Chapter 5: The Letter
Nobody moved.
Three knocks.
Slow.
Deliberate.
Then silence.
Dad looked at the front door.
Isaiah whispered, “Is that him?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“I don't know.””
Dad walked toward the entryway.
I held the envelope against my chest.
“Dad.””
He stopped.
“What?””
“Don't open it.””
He looked at me.
“Why?””
“I don't know.””
The truth was, I suddenly felt terrified of whatever waited outside.
For twenty years, my mother's handwriting had been locked inside a secret.
Now someone was standing on the other side of our door.
Dad approached cautiously.
He looked through the window.
His expression changed.
“It's a woman.””
Vanessa stood.
“Who?””
“I don't know.””
Dad opened the door halfway.
A woman stood on the porch holding a small brown package.
She looked to be in her sixties.
Her gray hair was pulled into a bun.
She stared at Dad.
“Marcus Reed?””
“Yes.””
“My name is Evelyn Carter.””
Dad frowned.
“Do I know you?””
“No.””
She looked past him.
Her eyes landed on me.
“Nia?””
I nodded.
She exhaled.
“Then I came to the right house.””
Vanessa moved toward the door.
“You can't be here.””
Evelyn looked at her.
“I've been waiting twenty years to say that.””
Vanessa froze.
Dad looked between them.
“You know each other?””
Evelyn nodded.
“I know exactly who she is.””
Vanessa whispered, “Evelyn…”
“You promised me.””
“What?””
“You promised me you would give Nia the letter when she turned eighteen.””
My heart raced.
I looked at Vanessa.
“You knew her?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
Evelyn stepped onto the porch.
“Your mother was my best friend.””
I couldn't breathe.
Dad opened the door wider.
“Come inside.””
Vanessa immediately objected.
“No.””
Dad turned.
“That wasn't a request.””
Evelyn entered.
She looked around the kitchen.
Her gaze landed on the pregnancy test.
Then the pharmacy bag.
Then the laboratory report.
Her expression hardened.
“So it finally happened.””
Dad frowned.
“What happened?””
“The truth.””
Vanessa sat down.
“Evelyn, please.””
“No.””
Evelyn placed the brown package on the island.
“You've had twenty years.””
“I was protecting her.””
“You were protecting yourself.””
I looked at Evelyn.
“What did my mother know?””
Evelyn looked at the envelope in my hands.
“She knew Derek was your biological father.””
Dad closed his eyes.
“No.””
Evelyn looked at him.
“I am sorry.””
“You're saying my daughter isn't mine?””
“I am saying biology and fatherhood are not the same thing.””
Dad's eyes opened.
“She is my daughter.””
Evelyn nodded.
“I know.””
“Then why are we talking about this?””
“Because Derek wants the truth.””
I stared at her.
“Why now?””
“Because he has been sick.””
Vanessa looked up sharply.
“What?””
Evelyn's face softened.
“Derek has a serious heart condition.””
The room fell silent.
“He may not have much time.””
I looked at the photograph again.
The young man beside my mother.
The smile.
The hidden history.
“That's why he came back?””
“Yes.””
“Because he's dying?””
Evelyn nodded.
“He wants to meet you.””
Dad's expression hardened.
“He doesn't get to walk into her life after twenty years.””
“He knows.””
“Then why is he calling Vanessa?””
“Because Vanessa is the only person who knew the entire story.””
I looked at Vanessa.
She wouldn't meet my eyes.
Evelyn continued.
“She also has something Derek needs.””
Dad looked at her.
“What?””
“Proof.””
“Of what?””
“That Nia is his daughter.””
My fingers tightened around the envelope.
“What's in the letter?””
Evelyn looked at me.
“Your mother wrote it after she found out.””
I stared down at the handwriting.
“Why didn't anyone give it to me?””
“Because Vanessa took it.””
Vanessa's head snapped up.
“I didn't steal it.””
“You hid it.””
“I was afraid.””
“You always say that.””
Vanessa looked at me.
“I was afraid you'd hate your father.””
I swallowed.
“You were afraid I'd hate Dad?””
“Yes.””
“Or you were afraid I'd find out you knew Derek?””
Her eyes filled.
“Both.””
Dad walked away from the counter.
He stared through the kitchen window.
For a long moment, the only sound was the refrigerator humming.
Then he said quietly, “Open it.””
I looked at him.
“Dad?””
“If your mother wrote it for you, you deserve to read it.””
I slid my finger beneath the seal.
The envelope opened with a soft tear.
Inside was a folded sheet of paper.
My mother's handwriting covered both sides.
I read the first line.
*My sweet Nia,*
My eyes filled instantly.
I kept reading.
*If you're reading this, then you're finally old enough for me to tell you something I was too afraid to say while you were young.*
My breathing became shallow.
Dad stood several feet away.
Isaiah was beside me.
Vanessa looked like she wanted to disappear.
I continued.
*Your father is the man who raised you. He loved you before he knew you were mine. But there is another truth about the night you were conceived.*
I stopped.
“What's it say?”” Isaiah whispered.
I couldn't speak.
Evelyn gently said, “Keep reading.””
I did.
*I loved Marcus. I still loved him when I made the worst mistake of my life. Derek and I had a relationship before I married Marcus. When I discovered I was pregnant, I didn't know which man was your father.*
Dad lowered his head.
I continued.
*I chose not to test you because I was afraid the result would destroy our family. Marcus raised you. He became your father in every way that mattered.*
A tear landed on the page.
Then I reached the final paragraph.
*But if Derek ever returns, please understand this: he is not coming because he wants money, revenge, or a place in Marcus's life. He is coming because I made him promise something.*
I looked at Evelyn.
“What promise?””
She didn't answer.
I read the last sentence.
*He promised me that if he ever learned the truth about your father, he would protect you from the person who helped me hide it.*
My blood went cold.
I looked at Vanessa.
“Who?””
Vanessa's face went white.
Evelyn answered.
“Your mother never wrote his name.””
“Why?””
“Because she didn't trust the letter to stay private.””
Dad stepped forward.
“What person was she talking about?””
Evelyn looked at Vanessa.
Vanessa whispered, “Stop.””
Evelyn didn't.
“She was talking about someone who had access to the hospital records.””
Dad's eyes narrowed.
“Who?””
Evelyn pointed toward Vanessa.
“Her sister.””
Vanessa stood abruptly.
“That's enough!””
Isaiah jumped.
Vanessa's voice shook.
“She had nothing to do with this.””
Evelyn looked at her.
“Then why did she access Nia's birth records two days after the baby was born?””
Vanessa went silent.
Dad stared.
“You accessed my daughter's records?””
“I was helping my sister.””
“With what?””
“I can't explain.””
“Try.””
“I was twenty-three.””
“That doesn't answer the question.””
Vanessa backed away.
“I made mistakes.””
Dad shook his head.
“No. You made choices.””
His phone vibrated.
Everyone looked at it.
A text message.
From an unknown number.
Dad opened it.
There was one sentence.
*Ask Vanessa where the original DNA report is.*
Dad slowly lifted his eyes.
“Vanessa.””
She didn't answer.
“Where is the original DNA report?””
Her face crumpled.
“I don't have it.””
Evelyn stepped forward.
“Yes, you do.””
Vanessa looked at her.
May you like
Evelyn's voice was cold.
“You've had it since the night Nia was born.””