Chapter 6 - The Night Everything Changed
Hannah couldn't move.
She stood outside Margaret's house for nearly a minute.
Then the door opened again.
Margaret looked around the street.
"Come inside."
Hannah entered.
The house smelled of old books and lavender.
Margaret locked the door.
"Sit."
Hannah sat.
Margaret remained standing.
"You look exactly like her."
"Like who?"
Margaret's eyes filled with tears.
"Your biological mother."
The words seemed to empty the room of air.
Hannah stared at her.
"My mother is Linda Barrett."
"Linda raised you."
"That's not what you said."
Margaret sat slowly.
"You were born at St. Catherine's."
"I know."
"Your birth mother was a young woman."
"Who?"
Margaret looked toward the window.
"I cannot tell you."
"Why?"
"Because I promised."
"To Richard?"
Margaret looked at her.
"Yes."
Hannah's hands clenched.
"Why would my father know?"
"He wasn't your father."
The words struck harder than anything Hannah had ever heard.
She whispered.
"Then who was he?"
Margaret shook her head.
"I don't know."
"But you said Linda raised me."
"Yes."
"Why?"
Margaret looked down.
"Because there was an arrangement."
"What arrangement?"
"I can't tell you."
Hannah stood.
"You've spent twenty-eight years keeping this secret."
Margaret began crying.
"I thought I was protecting you."
"From what?"
"From the truth."
Hannah's voice broke.
"The truth is already hurting me."
Margaret looked at her.
Then she stood and walked to a cabinet.
She removed a small metal box.
Inside was a photograph.
A young woman holding a newborn baby.
Hannah stared.
The woman had brown hair.
Soft eyes.
And a tiny crescent-shaped birthmark near her left eyebrow.
Hannah touched her own eyebrow.
She had the same mark.
"Who is she?"
Margaret whispered her name.
"Emily Carter."
Hannah felt dizzy.
"Where is she?"
Margaret closed her eyes.
"That's what I don't know."
"Is she alive?"
"I don't know."
"Why did Linda take me?"
"She didn't."
Hannah looked at her.
"Then who did?"
Margaret's answer came quietly.
"Richard."
Hannah felt something inside her break.
Her entire childhood rearranged itself.
The bedroom.
The photographs.
The family holidays.
The stories.
The accusations.
Everything suddenly had a question mark attached to it.
She took the photograph.
"Why would Richard take me?"
Margaret looked terrified.
"Because he believed you belonged to someone else."
"Who?"
Margaret stared at Hannah.
"Someone your father was afraid of."
"My father wasn't my father."
Margaret swallowed.
"Richard wasn't the only person who lied."
Hannah stepped closer.
"Who else?"
Margaret opened her mouth.
A car stopped outside.
Margaret's face went white.
"Hannah."
May you like
"What?"
"Hide."
