Chapter 5: The Brother Nobody Told Me About
“Baby brother?””
The words came out barely louder than a breath.
I looked at my father.
Then at Rebecca.
Then at Vanessa.
Nobody answered.
My mother had been dead for eleven years. I had grown up believing I was her only child.
I had no brother.
I had no memories of another baby in our house.
“Dad?””
He looked as confused as I felt.
“Claire never told me about another child.””
Vanessa laughed nervously.
“Because there wasn't another child. Madison is confused.””
Madison shook her head.
“No, Mom. You told me about him.””
Vanessa grabbed her daughter's shoulders.
“Stop talking.””
Dad stepped forward.
“Let her go.””
Madison pulled away.
She was crying so hard that her words came out unevenly.
“Last year, I overheard Mom talking to someone on the phone. She said the baby should never have been allowed to leave the hospital.””
Rebecca covered her mouth.
“What baby?””
Madison looked at her.
“Emily's brother.””
I felt something inside me collapse.
“Was he real?””
Rebecca nodded slowly.
“Yes.””
My hands began shaking.
“Why didn't I know?””
Rebecca looked devastated.
“Because your mother gave birth to him shortly before she died. He was premature, but he was alive.””
I sat down.
The patio chair scraped against the concrete.
“How old would he be?””
“Ten days younger than you were when you celebrated your seventh birthday,” Rebecca whispered.
“You were supposed to have a little brother.””
I stared at her.
“Where is he?””
She looked toward Vanessa.
“That's what we've been trying to find out.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“This is ridiculous. Claire had a miscarriage. Everyone knew that.””
Rebecca's expression turned furious.
“No. She didn't.””
Dad stepped between them.
“Vanessa, what happened to the baby?””
She folded her arms.
“I don't know. I wasn't involved.””
Madison let out a broken laugh.
“Then why did you keep the hospital bracelet?””
Vanessa went completely still.
Madison pointed toward the dressing room.
“I found it in the black notebook. It had a baby's name written on it.””
Rebecca stepped forward.
“What name?””
“Daniel.””
I closed my eyes.
Daniel.
My brother had a name.
“Was he okay?”” I whispered.
Rebecca nodded.
“He was breathing on his own. He needed special care, but the doctors believed he would survive.””
“Then where did he go?””
Nobody answered.
Daniel Brooks returned from Vanessa's dressing room carrying a small black notebook, a bundle of envelopes, and a hospital bracelet sealed inside a plastic bag.
“Michael, I found these in the locked drawer.””
Dad looked at the bracelet.
The name printed on it was Daniel Claire Carter.
Beneath it was a date.
The same date as the hospital letter.
Rebecca reached for it but stopped herself.
“That's his.””
I touched the plastic bag.
“Did Mom hold him?””
Rebecca nodded.
“She held him for nearly twenty minutes before they took him to the neonatal unit.””
My eyes filled.
“Did she tell him about me?””
“She told him he had the best big sister in the world.””
I couldn't hold back my tears.
For eleven years, I'd believed my mother's last memories were of me.
Now I discovered she'd spent her final days worrying about two children.
Daniel opened the notebook.
The first few pages contained handwritten notes.
Dates.
Phone numbers.
Names.
Then he stopped.
“Michael, you need to read this.””
Dad took the notebook.
His eyes moved across the page.
I watched his face grow pale.
“What does it say?”” I asked.
He handed it to Daniel.
Daniel read aloud.
October 14.
Vanessa came to the hospital again. She insists the baby should be transferred to a private facility. Claire refused. She believes Vanessa has already spoken to someone about changing the guardianship documents.
He turned the page.
October 16.
Dr. Whitmore confirmed that the transfer request was never authorized by Claire. He advised us to contact hospital administration.
Another page.
October 18.
Michael believes Vanessa is helping with the insurance paperwork. He has no idea what she has been doing behind his back.
Dad lowered his head.
“I trusted her.””
Rebecca touched his shoulder.
“Claire knew.””
Daniel continued reading.
October 19.
If something happens to me, Rebecca must find the children. Both of them. Vanessa cannot be allowed to control their inheritance or their medical records.
The next page had been torn out.
Daniel examined the binding.
“Someone removed this deliberately.””
I looked at Vanessa.
“Was it you?””
She stared at the floor.
Dad's voice was almost unrecognizable.
“Vanessa, I am asking you one last time. What happened to Claire's son?””
Vanessa took a step backward.
“I don't know where he is.””
“That's not an answer.””
“I told you!””
Dad slammed his hand against the table.
“Then why did you keep his hospital bracelet?””
Vanessa began shaking.
Madison whispered, “Because she knew where he went.””
Vanessa turned toward her daughter.
“Enough!””
But Madison was finished protecting her.
“She had a photograph of him. I saw it. It was in the same drawer.””
Daniel immediately checked the envelopes.
He found a small photograph tucked inside one of them.
A newborn baby.
Wrapped in a pale yellow blanket.
A handwritten note appeared on the back.
Daniel. Transfer approved. Do not contact the Carter family.
Below the note was a signature.
Vanessa Carter.
Dad stared at the photograph.
Then he looked at his wife.
“You gave away Claire's baby?””
Vanessa burst into tears.
“I was trying to save this family!””
Rebecca stepped forward.
“By separating two children from their mother?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“You don't understand what Claire was planning.””
“What was she planning?””
“She was going to leave Michael. She wanted to take Emily and the baby away. She was going to give Rebecca control of everything.””
Dad looked stunned.
“Claire was leaving me?””
Rebecca shook her head.
“She wanted to protect her children. She never wanted to destroy your marriage.””
Vanessa's voice rose.
“She told me everything!””
Madison suddenly spoke.
“Mom, you said the baby died.””
Silence.
My father turned slowly.
“What?””
Madison wiped her face.
“You told me Emily's brother died at the hospital. But I found a photograph of him with another family.””
Rebecca gripped the edge of the table.
“Where?””
“In Mom's desk. There was a newspaper clipping about an adoption agency in Savannah.””
Daniel immediately photographed the newspaper clipping.
The name of the agency was printed at the bottom.
And beside it was a handwritten address.
Rebecca stared at it.
Then she looked at me.
“Emily, I think your brother may still be alive.””
I reached for the photograph.
My fingers touched the tiny face.
For the first time in eleven years, I had a brother.
But before I could ask another question, Dad's phone rang.
He answered.
“Hello?””
A man's voice came through the speaker.
“Mr. Carter? This is Detective Harris with the Atlanta Police Department. We need to speak with you about your first wife's medical records.””
Dad straightened.
“Why?””
There was a pause.
Then the detective said:
“Because the hospital has located the original transfer authorization for your son.””
Dad looked at Vanessa.
“And?””
May you like
The detective's next words changed everything.
“Your wife didn't sign it, Mr. Carter. Neither did you.””
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