Chapter 8: The Name on the File
For several seconds, neither of us moved.
Snow melted on Mark's shoulders.
I stared at him.
"You said she survived.""
Mark swallowed.
"Yes.""
"Who survived?""
"The baby.""
"The baby in the photograph?""
He nodded.
"My aunt's baby.""
I felt dizzy.
"What was her full name?""
Mark looked at me.
"Lily Rose.""
My knees weakened.
Evan caught my elbow.
"Hey.""
"I'm okay.""
I wasn't.
Mark opened the front door.
"Come inside.""
We followed him into the kitchen.
Jenna appeared from the hallway.
She was holding a mug.
When she saw us, she stopped.
"What happened?""
Mark looked at her.
"I told her.""
Jenna closed her eyes.
"Oh, Mark.""
I stared at both of them.
"You knew?""
Jenna shook her head.
"I knew there was something about your father's family. I didn't know this.""
Mark pulled a chair out for me.
I didn't sit.
"Start from the beginning.""
He nodded.
"Twenty-nine years ago, Dad's sister, Rebecca, had a baby. She was unmarried. Grandpa hated the situation.""
"Grandpa?""
"Your grandfather. Dad's father.""
"What did he do?""
"He told Rebecca the baby was sick.""
I stared at him.
"Was she?""
"No.""
"Then what?""
Mark looked at his hands.
"He took the baby.""
My chest tightened.
"Where?""
"We don't know.""
"You just said she survived.""
"We know she was alive.""
"How?""
"Dad found her.""
I froze.
"When?""
"Years later.""
"How many?""
"About ten.""
"Ten years after she was born?""
He nodded.
My mind raced.
"What happened to Rebecca?""
"She died believing her baby was dead.""
I covered my mouth.
Evan whispered, "Oh my God.""
Mark continued.
"Dad found evidence that Grandpa had arranged for the baby to be placed with another family.""
"Adopted?""
"Not legally.""
"What does that mean?""
"The paperwork was falsified.""
I stared at him.
"Why?""
"Because Grandpa wanted the family name protected.""
My voice shook.
"So someone else's child was erased.""
"Yes.""
"And Dad found her.""
"Yes.""
"Where?""
Mark looked at me.
"Here.""
I didn't understand.
"What?""
"He found her in this state.""
"When?""
"Years before you were born.""
The room became painfully quiet.
I thought of my mother saying the word Lily.
I thought of the photograph.
I thought of my daughter sleeping upstairs the night before.
"Did Dad meet her?""
"Yes.""
"Did he know where she lived?""
"Yes.""
"Then why didn't he bring her home?""
Mark's eyes filled.
"Because she didn't know she was adopted.""
I stared at him.
"She had a family.""
"Yes.""
"And Dad left her there?""
"He tried to protect her.""
"That's not protection.""
"No.""
Mark's voice cracked.
"It wasn't.""
I sat down.
"What happened after that?""
"Dad kept looking for her.""
"Until he died?""
"Yes.""
"And Mom knew?""
"She knew some of it.""
"Some?""
Mark hesitated.
"She knew more than she told you.""
My phone buzzed.
A message from Carol.
*Please don't ask Mark about the hospital file.*
I looked up.
"She just texted me.""
Mark's face changed.
"What did she say?""
I showed him.
He went silent.
"What hospital file?""
He looked toward the hallway.
Then he stood.
"Wait here.""
He disappeared upstairs.
A minute later he returned with a small cardboard box.
He placed it on the table.
"This is all I have left.""
I opened it.
Inside were photographs, letters, a hospital bracelet, and a folded medical record.
I picked up the bracelet.
The plastic was cracked.
The printed name was almost faded.
*BABY GIRL — REBECCA H.*
I unfolded the medical record.
The date stopped me.
It was twenty-nine years old.
Under "mother," Rebecca's name appeared.
Under "father," there was a blank.
Under "disposition," someone had written:
*Transferred.*
Not deceased.
Transferred.
I looked at Mark.
"Where?""
"I don't know.""
I unfolded the last page.
There was a signature.
My mother's.
Carol.
I stared at it.
"Why would Mom sign this?""
Mark whispered, "Because Grandpa forced her.""
"To do what?""
"To lie.""
I looked at the next page.
There was an address.
An adoption agency.
And beneath it, a handwritten note.
*Baby transferred to foster placement. Do not contact family.*
I felt sick.
"Who wrote this?""
Mark shook his head.
"I don't know.""
Then Evan noticed something.
"Wait.""
He pointed at the bottom.
There was another line.
A name.
*Lillian Rose Carter.*
My breath caught.
"Lillian.""
Mark nodded.
"That's the name Dad found.""
I stared at it.
Then another thought hit me.
"My daughter's name.""
Evan looked at me.
I whispered, "We named her Lily.""
Mark's eyes widened.
"Did you know?""
"No.""
"Did Mom know?""
"I don't know.""
My phone rang.
Carol.
I answered.
"Why did you sign the transfer?""
She began crying.
"I didn't have a choice.""
"You always have a choice.""
"Not that night.""
"Who was there?""
Silence.
"Mom.""
"Who was there?""
She whispered a name.
"Your grandfather.""
"And who else?""
Another silence.
Then:
"Rebecca.""
I frowned.
"Rebecca was dying.""
"No.""
Carol's voice broke.
"Rebecca wasn't dying.""
I stopped breathing.
"Then why did you tell me she was?""
"Because that's what I was told.""
"By Grandpa?""
"Yes.""
"Mom, where is Rebecca now?""
"I don't know.""
"You're lying.""
"No.""
"Then tell me the truth.""
My mother began sobbing.
"I haven't seen her in twenty-nine years.""
"Why?""
"Because she disappeared.""
The call ended.
I looked at Mark.
His face was white.
Then his phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
Unknown number.
He answered.
"Hello?""
He listened.
His expression changed.
"What?""
He stood.
"Who is this?""
A pause.
May you like
Then he looked directly at me.
"It's about Lily.""
