Chapter 8: The Second Boy's Name
Daniel invited us into his apartment.
It was small but tidy, with a narrow kitchen, a worn brown sofa, and several books stacked beside the television.
On the wall hung a framed photograph of Henry.
My husband was standing beside a motorcycle, smiling at the camera.
Daniel noticed me looking at it.
"He visited me sometimes.""
I turned.
"How often?""
"At first, once every few months. Then he started coming more regularly.""
"Did he ever talk about me?""
Daniel nodded.
"Every time.""
My eyes filled.
"What did he say?""
"That you loved me. That you never abandoned me. He said he had made a terrible mistake by allowing Thomas to separate us.""
I sat down slowly.
"Why didn't he bring you to me?""
Daniel looked at the floor.
"He said Thomas had threatened to hurt anyone who helped him.""
Roy leaned against the kitchen counter.
"Did Henry ever mention another child?""
Daniel nodded.
"He mentioned a boy named Michael.""
I froze.
"Michael?""
"Yes. He said Michael was part of our family, but he wasn't ready to explain.""
I looked at Roy.
The little boy in the photograph.
The one whose existence had frightened Thomas.
Could that have been Michael?
I turned back to Daniel.
"Did your father tell you where he lived?""
"No. But he gave me something.""
Daniel walked into his bedroom.
He returned carrying a small metal tin.
Inside were several photographs, a hospital identification bracelet, and a folded document.
He handed me the bracelet.
It had a name printed across it.
MICHAEL DAWSON.
The date was October 14, 1987.
I stared at it.
"That's the date on the photograph.""
Daniel nodded.
"I think so.""
Roy picked up the document.
It was a birth certificate.
The child's name was Michael Henry Dawson.
Mother: Unknown.
Father: Henry Dawson.
My hands went cold.
"Henry had another child?""
Daniel looked at me.
"Apparently.""
I shook my head.
"No. That's impossible.""
Roy studied the certificate.
"Why would Henry keep the mother's name blank?""
Daniel opened the tin again.
"There was a note underneath.""
He handed it to me.
It was written in Henry's handwriting.
Margaret,
Michael was born on the day everything changed. I never intended to keep him from you, but circumstances made that impossible.
Thomas knows about him. He has always known.
If you ever find him, tell him that I never stopped looking.
I lowered the note.
"Thomas knew about Michael?""
Daniel nodded.
"That's why he was so angry when I found the photograph.""
Roy rubbed his beard.
"Maybe Thomas thought Michael would have a claim to the estate.""
Daniel looked at him.
"There's something strange about the date.""
"What?""
"October 14, 1987. That's the day Thomas said you abandoned us.""
I stared at the birth certificate.
My mind began racing.
Twenty years earlier, Henry had told me he needed to travel for work. He had said he would be gone for three days.
When he returned, he had been unusually quiet.
I had asked him what happened.
He told me there had been an accident involving a young woman he knew.
I had never learned more.
Then, several weeks later, Thomas began acting differently toward me.
He stopped calling me Mom.
He began saying I wasn't his real mother.
And one night, everything fell apart.
I looked at the date again.
"Michael was born on the day I disappeared.""
Roy nodded.
"That can't be a coincidence.""
Daniel opened a drawer and removed another envelope.
"I found this with Dad's papers.""
Inside was a photograph of a young woman holding a newborn baby.
Henry stood beside her.
On the back was written:
October 14, 1987. Michael comes home.
I stared at the woman's face.
I recognized her.
Not from the photograph.
From the past.
Her name was Patricia.
She had worked at Henry's motorcycle repair shop. She was young, barely twenty, and had occasionally helped us with errands.
But I remembered something else.
Patricia had once come to our house crying.
She had told me she was pregnant.
Henry had promised to help her.
I had believed he was simply helping a young woman in trouble.
Now I was staring at a photograph suggesting he had fathered her child.
My throat tightened.
"Was Henry unfaithful?""
Daniel shook his head.
"I don't know.""
Roy studied the photograph.
"There's another possibility.""
I looked at him.
"What?""
"Maybe Michael wasn't Henry's biological son. Maybe he was a child Henry took responsibility for.""
Daniel pointed at the birth certificate.
"It says Henry was his father.""
"That doesn't necessarily mean the whole story is there.""
A knock interrupted us.
Three sharp knocks.
Everyone froze.
Daniel looked toward the door.
"Who is it?""
A man's voice answered.
"Open up. It's Thomas.""
Daniel went pale.
Roy moved toward the door.
"Stay behind me.""
Thomas knocked again.
"Daniel! I know you're in there!""
Daniel whispered, "He knows I spoke to you.""
Roy glanced at the lock.
"Don't open it.""
Thomas's voice changed.
"Daniel, I just want to talk.""
Daniel stepped closer to me.
"I don't want him here.""
Then something scraped against the door.
A key entered the lock.
Roy immediately moved Daniel behind him.
The door opened.
Thomas stood in the hallway.
His eyes went straight to the metal tin on the table.
Then he looked at the birth certificate in my hand.
For the first time, he didn't look angry.
He looked defeated.
"Where did you get that?""
I stood.
"Your father left it for us.""
Thomas swallowed.
"You shouldn't have opened it.""
Daniel stepped forward.
"Who is Michael?""
Thomas looked at his younger brother.
May you like
Then he whispered:
"He's the reason Dad never wanted you to come home.""
