Chapter 13: ## Chapter 13: The Daughter Who Was Switched
I read: The Daughter Who Was Switched
I read my mother's words again.
"One my mother's words again.
"One of those girls was switched at birth.""
Nobody of those girls was switched at birth.""
Nobody spoke.
Emma was eight years old.
Lily was twenty.
Anna was somewhere in the spoke.
Emma was eight years old.
Lily was twenty.
Anna was somewhere in the world, apparently living as Lily's best friend.
And my world, apparently living as Lily's best friend.
And my mother was telling me that one of the children I believed belonged to me might not be biologically mine.
I mother was telling me that one of the children I believed belonged to me might not be biologically mine.
I looked at Margaret.
"Explain.""
She wiped her cheeks.
"Laura looked at Margaret.
"Explain.""
She wiped her cheeks.
"Laura gave birth to two girls. The first was Anna. The second was Lily.""
I shook gave birth to two girls. The first was Anna. The second was Lily.""
I shook my head.
"Laura told me she had one daughter.""
"Because she was my head.
"Laura told me she had one daughter.""
"Because she was only allowed to take one home.""
I turned toward Robert only allowed to take one home.""
I turned toward Robert.
He stood beside the doorway, his hands clasp.
He stood beside the doorway, his hands clasped behind his back.
"Is this true?""
He didn't answer.
My mother continued.
"Vivian had access to the hospital recordsed behind his back.
"Is this true?""
He didn't answer.
My mother continued.
"Vivian had access to the hospital records. She knew about the twins before Laura did. She arranged for one.
She knew about the twins before Laura did. She arranged for one child to be registered under a different identity.""
Lily stepped forward.
child to be registered under a different identity.""
Lily stepped forward.
"Which one?""
Margaret looked at her.
"Anna.""
Lily's face went pale.
"You're"Which one?""
Margaret looked at her.
"Anna.""
Lily's face went pale.
"You're saying Anna was my sister?""
"Yes.""
"But we grew up together. We saying Anna was my sister?""
"Yes.""
"But we grew up together. We met in college. We've been best friends for three years met in college. We've been best friends for three years.""
Margaret nodded.
"Robert arranged that, too.""
I stared.""
Margaret nodded.
"Robert arranged that, too.""
I stared at my father.
"Why would you put my daughters in each other's at my father.
"Why would you put my daughters in each other's lives without telling them?""
Robert finally spoke.
"Because I lives without telling them?""
Robert finally spoke.
"Because I wanted to know where they were.""
"You used them.""
"I protected them.""
"Stop calling everything you do protection!""
wanted to know where they were.""
"You used them.""
"I protected them.""
"Stop calling everything you do protection!""
My voice echoed through the house.
Emma'sMy voice echoed through the house.
Emma's photograph still stood on the mantel.
I looked at it.
"Does this mean Emma photograph still stood on the mantel.
I looked at it.
"Does this mean Emma isn't my daughter?""
Margaret immediately shook her head.
"No, sweetheart. Emma isn't my daughter?""
Margaret immediately shook her head.
"No, sweetheart. Emma is yours.""
"Then whose child was switched?""
My mother looked at Vivian.
"That's what we is yours.""
"Then whose child was switched?""
My mother looked at Vivian.
"That's what we need to establish.""
Vivian had been silent for several minutes.
Now she need to establish.""
Vivian had been silent for several minutes.
Now she stepped forward.
"Margaret, you're making this sound like I planned everything.""
"You did stepped forward.
"Margaret, you're making this sound like I planned everything.""
"You did.""
"No. Robert did.""
She turned toward me.
.""
"No. Robert did.""
She turned toward me.
"Your father wanted control of the estate. He needed the family records to show a"Your father wanted control of the estate. He needed the family records to show a single surviving male heir.
The hospital's original single surviving male heir. The hospital's original records would have revealed the second boy and the third child.""
Michael records would have revealed the second boy and the third child.""
Michael folded his arms.
"So he had us separated.""
Vivian nodded.
"Yes. folded his arms.
"So he had us separated.""
Vivian nodded.
"Yes. But there was another problem. Laura's twins.""
But there was another problem. Laura's twins.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"What problem?""
"Your father wanted one of the girls to become theI felt my stomach tighten.
"What problem?""
"Your father wanted one of the girls to become the beneficiary of a separate family trust. But the beneficiary of a separate family trust. But the trust required a documented connection to Margaret's bloodline.""
Rachel trust required a documented connection to Margaret's bloodline.""
Rachel frowned.
"Why would Lily and Anna matter?""
"Because Margaret's father had amended frowned.
"Why would Lily and Anna matter?""
"Because Margaret's father had amended the trust before his death. He wanted the youngest female descendant to inherit a the trust before his death. He wanted the youngest female descendant to inherit a property portfolio.""
I looked at my mother.
"You knew about this?""
Margaret nodded.
"Not property portfolio.""
I looked at my mother.
"You knew about this?""
Margaret nodded.
"Not until much later.""
Robert laughed.
"You're all acting as though money explains everything.""
I until much later.""
Robert laughed.
"You're all acting as though money explains everything.""
I turned toward him.
"Then explain why you forged turned toward him.
"Then explain why you forged birth records.""
He looked at me.
For birth records.""
He looked at me.
For the first time, his expression was openly hostile.
"Because someone had to make decisions.""
"About babies?""
"About the future of this family.""
Michael stepped forward the first time, his expression was openly hostile.
"Because someone had to make decisions.""
"About babies?""
"About the future of this family.""
Michael stepped forward.
"You decided who got to be a parent. Who got to be a child. Who got to live and who supposedly died.""
Robert looked at him.
"You have no idea what I sacrificed.
"You decided who got to be a parent. Who got to be a child. Who got to live and who supposedly died.""
Robert looked at him.
"You have no idea what I sacrificed.""
Michael's voice hardened.
"I sacrificed my childhood.""
Robert.""
Michael's voice hardened.
"I sacrificed my childhood.""
Robert said nothing.
Then a car pulled into the driveway.
Lily looked through said nothing.
Then a car pulled into the driveway.
Lily looked through the window.
"That's Anna.""
She ran outside.
I followed.
A young woman stepped the window.
"That's Anna.""
She ran outside.
I followed.
A young woman stepped out of a silver sedan.
She had dark hair, brown eyes, and a cres out of a silver sedan.
She had dark hair, brown eyes, and a crescent-shaped birthmark behind her left ear.
Lily rushed toward her.
"Anna!""
The two women embracedcent-shaped birthmark behind her left ear.
Lily rushed toward her.
"Anna!""
The two women embraced.
Anna laughed.
"What's happening? You.
Anna laughed.
"What's happening? You said this was urgent.""
Then she noticed the people said this was urgent.""
Then she noticed the people standing on the porch.
Her smile faded.
"Who's that?""
Lily took her standing on the porch.
Her smile faded.
"Who's that?""
Lily took her hand.
"There's something I need to tell you.""
Anna looked at hand.
"There's something I need to tell you.""
Anna looked at me.
Then at Margaret.
And finally at Vivian.
Her expression changed.
"Why is she here?""
Viv me.
Then at Margaret.
And finally at Vivian.
Her expression changed.
"Why is she here?""
Vivian looked away.
Anna stepped backward.
"Don't tell me you broughtian looked away.
Anna stepped backward.
"Don't tell me you brought me here to see her.""
Lily shook her head.
"No. Listen. We found some documents me here to see her.""
Lily shook her head.
"No. Listen. We found some documents.""
Anna looked at me.
"What documents?""
I held up the photograph.
"This is.""
Anna looked at me.
"What documents?""
I held up the photograph.
"This is you, isn't it?""
She stared at it.
"Where did you get that you, isn't it?""
She stared at it.
"Where did you get that?""
"My mother.""
Anna looked at Margaret.
"Your mother?""
?""
"My mother.""
Anna looked at Margaret.
"Your mother?""
Margaret nodded.
Anna began trembling.
"Why do I have the same birthmark asMargaret nodded.
Anna began trembling.
"Why do I have the same birthmark as that little girl?""
Nobody answered.
Then she turned toward Lily.
"What's that little girl?""
Nobody answered.
Then she turned toward Lily.
"What's going on?""
Lily took a breath.
"Apparently going on?""
Lily took a breath.
"Apparently, we're sisters.""
Anna stared at her.
Then she laughed nervously.
"That's not funny.""
"I'm not joking.""
Anna, we're sisters.""
Anna stared at her.
Then she laughed nervously.
"That's not funny.""
"I'm not joking.""
Anna's eyes filled.
"How?""
Marg's eyes filled.
"How?""
Margaret stepped closer.
"Because I believe you were born to the same motheraret stepped closer.
"Because I believe you were born to the same mother.""
Anna shook her head.
"My mother is dead.""
"Who.""
Anna shook her head.
"My mother is dead.""
"Who told you that?""
She looked toward Vivian.
Vivian lowered her eyes.
Anna's voice told you that?""
She looked toward Vivian.
Vivian lowered her eyes.
Anna's voice became louder.
"You told me my mother died in childbirth.""
became louder.
"You told me my mother died in childbirth.""
Vivian didn't answer.
"You told me my father never wanted me.""
StillVivian didn't answer.
"You told me my father never wanted me.""
Still nothing.
Anna turned toward me.
"Who are you?""
I swallowed.
"My name is Daniel Bennett.""
Her face changed.
"Daniel nothing.
Anna turned toward me.
"Who are you?""
I swallowed.
"My name is Daniel Bennett.""
Her face changed.
"Daniel?""
I nodded.
She looked at Lily.
Then back at me.
"Wait. You're Lily?""
I nodded.
She looked at Lily.
Then back at me.
"Wait. You're Lily's father?""
"Yes.""
Anna's lips parted.
Then she whispered:
"You're my's father?""
"Yes.""
Anna's lips parted.
Then she whispered:
"You're my father, too?""
I couldn't answer.
Because at father, too?""
I couldn't answer.
Because at that moment, Margaret said something none of us expected.
"Not necessarily that moment, Margaret said something none of us expected.
"Not necessarily.""
I turned toward her.
"What?""
My mother took a.""
I turned toward her.
"What?""
My mother took a breath.
"Anna and Lily were not the only children born that night.""
Robert suddenly moved toward breath.
"Anna and Lily were not the only children born that night.""
Robert suddenly moved toward the door.
Michael blocked his path.
"You're not leaving.""
the door.
Michael blocked his path.
"You're not leaving.""
My father stared at him.
"Move.""
"No.""
Margaret reachedMy father stared at him.
"Move.""
"No.""
Margaret reached into her handbag and removed a folded document.
It was a hospital laboratory report into her handbag and removed a folded document.
It was a hospital laboratory report.
She handed it to me.
"Your father arranged a DNA test twenty.
She handed it to me.
"Your father arranged a DNA test twenty years ago.""
I looked at the result.
The document identified two infants.
One had been years ago.""
I looked at the result.
The document identified two infants.
One had been listed as the biological child of Daniel Bennett.
The other had been listed as the biological child of Robert Bennett listed as the biological child of Daniel Bennett.
The other had been listed as the biological child of Robert Bennett.
I looked up.
"That's impossible.""
Margaret nodded.
"Robert.
I looked up.
"That's impossible.""
Margaret nodded.
"Robert wanted to know which boy would inherit the estate.""
wanted to know which boy would inherit the estate.""
My father said nothing.
Then I noticed the final page.
A handwritten noteMy father said nothing.
Then I noticed the final page.
A handwritten note from the laboratory director.
*The results indicate that neither male infant is biologically from the laboratory director.
The results indicate that neither male infant is biologically related to the registered father.
My mouth went dry.
I looked at Robert.
"Neither related to the registered father.*
My mouth went dry.
I looked at Robert.
"Neither of us is your son?""
He stared at me.
Then he smiled sadly.
"No, Daniel of us is your son?""
He stared at me.
Then he smiled sadly.
"No, Daniel.""
He looked toward Michael.
"Neither of you is mine.""
The.""
He looked toward Michael.
"Neither of you is mine.""
The silence was absolute.
Then Robert pointed at silence was absolute.
Then Robert pointed at Margaret.
"Ask her who your real father was.""
My Margaret.
"Ask her who your real father was.""
My mother began crying.
And for the first time, I understood that the mother began crying.
May you like
And for the first time, I understood that the story of our family had started long before any of story of our family had started long before any of us were born.
us were born.
