Chapter 13 - What Emma Found
Rachel returned to the hospital.
Emma was resting.
Lily was sitting beside her.
Rachel approached quietly.
"Lily?"
The girl looked up.
"Hi."
Rachel sat beside her.
"Can I ask you something?"
Lily nodded.
"What did Emma find?"
Lily looked frightened.
"I don't know."
"Think carefully."
Lily hugged her knees.
"She found a box."
"What box?"
"In Grandma's room."
Rachel's heart raced.
"When?"
"Last week."
"What was inside?"
"Pictures."
"Of what?"
Lily looked toward Emma.
"Mommy."
Rachel froze.
"Pictures of me?"
Lily nodded.
"Emma said she knew that woman."
"What woman?"
"The lady in the pictures."
Rachel's hands became cold.
"Who?"
Lily whispered.
"Sarah."
Rachel stared.
"Emma knows Sarah?"
"She saw her."
"When?"
Lily shook her head.
"I don't know."
Rachel looked at Emma.
Her daughter was asleep.
She couldn't possibly understand what was happening.
But apparently, someone had shown her something.
Rachel called Vanessa.
This time Vanessa answered.
"Where are you?"
"At home."
"Come to the hospital."
"Why?"
"Because I know about Sarah."
Silence.
Vanessa whispered.
"How?"
"Lily told me."
Vanessa exhaled.
"Then it's already too late."
Rachel's voice hardened.
"What does that mean?"
"Mom knew this would happen."
"Did Mom send someone after Emma?"
"No."
"Then who did?"
Vanessa hesitated.
"I don't know."
Rachel stood.
"You're lying."
"I'm not."
"You knew Emma was going to be targeted."
"I knew someone was looking for something."
"What?"
Vanessa said nothing.
Rachel demanded.
"What did Emma find?"
Vanessa finally answered.
"An old photograph."
"Which one?"
"The photograph of you as a baby."
Rachel frowned.
"I've seen it."
"Not that one."
"What other photograph?"
"The one where you're standing beside a woman."
Rachel's heart pounded.
"Sarah?"
"No."
Rachel stopped.
"Then who?"
Vanessa whispered.
"The woman who raised you."
Rachel looked toward Evelyn's photograph.
"Evelyn?"
"No."
Rachel felt the world tilt.
"Then who?"
Vanessa said.
"Margaret."
Rachel stared.
"She raised me."
"Not the way you think."
"What are you saying?"
Vanessa's voice broke.
"Mom didn't just adopt you."
Rachel waited.
Vanessa whispered.
"She changed who you were."
The call ended.
Rachel stood motionless.
Then Emma opened her eyes.
"Mommy?"
Rachel rushed to her.
"I'm here."
Emma looked at her.
"Did you find Grandma?"
Rachel shook her head.
"No."
Emma whispered.
"Don't find her."
"Why?"
Emma looked frightened.
"Because she knows where the other mommy is."
Rachel froze.
"What other mommy?"
Emma pointed toward the hospital window.
A woman was standing outside.
Rachel turned.
The woman was gone.
But on the glass was a small paper note.
Rachel walked closer.
May you like
Only three words were written on it.
She remembers everything.
