Chapter 3 - The Photograph in the Drawer)
Emma saved the photograph before going to sleep.
By morning, the social media profile had disappeared.
That frightened her more than if it had remained.
Someone had either deleted it or blocked her.
At breakfast, Vanessa was unusually cheerful.
She made pancakes for Lily.
She asked Emma whether she had slept well.
She even poured Charles another cup of coffee.
Emma watched her closely.
Vanessa smiled.
"Something wrong?"
"No."
"You keep staring at me."
"Do I?"
Charles looked between them.
Vanessa cut Lily's pancake into exact squares.
"Emma, teenagers often confuse curiosity with entitlement."
Emma drank her orange juice.
"Adults often confuse secrecy with authority."
Charles closed his eyes.
Vanessa's knife stopped.
Lily stared at her plate.
Then Vanessa laughed.
It was not a pleasant sound.
"This summer is going to be interesting."
Later, Emma found Charles in his office.
He had forgotten to lock the door.
She stood at the entrance.
Old family photographs covered one wall.
Sarah holding Emma as a baby.
Vanessa at college graduation.
Charles and his late wife, Eleanor, at their anniversary party.
And near the bottom corner was a photograph Emma had never seen.
Olivia.
Pregnant.
She stood in Charles's backyard beneath the maple tree, one hand on her stomach.
Beside her stood Vanessa.
Vanessa's arm was around Olivia's shoulders.
Everyone was smiling.
Emma removed the photograph from the wall.
The date printed on the back was six years earlier.
August 14.
Lily had been born in September.
A month later.
Emma opened the bottom desk drawer.
Inside were folders.
Tax papers.
Insurance records.
Receipts.
Then she found an envelope marked Carter Family Medical.
She opened it.
There were several documents.
One was a hospital discharge summary with Olivia Carter's name.
Another was a photocopy of an infant identification bracelet.
Baby Girl Carter.
A third sheet was partially torn.
Emma read the first lines.
Temporary Care Authorization.
Mother, Olivia Marie Carter.
Temporary caregiver, Vanessa Elaine Carter.
Emma's hands began to shake.
The document had been signed two days after Lily was born.
Temporary.
Not adoption.
Emma turned the page over.
Nothing.
She searched the folder.
No adoption order.
No custody judgment.
No consent form.
Only temporary care authorization.
Footsteps sounded in the hallway.
Emma shoved the pages back into the folder.
Charles entered.
He stopped.
"What are you doing?"
Emma held up the paper.
"You told me Vanessa adopted Lily."
Charles closed the office door behind him.
"Put that down."
"This says temporary."
"Emma."
"Where are the adoption papers?"
His face tightened.
"Put it down."
"Where are they?"
Charles crossed the room and took the document from her.
"You're going through private records."
"Because you lied."
"I simplified something that had nothing to do with you."
"Lily is six years old. How long does temporary last?"
Charles shoved the folder back into the drawer.
"You have no idea what happened."
"So tell me."
"No."
"Then I'm going to ask Vanessa."
His head snapped toward her.
"No."
The urgency in his voice frightened her.
"Why?"
Charles lowered his voice.
"Because she cannot know you found that."
Emma stared at him.
That was the first time he had openly admitted fear.
"Why?"
Charles sat down heavily.
For several seconds, he looked at his hands.
"Your aunt Olivia wasn't well after Lily was born."
"You said that."
"She was overwhelmed. She was frightened. She had no money. Lily's father was gone."
"Dead?"
Charles shook his head.
"Just gone."
"So Vanessa agreed to help."
"Yes."
"And then?"
"Olivia left."
"Where?"
"I didn't know."
"But now you know she's in Oregon."
Charles looked up.
Emma saw the answer before he spoke.
"How do you know that?"
"A letter came yesterday."
Charles stood.
"What letter?"
"Vanessa got it."
His face drained.
"Did you open it?"
"No."
"Did Vanessa see you see it?"
"Yes."
Charles cursed under his breath.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Grandpa."
He walked to the window.
Emma followed.
"You know Olivia has been writing."
Charles said nothing.
"You know."
He placed both hands on the windowsill.
"Years ago."
"How many years?"
"I don't know."
"That's a lie."
He turned.
"Enough."
"No. You don't get to say enough anymore."
He looked angry.
Emma did not care.
"Lily thinks her real mother abandoned her. Vanessa tells her that. If Olivia has been writing, then Lily deserves to know."
"You don't understand."
"Then make me understand."
Charles stared at her.
His voice became quiet.
"The first letter came when Lily was eighteen months old."
Emma felt cold.
"What did it say?"
"I never read it."
"You expect me to believe that?"
"I gave it to Vanessa."
"Why?"
"Because by then Vanessa had legal custody."
"Temporary custody?"
Charles flinched.
Emma stepped closer.
"Was it actually legal?"
He did not answer.
"Grandpa."
"I signed papers."
"What papers?"
"I don't remember."
"How can you not remember papers that gave away your granddaughter?"
His eyes flashed.
"I did not give her away."
From the hallway came the sound of something dropping.
Emma and Charles turned.
Lily stood outside the half open door.
A plastic cup lay on the carpet.
Her face was pale.
"You gave me away?"
Charles immediately moved toward her.
"Lily, no."
She backed away.
"Mom said you did."
Emma's heart pounded.
Charles crouched.
"Your mother says things when she's angry."
"Which mother?"
The question silenced him.
Lily stared at him.
"Did Liv want me?"
Charles's eyes filled.
Emma had never seen her grandfather cry.
He reached toward Lily.
She moved away.
"Tell me."
Charles opened his mouth.
A voice came from behind her.
"What is going on?"
Vanessa.
Lily immediately went still.
Vanessa looked at Charles.
Then Emma.
Then the open office drawer.
Her expression changed.
She understood.
Emma saw it happen.
Vanessa walked past Lily and opened the drawer.
The medical folder was visible.
She turned to Emma.
"Did you touch this?"
Emma said nothing.
Vanessa stepped closer.
"Did you touch this?"
Charles stood.
"Vanessa."
She ignored him.
Her eyes remained on Emma.
"You should be very careful with things you don't understand."
Emma met her stare.
"Why? Because I might understand them?"
Vanessa smiled.
Then she took the folder.
She carried it upstairs.
That evening, Emma returned to Charles's office.
May you like
The drawer was empty.
Every document connected to Lily was gone.
