Chapter 10: The Woman Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
Christopher stood frozen in the middle of our living room.
The phone was pressed against his ear.
His face had lost all color.
I had seen my husband scared before.
I had seen him nervous before important meetings.
I had seen him worried when our sons were sick.
But this was different.
This was the face of a man hearing a ghost speak.
“Lauren,” he whispered.
The woman on the other end said nothing.
For several seconds, there was only breathing.
Then Christopher’s voice cracked.
“Where are you?””
I moved closer.
I needed to hear.
I needed to understand.
“You can’t know that,” Lauren said.
The sound of her voice made my skin crawl.
Not because she sounded dangerous.
Because she sounded broken.
Like someone who had spent years carrying pain alone.
“Lauren, I thought you were dead.””
“I know.””
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
Another silence.
Then:
“Because if I came back, Daisy wouldn’t have survived.””
My eyes moved toward the nursery.
Daisy.
The baby who had appeared in our lives overnight.
The baby who had somehow connected all these impossible pieces.
Christopher gripped the phone tighter.
“What are you talking about?””
“I’m talking about the people who took her from me.””
My breath caught.
“They took her?””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
Lauren didn’t answer.
“Lauren.””
“I don’t have much time.””
The words terrified me.
“What does that mean?””
“It means they know I contacted you.””
Christopher looked toward the front window.
Like he expected someone to be watching.
“Where are you?””
“I can’t tell you.””
“You called me.””
“Because Rebecca needs to know the truth.””
My heart stopped.
Me.
Not Christopher.
Me.
“Why me?”” I asked.
Christopher looked at me.
I didn’t realize I had spoken aloud.
The phone went quiet.
Then Lauren said:
“Because you were always the person who could protect her.””
I felt confused.
“What?””
“Rebecca, you don’t know me. But I know about you.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“How?””
“Because I watched your life from a distance.””
I stepped back.
“That’s not normal.””
“No.””
Her voice trembled.
“But neither is losing your child.””
The room became silent.
I looked at Christopher.
He looked destroyed.
“Lauren,” he said quietly, “tell me where Daisy has been.””
“I can’t.””
“Why?””
“Because knowing puts you in danger.””
“We’re already in danger.””
“Yes.””
The word was immediate.
Certain.
That scared me.
“How bad is it?”” Christopher asked.
Lauren took a breath.
“Your father wasn’t the only person involved.””
Christopher went still.
“What?””
“He worked for people.””
“Who?””
“I don’t know their names.””
“You expect me to believe that?””
“I spent twenty-two years trying to find out.””
Her voice broke.
“Do you think I wanted to disappear?””
No one answered.
Because the truth was obvious.
Nobody chose that kind of life.
Nobody chose to abandon their own child.
“I loved Daisy,” Lauren whispered.
The pain in her voice filled the room.
“I loved her more than anything.””
I felt tears forming.
Because no matter what happened, she was still Daisy’s mother.
“And then one night,” Lauren continued, “someone came to my apartment.””
Christopher closed his eyes.
“What happened?””
“They gave me a choice.””
“What choice?””
“Leave forever.””
The words were barely audible.
“Or watch Daisy disappear.””
My hand covered my mouth.
I couldn’t imagine.
A mother being forced to choose between losing her child and risking her child’s life.
“What did you do?”” I whispered.
Lauren heard me.
“I left.””
The pain in her voice was unbearable.
“I let everyone think I abandoned her.””
A tear fell down my cheek.
“Where was Daisy?””
“With people I trusted.””
“Who?””
“I can’t say.””
“Lauren,” Christopher said, “we need to know.””
“I know.””
A pause.
Then she whispered:
“Because they’re coming for her again.””
The call ended.
Just like that.
Christopher stared at the phone.
I stared at him.
Neither of us moved.
Then Matthew spoke.
“Dad.””
Christopher looked up.
“You knew she was alive?””
“No.””
“Are you sure?””
The question hurt him.
But I understood why Matthew asked.
Everyone was questioning everything now.
Christopher looked at our son.
“I swear.””
Matthew nodded slowly.
But he didn’t look convinced.
And I couldn’t blame him.
A few minutes later, the doorbell rang again.
This time, nobody moved.
The three of us looked at each other.
Christopher quietly walked toward the door.
He looked through the window.
Then stopped.
“What?””
I stood.
“What is it?””
He didn’t answer.
He opened the door.
No one was there.
Only an envelope sitting on the porch.
Christopher picked it up carefully.
There was no name.
No address.
Just one sentence written on the front.
FOR REBECCA.
My heart dropped.
He handed it to me.
I opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
A photograph of Christopher.
Twenty-two years ago.
Standing outside the hospital with Lauren.
And behind them, barely visible in the background…
was another person.
A person Christopher immediately recognized.
His face changed.
“Who is that?””
I looked at him.
“Christopher?””
May you like
He whispered:
“My father’s lawyer.””
