Chapter 17: The Woman With Two Birthdays
The following morning, Peter received permission to examine the sealed adoption file.
He spread the documents across a conference table at Willow Creek Residence.
Margaret sat opposite him, with Daniel beside her.
Marcus, Cole, and Ethan stood nearby.
Vanessa had called from home twice to check on Lily, who was staying with a trusted neighbor while the adults dealt with Thomas.
Peter pointed to a birth record.
“Catherine was born June 18, 1980. The original certificate lists Helen Whitmore as her mother. The father's name is blank.””
Margaret stared at it.
“Then Thomas changed everything?””
“He petitioned for a private adoption using documents that appear to have been signed by Helen while she was hospitalized.””
Helen, sitting beside Margaret, looked at the papers.
“I never signed those.””
Peter nodded.
“That is exactly what we need to establish.””
Ethan examined the file.
“There's a second birth certificate.””
He slid it forward.
The new certificate listed Catherine Bell's parents as Thomas Bell and his wife, Lorraine.
Daniel frowned.
“Who was Lorraine?””
Peter checked the notes.
“Thomas's first wife. She died in 1994.””
Margaret remembered the photograph of Thomas standing beside a hospital bed.
“Did Lorraine know?””
Helen looked away.
“She knew I was pregnant. She came to see me once.””
Margaret turned.
“Why?””
Helen swallowed.
“She said she couldn't have children. She said she wanted to give Catherine a good home.””
Daniel looked confused.
“Was she involved in the adoption?””
“I don't know,” Helen whispered.
“Thomas told me Lorraine had agreed to take the baby.””
Peter found another document.
“There's a letter from Lorraine.””
He read it aloud.
I agreed to help raise Catherine because I believed Helen had willingly given her up. Thomas told me the child would be safer with us. I did not know the original papers were false.
Margaret leaned back.
“Even his wife was deceived.””
“Possibly,” Peter said.
“But we shouldn't assume she was entirely unaware. We need more records.””
The file contained an address for the Bell residence.
It was in a small town outside Columbus.
The house had since been sold.
But another document listed Catherine's school enrollment.
A later record showed she had attended college under the name Catherine Bell.
Then, in 2001, the records stopped.
Ethan tapped the page.
“There's a forwarding address.””
Peter read it.
“A medical billing office in Pittsburgh.””
Daniel looked at Margaret.
“She's alive somewhere.””
Margaret nodded.
“Then we find her.””
Helen suddenly spoke.
“She had a little blue blanket.””
Everyone turned.
“What?”” Margaret asked.
“Catherine. When she was born, I knitted a blue blanket. I put her initials in one corner.””
Helen closed her eyes.
“I remember Thomas taking it away. He said she didn't need it.””
Margaret squeezed her hand.
“Maybe she still has it.””
Helen shook her head.
“Maybe.””
Daniel looked at her.
“Mom, did you ever see her again?””
Helen was quiet for a long time.
Then she nodded.
“Once.””
Margaret stared.
“When?””
“After I left the hospital. Thomas brought her to me when she was about two years old.””
Helen began to cry.
“He told me I could hold her for five minutes if I promised not to tell anyone.””
Daniel's eyes filled.
“What did she look like?””
Helen smiled faintly.
“She had dark hair. Big eyes. She kept reaching for my necklace.””
Margaret leaned forward.
“Did you tell her who you were?””
“No. Thomas said I was a family friend.””
Helen covered her face.
“She called me Aunt Helen.””
Nobody spoke.
A knock sounded at the door.
Dr. Miller entered carrying an envelope.
“This arrived for Helen.””
Peter examined it.
“Who delivered it?””
“A courier. It was addressed to the facility.””
The envelope had no return address.
Helen recognized the handwriting.
“Lorraine.””
Margaret opened it carefully.
Inside was a short letter.
Helen,
If this reaches you, Thomas has finally lost control of the story. I am sorry I stayed silent for so long.
Catherine is alive. She knows she was adopted, but she does not know you are her mother.
She has been looking for her birth family for years.
There is something you must understand. Thomas did not choose Catherine because he loved her. He chose her because he wanted a child he could control.
She left his home when she was nineteen. He has spent years telling people she is dead.
She isn't.
The letter ended with a telephone number.
Margaret looked at Peter.
“Can we call it?””
Peter nodded.
Ethan dialed.
The phone rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
A woman answered.
“Hello?””
Margaret struggled to speak.
“I'm looking for Catherine Bell.””
“Who is this?””
“My name is Margaret Whitmore.””
There was silence.
Then the woman spoke carefully.
“Why are you calling me?””
Margaret looked at Helen.
“Because I think we may be family.””
The woman's breathing changed.
“What did you say your name was?””
“Margaret Whitmore.””
Another long silence.
Then the woman whispered:
“I've been looking for you.””
Margaret began crying.
“Are you Catherine?””
“Yes.””
Helen reached for the phone.
Margaret placed it gently in her hand.
Helen's voice trembled.
“Catherine?””
The woman gasped.
“Who is this?””
“It's your mother.””
There was a sound like someone dropping something.
Then Catherine began sobbing.
“Mom?””
Helen closed her eyes.
“My baby.””
“I thought you were dead.””
Helen shook her head.
“No, sweetheart. I'm here.””
Catherine cried for several moments before speaking again.
“I've spent twenty years trying to find you.””
Margaret looked at Daniel.
He was crying silently.
Then Catherine said something that changed the mood in the room.
“Mom, there's something you need to know.””
Helen held the phone closer.
“What is it?””
“Thomas contacted me yesterday.””
Peter straightened.
“What did he tell you?””
Catherine's voice became frightened.
“He said if I spoke to you, he'd release something about Frank.””
Margaret froze.
“What about Frank?””
Catherine hesitated.
“He said Frank wasn't the man who adopted me.””
Peter looked sharply at the documents.
“That is impossible. We have the adoption record.””
Catherine continued.
“He said Frank only signed the papers to cover up what really happened.””
Margaret felt cold.
“Catherine, where are you?””
“Pittsburgh.””
“Can we come see you?””
A pause.
“Yes.””
Then Catherine whispered:
“But please don't tell Thomas.””
Daniel looked toward the window.
“It's too late for that.””
May you like
Because outside, a black sedan had just pulled into the parking lot.
And the driver was watching their room.
