Chapter 6: The Memory She Was Never Supposed to Have
I forgot how to breathe.
Not because of Victoria.
Not because of Marcus.
Not because of the impossible truth they had just dropped in front of me.
Because of Maya.
My little girl.
My four-year-old daughter.
The child who still needed me to tie her shoes and check for monsters under her bed.
She was looking at me with terrified eyes.
“I remember another mommy.””
The words were barely a whisper.
I lowered myself onto the floor in front of her.
“Maya…”
She grabbed my hands.
“Don’t be mad.””
My heart shattered.
“Mad? Baby, I could never be mad at you.””
She looked toward the adults around us.
Then back at me.
“She told me not to tell.””
A chill went through me.
“Who told you?””
Maya’s bottom lip trembled.
“The lady.””
“What lady?””
She looked toward the hallway.
The same direction Victoria had come from.
“The sad lady.””
Everyone went quiet.
Marcus stepped closer.
“Maya…”
She immediately hid behind me.
I glared at him.
“Don’t.””
He stopped.
“She’s scared.””
“I know.””
My voice hardened.
“And she has been scared because every adult around her kept secrets.””
Nobody argued.
Because nobody could.
I turned back to Maya.
“Tell Mommy about the sad lady.””
She played with the sleeve of my shirt.
“She came to my room.””
My heart stopped.
“When?””
“Sometimes.””
“Sometimes?””
She nodded.
“At night.””
I felt a wave of anger.
Someone had been coming near my child.
For years.
And I didn’t know.
“What did she look like?””
Maya closed her eyes.
“She had brown hair.””
My eyes moved to Victoria.
Victoria went pale.
“She wore a blue sweater.””
Nobody spoke.
Maya continued.
“She cried a lot.””
My voice softened.
“What did she say?””
Maya looked at me.
“She said she was sorry.””
A tear slipped down her cheek.
“She said she tried to come back.””
Victoria covered her mouth.
Marcus stared at the floor.
Daniel looked like he had been punched.
I stood.
“What does this mean?””
Nobody answered.
I looked at Victoria.
“You know.””
She shook her head slowly.
“No.””
“Don’t lie to me.””
“I’m not.””
“Then why do you look like you know exactly who she’s talking about?””
Victoria’s eyes filled.
“Because that sounds like Natalie.””
The name hung in the air.
Natalie.
The woman who had become a ghost in my life.
The woman whose child everyone thought I had.
The woman who apparently had never stopped trying to find her baby.
“She visited my house?”” I asked.
Daniel looked at me.
“No.””
Maya immediately spoke.
“She came before we moved.””
I turned.
“What?””
Maya nodded.
“Old house.””
The room shifted.
The old house.
The one we lived in before this.
The one Daniel insisted we leave because it was “too far from work.””
The one where Maya had started having nightmares.
I remembered.
The night terrors.
The drawings.
The way she used to wake up crying and say someone was outside.
I thought it was just a phase.
I thought she was a sensitive child.
I thought I knew my daughter.
I didn’t know anything.
“Maya,” I whispered, “what did the lady look like?””
She frowned.
“She looked like me.””
Nobody moved.
“What?””
“She had my eyes.””
Victoria stepped backward.
“No…”
Maya pointed toward the photograph still lying on the floor.
“That lady.””
I picked up the picture.
The young woman.
Natalie.
Maya stared at it.
“That’s her.””
The room went silent.
I looked at Victoria.
“She knew Natalie?””
Victoria looked destroyed.
“She never met her.””
“Then how?””
Victoria shook her head.
“I don’t know.””
Marcus suddenly reached for the documents.
“Wait.””
Everyone looked at him.
He flipped through the pages quickly.
Then stopped.
“What?””
Daniel asked.
Marcus looked at the medical records.
“Claire.””
“What?””
“The hospital records weren’t just altered.””
“What does that mean?””
He held up a page.
“They were duplicated.””
I stared.
“Explain.””
“There were two versions of every document.””
“Why?””
“Because someone wanted two different stories to exist.””
Victoria stepped forward.
“Can you prove it?””
Marcus looked at her.
“I can.””
He reached into the box and pulled out another folder.
Inside were copies.
Birth records.
Nurse statements.
Medical reports.
Then he found something.
His expression changed.
“What?””
He handed it to me.
It was a document from the hospital.
A handwritten note.
The top said:
*INFANT IDENTIFICATION ERROR REPORT*
My hands shook.
I read.
*Two female infants were admitted to emergency care during evacuation. Identification bands were damaged due to smoke exposure. Verification pending.*
I looked up.
“Two babies.””
Marcus nodded.
“Two babies.””
I kept reading.
Then I saw the date.
The report was signed.
October 15.
The day after the birth.
“Who signed this?””
Marcus looked at the bottom.
His face changed.
I followed his eyes.
The signature belonged to:
*Daniel Carter.*
I looked at my husband.
No.
Not my husband.
The man I thought I knew.
“Why is your name on this?””
Daniel didn’t speak.
“Daniel.””
He swallowed.
“I was there.””
“You were there.””
“Yes.””
“You signed this?””
“Yes.””
The answer was quiet.
Almost broken.
I stepped away.
“How much?””
“What?””
“How much did you know?””
Daniel looked at Maya.
“I knew there had been a mistake.””
“A mistake?””
“A mix-up.””
“You knew there were two babies.””
“Yes.””
“You knew Natalie was looking for hers.””
“Yes.””
“And you said nothing?””
His eyes filled.
“I thought I could fix it.””
“How?””
He looked at me.
“I thought the truth would destroy everyone.””
I laughed.
A painful, empty laugh.
“You were right.””
The sound of a car engine outside interrupted us.
Everyone froze.
Marcus moved toward the window.
“Someone else is here.””
Daniel looked alarmed.
“Who?””
Marcus didn’t answer.
He looked outside.
Then his face changed.
“It’s the police.””
Relief almost came.
Almost.
Then I saw his expression.
Not relief.
Fear.
“Why are you afraid?””
Marcus turned.
“Because they’re not here for us.””
The front door downstairs opened.
A voice called.
“Claire Bennett?””
My blood froze.
The police knew my name.
Daniel moved toward me.
“Don’t answer.””
I looked at him.
“Why?””
“Because something is wrong.””
Another voice came from downstairs.
“Claire, we know you’re inside.””
Maya grabbed my hand.
“Mommy?””
I squeezed her fingers.
“I’m here.””
Marcus looked at the documents.
Then at the hidden room.
Then at me.
“Someone wants you to leave with them.””
“Who?””
He whispered:
“The person who erased the original records.””
A knock echoed through the house.
Hard.
Official.
Three times.
Then the voice outside said:
“Claire, we have evidence that the child with you was stolen.””
I looked at Maya.
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I’m not stolen.””
I hugged her.
“I know.””
But then the voice added:
“And we also have proof that Claire Bennett is not Maya’s biological mother.””
My heart stopped.
Because that part was true.
The problem was…
I still didn’t know what the rest of the truth was.
The knocking came again.
Louder.
“Claire, open the door.””
Nobody moved.
Then Maya looked past me.
Toward the old hospital bracelet in my hand.
And whispered:
“Mommy…”
“Yes?””
She pointed at the bracelet.
“I know where the other baby is.””
The entire room froze.
I stared at her.
“What did you say?””
Maya’s face turned pale.
“She’s still waiting.””
“Who?””
She looked toward the hidden room.
“The other little girl.””
My heart pounded.
“What little girl?””
May you like
Maya whispered:
“The one who looks like me.””
