mother’s face lost all color.
“Yes.””
The woman walked slowly toward our front door.
Every step felt like a countdown.
William whispered:
“Who is she?””
My mother stared through the glass.
“She’s the nurse.””
The room froze.
The missing nurse.
The woman who delivered three babies.
The woman who knew the truth.
Margaret Ellis reached the door.
Then knocked.
Three times.
My mother whispered:
“She shouldn’t be alive.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
My mother’s voice trembled.
“Because Edward told me she died fourteen years ago.””
The door opened before anyone touched it.
And the old nurse standing outside looked directly at me.
Then at Lucas.
Then she said:
“I’m sorry it took me this long.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“But I had to make sure the third baby was safe.””
My heart stopped.
“What third baby?””
Margaret looked behind us.
At the photograph on the table.
Then she whispered:
“You still don’t know where he is.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“Where who is?””
The nurse looked at me.
“The child your father spent fourteen years protecting.””
May you like
She swallowed.
“Your other brother.””
