Chapter 4: ## Chapter 4: The Daughter in the Photograph
For: The Daughter in the Photograph
For almost a full minute, my father and almost a full minute, my father and I stared at the photograph without speaking.
Vanessa stood outside a small I stared at the photograph without speaking.
Vanessa stood outside a small white house, wearing a cream coat and the same gold watch white house, wearing a cream coat and the same gold watch she had worn that morning. Beside her was a teenage girl with dark curls, a pale face, and a she had worn that morning. Beside her was a teenage girl with dark curls, a pale face, and a tiny birthmark beneath her left ear.
The girl looked sixteen or seventeen.
She had my tiny birthmark beneath her left ear.
The girl looked sixteen or seventeen.
She had my eyes.
Not eyes that merely resembled mine. They were the same shade of brown, with the same slight eyes.
Not eyes that merely resembled mine. They were the same shade of brown, with the same slight downward tilt at the outer corners. Even the small crease between her eyebrows was familiar.
I had downward tilt at the outer corners. Even the small crease between her eyebrows was familiar.
I had seen it in my own reflection every time I concentrated.
I zoomed in on the picture seen it in my own reflection every time I concentrated.
I zoomed in on the picture until the image became grainy.
“Dad,” I whispered, “who is she?””
Marcus until the image became grainy.
“Dad,” I whispered, “who is she?””
Marcus didn't answer.
He enlarged the photograph with shaking fingers, then checked the message details.
The image didn't answer.
He enlarged the photograph with shaking fingers, then checked the message details.
The image had been sent from an unregistered number. No name. No explanation. Just the had been sent from an unregistered number.
No name. No explanation. Just the picture and six words.
You have been looking for the wrong daughter.
“Call Daniel,” I picture and six words.
You have been looking for the wrong daughter.
“Call Daniel,” I said.
My father was already dialing.
When the attorney answered, Marcus put him on speaker.
“Daniel, I need said.
My father was already dialing.
When the attorney answered, Marcus put him on speaker.
“Daniel, I need you to trace a message. I'm sending you a photograph right now.””
“What's happened?””
“Just you to trace a message. I'm sending you a photograph right now.””
“What's happened?””
“Just look at it.””
I watched the image transfer.
A few seconds passed.
Then look at it.””
I watched the image transfer.
A few seconds passed.
Then Daniel said, “Where did you get this?””
“Someone sent it to Nia. Do Daniel said, “Where did you get this?””
“Someone sent it to Nia. Do you recognize the house?””
“No. But I recognize the girl.””
My heart slammed against my ribs.
“Who is you recognize the house?””
“No. But I recognize the girl.””
My heart slammed against my ribs.
“Who is she?”” I demanded.
Daniel hesitated.
“Her name is Lily Bennett. At least, that's the she?”” I demanded.
Daniel hesitated.
“Her name is Lily Bennett. At least, that's the name appearing in the records connected to the address I found.””
My father gripped the phone.
“You told me Lily name appearing in the records connected to the address I found.””
My father gripped the phone.
“You told me Lily was registered at Vanessa's mother's house.””
“She was. But the records are was registered at Vanessa's mother's house.””
“She was. But the records are incomplete. There was a guardianship application filed several years later, and the child's name was changed.””
“Changed to incomplete. There was a guardianship application filed several years later, and the child's name was changed.””
“Changed to what?””
“Lily Bennett.””
I looked at the girl again.
“Is she my sister?””
Daniel's what?””
“Lily Bennett.””
I looked at the girl again.
“Is she my sister?””
Daniel's silence lasted too long.
“I can't confirm that from a photograph,” silence lasted too long.
“I can't confirm that from a photograph,” he finally said.
“But I found something else in the transfer records. A payment was he finally said.
“But I found something else in the transfer records. A payment was made to the hospital's administrative office three days after the twins were born. The money came from an account connected made to the hospital's administrative office three days after the twins were born. The money came from an account connected to Vanessa's family.””
My father closed his eyes.
“How much?””
“Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.””
The to Vanessa's family.””
My father closed his eyes.
“How much?””
“Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.””
The number seemed unreal.
I had worked two jobs during college number seemed unreal.
I had worked two jobs during college to cover expenses my scholarship didn't pay. I had skipped meals to stretch to cover expenses my scholarship didn't pay. I had skipped meals to stretch my grocery budget and sold textbooks back to the university bookstore for a my grocery budget and sold textbooks back to the university bookstore for a fraction of what I had paid.
And somewhere in my family's history, someone had transferred a fraction of what I had paid.
And somewhere in my family's history, someone had transferred a quarter of a million dollars while two newborn girls were separated.
“Who received the money?”” I asked.
“The hospital's former administrator quarter of a million dollars while two newborn girls were separated.
“Who received the money?”” I asked.
“The hospital's former administrator. He retired shortly afterward and moved overseas. I've.
He retired shortly afterward and moved overseas. I've been trying to locate him.””
“Trying?”” Marcus snapped.
“Daniel been trying to locate him.””
“Trying?”” Marcus snapped.
“Daniel, I hired you to protect my family.””
“And I've spent nineteen years trying to understand what happened to Evelyn. I couldn't prove anything because, I hired you to protect my family.””
“And I've spent nineteen years trying to understand what happened to Evelyn. I couldn't prove anything because the original records had been altered.””
My father went quiet.
I looked at him.
“You knew Daniel the original records had been altered.””
My father went quiet.
I looked at him.
“You knew Daniel had been investigating Mom?””
“I knew he had been looking into the hospital records. I didn't know he had found evidence of a payment.””
“ had been investigating Mom?””
“I knew he had been looking into the hospital records. I didn't know he had found evidence of a payment.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I didn't know enough to tell you anything.””
I pulled my hand away from the table.
“That has been your answer toWhy didn't you tell me?””
“Because I didn't know enough to tell you anything.””
I pulled my hand away from the table.
“That has been your answer to everything.””
Marcus looked as if he wanted to argue, but the words never came.
Instead, everything.””
Marcus looked as if he wanted to argue, but the words never came.
Instead, he turned back to the phone.
“Daniel, find Lily. I want her current address, school, he turned back to the phone.
“Daniel, find Lily. I want her current address, school, guardian—everything.””
“I'll do what I can. But Marcus, there's a guardian—everything.””
“I'll do what I can. But Marcus, there's a complication.””
“What complication?””
“The guardianship records identify Vanessa's mother as the original guardian, but the later paperwork lists another complication.””
“What complication?””
“The guardianship records identify Vanessa's mother as the original guardian, but the later paperwork lists another adult as the child's legal parent. Someone signed those adult as the child's legal parent. Someone signed those documents under oath.””
“Who?””
Daniel took a breath.
“Vanessa Carter.””
My father stared at the documents under oath.””
“Who?””
Daniel took a breath.
“Vanessa Carter.””
My father stared at the phone.
“She adopted Lily?””
“Possibly. The file is incomplete, and I need phone.
“She adopted Lily?””
“Possibly. The file is incomplete, and I need to verify the signatures.””
I looked at the photograph.
Vanessa had never mentioned adopting a child. Not once.
She to verify the signatures.””
I looked at the photograph.
Vanessa had never mentioned adopting a child. Not once.
She had spent years telling me that children required stability, that families needed clear boundaries, that had spent years telling me that children required stability, that families needed clear boundaries, that I should stop expecting my father to put me first.
And all that I should stop expecting my father to put me first.
And all that time, she might have been raising the daughter my mother had supposedly lost.
“Dad,” I said, time, she might have been raising the daughter my mother had supposedly lost.
“Dad,” I said, “we need to go to that house.””
“No.””
The answer came so quickly that I turned toward “we need to go to that house.””
“No.””
The answer came so quickly that I turned toward him in disbelief.
“You can't be serious.””
“Someone is sending us photographs and threatening him in disbelief.
“You can't be serious.””
“Someone is sending us photographs and threatening messages. We don't know who they are or what they want.””
“They know messages. We don't know who they are or what they want.””
“They know where Lily is.””
“Or they want us to believe they do.””
“What if that's really my where Lily is.””
“Or they want us to believe they do.””
“What if that's really my sister?””
“What if this is a trap?””
I stood up.
“Then I'll be trapped trying sister?””
“What if this is a trap?””
I stood up.
“Then I'll be trapped trying to find my own family. At least I'll finally be doing something.””
Marcus rose too.
“Don't speak to find my own family. At least I'll finally be doing something.””
Marcus rose too.
“Don't speak to me as if I don't care about Lily.””
“I don't know what you care about anymore!””
to me as if I don't care about Lily.””
“I don't know what you care about anymore!””
My voice carried across the coffee shop.
A man at the counter turnedMy voice carried across the coffee shop.
A man at the counter turned to look at us.
I lowered my voice, but the anger remained.
“You told me Mom was to look at us.
I lowered my voice, but the anger remained.
“You told me Mom was dead. You told me I was an only child. You let me believe those things for nineteen years. dead.
You told me I was an only child. You let me believe those things for nineteen years. Now you're asking me to sit quietly while lawyers investigate whether my sister exists?””
Marcus looked down Now you're asking me to sit quietly while lawyers investigate whether my sister exists?””
Marcus looked down.
“No,” he said.
“I'm asking you to let me make.
“No,” he said.
“I'm asking you to let me make sure you survive long enough to meet her.””
For a moment, the anger in me sure you survive long enough to meet her.””
For a moment, the anger in me faltered.
He sounded terrified.
Not like a businessman afraid of losing money or faltered.
He sounded terrified.
Not like a businessman afraid of losing money or influence. Like a father who had just discovered that the foundations of his family had been rotten from the beginning.
I wanted to forgive influence. Like a father who had just discovered that the foundations of his family had been rotten from the beginning.
I wanted to forgive him.
I wanted him to put his arms around me and promise that everything would be all right.
But him.
I wanted him to put his arms around me and promise that everything would be all right.
But I had learned something that morning.
Promises were easy.
Truth was harder.
My I had learned something that morning.
Promises were easy.
Truth was harder.
My phone vibrated.
A new message appeared.
**The girl in the photograph is not the phone vibrated.
A new message appeared.
*The girl in the photograph is not the only person Vanessa kept from you. Ask your father why he never questioned the date on your birth certificate.*
I read it aloud only person Vanessa kept from you. Ask your father why he never questioned the date on your birth certificate.**
I read it aloud.
Marcus went completely still.
Then he took the phone from my hand and studied the message.
“Whoever.
Marcus went completely still.
Then he took the phone from my hand and studied the message.
“Whoever sent this knows things they shouldn't know,” he murmured.
“Do you know what it means?””
He didn't sent this knows things they shouldn't know,” he murmured.
“Do you know what it means?””
He didn't answer.
I watched his face carefully.
“Dad?””
He looked up.
“Your original answer.
I watched his face carefully.
“Dad?””
He looked up.
“Your original birth certificate was issued by the hospital. I never questioned the date because the discharge papers matched birth certificate was issued by the hospital. I never questioned the date because the discharge papers matched it.””
“But Daniel found a certificate with a different date.””
“Yes.””
“And you didn't tell me what you thought that meant.””
Marcus ran it.””
“But Daniel found a certificate with a different date.””
“Yes.””
“And you didn't tell me what you thought that meant.””
Marcus ran a hand over his beard.
“Because I was a hand over his beard.
“Because I was afraid of drawing the wrong conclusion.””
“Which conclusion?””
He glanced at the photograph again.
“I thought there was a possibility that the hospital afraid of drawing the wrong conclusion.””
“Which conclusion?””
He glanced at the photograph again.
“I thought there was a possibility that the hospital had switched the records. That you and Lily had been assigned the wrong identities.””
My had switched the records. That you and Lily had been assigned the wrong identities.””
My stomach tightened.
“So you thought I might be Lily?””
“I don't know.””
“Then why did you bring stomach tightened.
“So you thought I might be Lily?””
“I don't know.””
“Then why did you bring me home?””
His eyes filled with pain.
“Because I held you in my arms, N me home?””
His eyes filled with pain.
“Because I held you in my arms, Nia. You were my daughter. I knew your face. I knew your cry.
I knew the little birthia. You were my daughter. I knew your face.
I knew your cry. I knew the little birthmark on your shoulder.””
He paused.
“I never questioned whether the childmark on your shoulder.””
He paused.
“I never questioned whether the child I brought home was mine. I questioned whether someone had manipulated the records around her.””
The distinction I brought home was mine. I questioned whether someone had manipulated the records around her.””
The distinction should have comforted me.
It didn't.
“Did Mom know?””
“I don't know.””
“Did Vanessa should have comforted me.
It didn't.
“Did Mom know?””
“I don't know.””
“Did Vanessa?””
His expression hardened.
“That's what we're going to find out.””
He called a car service, then canceled it almost?””
His expression hardened.
“That's what we're going to find out.””
He called a car service, then canceled it almost immediately.
“No,” he muttered.
“They may be tracking my account immediately.
“No,” he muttered.
“They may be tracking my account.””
He looked toward the window.
“Daniel has a private driver who doesn't work for the company. We'll use.””
He looked toward the window.
“Daniel has a private driver who doesn't work for the company. We'll use him.””
I picked up my bag.
“I'm coming.””
Marcus didn't argue this him.””
I picked up my bag.
“I'm coming.””
Marcus didn't argue this time.
Twenty-five minutes later, we were in a black sedan heading toward the address Daniel time.
Twenty-five minutes later, we were in a black sedan heading toward the address Daniel had found.
The city gave way to quieter streets lined with bare trees and brick houses. The sky was heavy with rain, and the had found.
The city gave way to quieter streets lined with bare trees and brick houses. The sky was heavy with rain, and the wet pavement reflected the headlights like strips of broken glass.
Neither of us spoke.
My phone remained in my hand.
I kept looking wet pavement reflected the headlights like strips of broken glass.
Neither of us spoke.
My phone remained in my hand.
I kept looking at the photograph, searching for some detail that would tell me whether the girl was really my sister.
A at the photograph, searching for some detail that would tell me whether the girl was really my sister.
A scar.
A familiar smile.
Anything.
At last, I turned toward my father.
“Did Mom ever talk about having twins?””
“Yes.””
The answer scar.
A familiar smile.
Anything.
At last, I turned toward my father.
“Did Mom ever talk about having twins?””
“Yes.””
The answer startled me.
“When?””
“When you were little. She used to tell you that startled me.
“When?””
“When you were little. She used to tell you that you had a sister waiting for you somewhere.””
I stared at him.
“What?””
He nodded you had a sister waiting for you somewhere.””
I stared at him.
“What?””
He nodded slowly.
“She told you stories about a girl who looked just like you. She said you would meet slowly.
“She told you stories about a girl who looked just like you. She said you would meet her one day.””
I tried to remember.
There was a fragment of a memory buried her one day.””
I tried to remember.
There was a fragment of a memory buried somewhere in my childhood: a woman sitting beside my bed, humming softly while rain tapped against the window somewhere in my childhood: a woman sitting beside my bed, humming softly while rain tapped against the window. A hand smoothing my hair. A whisper about a little girl who was.
A hand smoothing my hair. A whisper about a little girl who was waiting for me.
I had always assumed it was a dream.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because after your mother died, waiting for me.
I had always assumed it was a dream.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because after your mother died, you kept asking when your sister was coming home. I thought it you kept asking when your sister was coming home. I thought it was part of your grief. Eventually, I convinced myself you had misunderstood her stories.””
I was part of your grief. Eventually, I convinced myself you had misunderstood her stories.””
I turned toward the window.
“Or you convinced yourself because the turned toward the window.
“Or you convinced yourself because the alternative was too painful.””
He didn't deny it.
The sedan slowed.
The alternative was too painful.””
He didn't deny it.
The sedan slowed.
The driver turned onto a narrow residential street and stopped outside a small white house.
It was the house in the photograph.
A porch light gl driver turned onto a narrow residential street and stopped outside a small white house.
It was the house in the photograph.
A porch light glowed above the front door. A bicycle lay on its side beside the steps. Through a downstairsowed above the front door.
A bicycle lay on its side beside the steps. Through a downstairs window, I could see a television flickering in an otherwise dark room.
My father leaned forward.
“Wait window, I could see a television flickering in an otherwise dark room.
My father leaned forward.
“Wait here.””
“No.””
“Nia—”
“If she's my sister, she deserves to know the here.””
“No.””
“Nia—”
“If she's my sister, she deserves to know the truth, too.””
He studied me for a long moment.
Then he nodded.
We stepped truth, too.””
He studied me for a long moment.
Then he nodded.
We stepped out into the cold evening air.
I followed him up the path, my heart beating so loudly that I could barely hear the rain beginning to fall.
Marcus knocked.
Once.
Twice.
No answer.
He knocked again, harder.
A light flickered upstairs.
Then a young woman's voice called from behind the door.
“Who's there?””
My father moved closer.
“My out into the cold evening air.
I followed him up the path, my heart beating so loudly that I could barely hear the rain beginning to fall.
Marcus knocked.
Once.
Twice.
No answer.
He knocked again, harder.
A light flickered upstairs.
Then a young woman's voice called from behind the door.
“Who's there?””
My father moved closer.
“My name is Marcus Carter. I'm looking for Lily Bennett.””
Silence.
Then the girl spoke name is Marcus Carter. I'm looking for Lily Bennett.””
Silence.
Then the girl spoke again.
“Who sent you?””
Marcus glanced at me.
“No one. I think I'm your father.””
The door opened three again.
“Who sent you?””
Marcus glanced at me.
“No one. I think I'm your father.””
The door opened three inches.
A pale face appeared in the gap.
Dark curls.
Brown eyes.
A small birthmark beneath the inches.
A pale face appeared in the gap.
Dark curls.
Brown eyes.
A small birthmark beneath the left ear.
I forgot how to breathe.
The girl looked at my father, then at me.
Her gaze dropped left ear.
I forgot how to breathe.
The girl looked at my father, then at me.
Her gaze dropped to the white invitation sticking out of my bag.
And suddenly, all the color drained from her face to the white invitation sticking out of my bag.
And suddenly, all the color drained from her face.
“No,” she whispered.
I took a small step forward.
“Lily?””
She shook.
“No,” she whispered.
I took a small step forward.
“Lily?””
She shook her head violently.
“You shouldn't have come here.””
“I'm Nia. I her head violently.
“You shouldn't have come here.””
“I'm Nia. I think—”
“I know who you are!””
Her voice broke.
She glanced over her shoulder, then reached think—”
“I know who you are!””
Her voice broke.
She glanced over her shoulder, then reached for the door.
Before she could close it, a man's voice called from inside the for the door.
Before she could close it, a man's voice called from inside the house.
“Lily? Who is it?””
The girl looked at me with desperate eyes.
Then she whispered the house.
“Lily? Who is it?””
The girl looked at me with desperate eyes.
Then she whispered the words that made my blood turn to ice.
“If Vanessa finds out you're here, she'll kill us words that made my blood turn to ice.
“If Vanessa finds out you're here, she'll kill us both.””
And from somewhere inside the house, the man shouted:
“L both.””
And from somewhere inside the house, the man shouted:
May you like
“Lily, get away from that door!””
ily, get away from that door!””
Related Stories
