Chapter 9: The Woman Who Came Back
We left Union Station together.
Not because I trusted Daniel.
Not because I trusted Marcus.
Because I trusted no one enough to let them out of my sight.
Claire sat beside me in the back of an SUV with Milo sleeping between us.
Daniel rode in the vehicle behind us.
Marcus sat up front.
For ten minutes, Claire and I said nothing.
Then she whispered, “You look older.””
I turned.
“So do you.””
A tiny smile touched her mouth.
It disappeared almost immediately.
“I imagined this differently.””
“So did I.””
“How?””
I looked through the rain-streaked window.
“For years? Angry.””
“And after Boston?””
“I didn’t remember Boston.””
“I know.””
“I wish I had.””
Claire looked down.
“So do I.””
There were a thousand things I wanted to ask.
Instead I asked the simplest.
“Does Lucy know me?””
“She knows stories.””
“What stories?””
“The good ones.””
I looked at her.
“You had good stories left?””
“More than I wanted.””
That hurt.
“Why did you name her Lucy?””
Claire smiled faintly.
“Your grandmother.””
I stared at her.
“My grandmother’s name was Lucille.””
“You told me once that she was the only person in your family who loved without conditions.””
My throat tightened.
“You remembered.””
“I remembered everything.””
We reached the hospital shortly before 1:00 a.m.
Eleanor was in a private room.
Victoria sat outside.
Still in her wedding dress.
I stopped.
She stood.
“Nathan.””
“Why are you still here?””
Her eyes flashed with pain.
“Because eight hours ago I thought I was going to be your wife.””
Claire became very still beside me.
Victoria looked at her.
“So you’re Claire.””
“Yes.””
Neither woman spoke for several seconds.
Then Victoria looked at me.
“I need five minutes.””
“Not tonight.””
“Nathan, please.””
Claire touched my arm.
“Talk to her.””
I looked at Claire.
She nodded.
“I’ll stay with Milo.””
I followed Victoria toward the empty waiting area.
She removed the engagement ring from her pocket.
“I’m not asking you to marry me.””
“I know.””
“I’m asking you to understand something.””
“What?””
“Eleanor came to me six months after we started dating.””
My stomach tightened.
“She told me about Claire.””
“Part of it.””
“Yes.””
“And you kept it from me.””
“I did.””
“Why?””
Victoria looked toward Claire.
“Because your mother showed me photographs.””
“What photographs?””
“Claire following you.””
I frowned.
“When?””
“Two years ago.””
I looked toward Claire.
“That’s impossible.””
“Maybe. But the photographs looked real.””
“What did Eleanor say?””
“That Claire was obsessed with you. That she had been watching your homes and offices.””
I thought of the endless surveillance and fabricated evidence.
“Did you verify anything?””
“No.””
“Then you chose the version that protected your wedding.””
Victoria’s eyes filled.
“Yes.””
At least she didn’t lie.
“I loved you,” she whispered.
“I believe you.””
“But?””
“But love without truth is what my family has been doing to me my entire life.””
She nodded slowly.
Then handed me the ring.
“I’m sorry.””
I closed her fingers around it.
“Keep it.””
She began crying.
I walked away.
Eleanor was awake when I entered her room.
Daniel stood at the foot of her bed.
My mother stared at him.
Forty-something years of separation sat between them.
“You came,” she whispered.
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“Don’t sound happy.””
“Daniel.””
“You abandoned me.””
“I was seventeen.””
“You abandoned me.””
Her face crumpled.
“Yes.””
He stepped closer.
“Who was my father?””
Eleanor closed her eyes.
“I never told anyone.””
“Tell me.””
She looked at me.
Then Claire.
Then Daniel.
“Thomas Vale.””
Silence.
Daniel staggered backward.
“No.””
“I’m sorry.””
“No.””
“Thomas is your father.””
Daniel shook his head.
“He raised Anna.””
“Yes.””
“He knew she was with me.””
My mother began crying.
“He knew exactly who you were.””
Daniel’s face transformed.
Horror.
“He let me have a child with the girl he raised?””
“Anna wasn’t his biological daughter.””
“That doesn’t make it better!””
“No.””
He turned away, breathing hard.
Pieces clicked together.
Thomas had fathered Daniel with my mother.
Later, Thomas had raised Anna.
Daniel and Anna met without knowing Thomas connected them both.
Then Anna found Rebecca’s evidence.
“What did Thomas do to Rebecca?”” I asked.
Eleanor stared at the blanket.
“Rebecca came back because she wanted Claire.””
Claire stepped forward.
“My mother came back for me?””
“Yes.””
“When?””
“You were nine.””
Claire covered her mouth.
Eleanor continued.
“She threatened Charles and Thomas. She said she had proof of everything.””
“What everything?””
“The stolen money. The shell companies. Bribes.””
“And Thomas killed her?””
My mother’s voice broke.
“He told us she had left again.””
“But you knew.””
“Years later, Charles found Rebecca’s car.””
“Where?””
“On property Thomas owned.””
Daniel looked sick.
“And Dad—Thomas—knew I was investigating Rebecca’s records?””
“Yes.””
“That’s why Anna died.””
Claire whispered, “Maybe.””
Suddenly the door opened.
Margaret entered with Lucy.
Lucy ran straight to me.
“Daddy!””
I caught her.
For the first time, I didn’t hesitate when she called me that.
I held her.
“I’m here.””
She wrapped both arms around my neck.
“Mommy too?””
I looked at Claire.
“She’s here too.””
Lucy’s face lit up.
Then Margaret said, “Nathan.””
Something in her voice made me turn.
She wasn’t alone.
An elderly woman stood behind her.
Thin.
White-haired.
A cane trembled in her hand.
Claire stared at her.
The woman stared back.
“No,” Eleanor whispered.
Margaret stepped aside.
“I found her three months ago.””
Claire’s breathing stopped.
“Who is she?””
The old woman’s eyes filled with tears.
She looked at Claire as though she had waited a lifetime for this moment.
“My name is Rebecca.””
Claire’s knees nearly gave way.
I caught her.
Rebecca took one trembling step into the room.
“Claire.””
Claire shook her head.
“You’re dead.””
“I know.””
“Thomas killed you.””
“He tried.””
Every person in the room went silent.
Rebecca looked at Daniel.
Then at me.
Then at Eleanor.
“No more lies.””
She reached into her coat and removed a small leather ledger.
“The proof Anna died protecting is here.””
Daniel stared at it.
Rebecca’s voice hardened.
“But Thomas Vale wasn’t working alone.””
She turned toward my mother.
Eleanor went white.
Claire whispered, “Who helped him?””
May you like
Rebecca pointed directly at the woman lying in the hospital bed.
“Eleanor did.””
