Chapter 4: The Brother Who Raised My Son
"Thomas?""
The name escaped my mouth before I could stop it.
Maya stared at me.
"Uncle Thomas?""
I couldn't answer.
My younger brother had been part of our lives for as long as I could remember. He was the person who helped me paint Maya's nursery, who carried Claire's hospital bags, and who stood beside me at her funeral.
He had held my daughter when she was born.
He had attended every birthday.
And for seventeen years, he had been raising a child who might actually be my son.
I picked up my phone.
"Eleanor, tell me exactly what happened.""
My mother-in-law was crying so hard that I could barely understand her.
"Claire was unconscious after the delivery. Both babies were taken to the neonatal unit. Daniel came to the hospital that evening. He was furious when he discovered there were two children.""
"Why?""
"Because he believed one of them was his.""
I pressed my fingers against my forehead.
"Which one?""
"Alexander.""
I looked at Patricia.
She slowly shook her head.
Eleanor continued.
"Daniel threatened to take him. He said Claire had no right to keep his child away from him. I knew what Daniel was capable of. I had seen what he had done to people who crossed him.""
"So you gave the baby to Thomas?""
"I thought your brother would be able to protect him.""
"Without telling me?""
"You were already overwhelmed. Claire was seriously ill. The doctors weren't sure she would recover. I thought I was making the best decision.""
I almost laughed.
It wasn't funny.
It was simply impossible to understand how someone could make such a decision and then sit across from me at family dinners for seventeen years.
"You let me believe my son was dead.""
Eleanor went silent.
I looked at Maya.
Her face had gone pale.
"Does Uncle Thomas know?"" she asked.
I didn't know how to answer.
"There's only one way to find out.""
I called him.
He answered on the second ring.
"Marcus! What's going on? You sound terrible.""
"Where are you?""
"At home. Why?""
"I need you to come over.""
A pause.
"Is Maya okay?""
"Just come, Thomas.""
His voice changed.
"Marcus, what's happened?""
I looked at the photograph of Alexander.
"Apparently, we've got seventeen years of catching up to do.""
He didn't speak for several seconds.
Then he whispered:
"Did Eleanor finally tell you?""
My stomach dropped.
He knew.
"Come here," I said.
"I will.""
He hung up.
Maya sat beside me.
"Does that mean Alexander is my brother?""
I squeezed her hand.
"That's what we're going to find out.""
She looked at the photograph again.
"Why didn't Uncle Thomas ever tell me?""
I had no answer.
Forty minutes later, someone knocked.
Thomas walked into the living room wearing his usual navy jacket. He carried a paper bag from the bakery down the street.
He stopped when he saw Patricia.
Then he noticed the photographs scattered across the table.
His face changed.
"Marcus.""
I stood.
"Sit down.""
He put the bakery bag aside.
"Please don't do this in front of Maya.""
I felt anger rise in my chest.
"You had seventeen years to think about what you were going to say. You don't get to decide where this conversation happens.""
Thomas looked at my daughter.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart.""
Maya crossed her arms.
"Are you my uncle or my brother's father?""
His eyes filled.
He pulled out a chair and sat down.
"Both, apparently.""
The words landed like a hammer.
I gripped the back of my chair.
"Tell me everything.""
Thomas stared at his hands.
"Claire called me from the hospital the night the twins were born. She was terrified. Daniel had shown up, and Eleanor was convinced he would hurt the children.""
"Why didn't Claire call me?""
"She tried. You were in a meeting. Your phone was switched off.""
I remembered that night.
I had been negotiating a major business contract in another city. When I finally checked my phone, there were twelve missed calls.
By the time I reached the hospital, Claire had been moved to intensive care.
Thomas continued.
"Eleanor told me Daniel had threatened to take Alexander. She said if the baby stayed at the hospital, Daniel would find a way to get him.""
"So you took him?""
"Not exactly. Eleanor arranged a private adoption through someone she knew. She asked me to sign the paperwork as the child's guardian.""
I stared at him.
"Who was the mother?""
Thomas looked up.
"My wife.""
I felt the room spin.
His wife, Rebecca, had died when Alexander was six. I remembered visiting them after the funeral. I remembered the little boy standing behind Thomas, holding a stuffed rabbit.
I remembered telling him he was lucky to have such a loving father.
"Rebecca knew?"" I asked.
Thomas nodded.
"She raised him as her own. She loved him. She knew the arrangement was unusual, but Eleanor told her the biological parents had died.""
I stared at my brother.
"And you let her believe that?""
"I told her Claire was alive. I told her there were complicated circumstances. But I never told her you were the father.""
"Did you know?""
He hesitated.
"Not at first.""
"When did you find out?""
"Four years ago.""
My hands curled into fists.
"Four years?""
Thomas lowered his head.
"I found Claire's original hospital records in a box Eleanor had given me. There was a DNA report.""
I could barely speak.
"And you still said nothing?""
"I was afraid.""
"Of what?""
"Of losing him.""
Thomas finally looked at me.
"Marcus, I had already lost Rebecca. Alexander was the only family I had left. I couldn't imagine telling him that the entire story of his life was a lie.""
Maya stood.
"So you let me grow up without my brother?""
Thomas began crying.
"I didn't know about you being threatened until recently.""
"That's not an answer.""
She walked toward the stairs.
I called after her, but she didn't stop.
Thomas covered his face.
"I deserve that.""
I looked at him.
"Where is Alexander now?""
"At university. He's studying engineering.""
"Does he know?""
Thomas nodded.
"He knows he's adopted. He knows Rebecca wasn't his biological mother. But he doesn't know who his birth parents are.""
"Does he know about Maya?""
Thomas shook his head.
"No.""
I picked up my phone.
"Call him.""
Thomas hesitated.
"Marcus, please. Let me tell him properly.""
"You've had seventeen years.""
He slowly took out his phone.
But before he could dial, it rang.
The screen displayed a name.
*Alexander.*
Thomas answered.
"Hello, son.""
A young man's voice came through.
"Where are you, Dad?""
"At your Uncle Marcus's.""
There was a pause.
Then Alexander said something that made Thomas's expression collapse.
"Good. Because I just found something in Mom's old belongings.""
"What?""
"An envelope with my name on it.""
Thomas stood.
"What envelope?""
Alexander's voice trembled.
"It says I wasn't supposed to find out until I turned eighteen.""
Then he added:
"There's a photograph of another baby inside. And the woman holding us looks exactly like the woman in Maya's pictures.""
Thomas closed his eyes.
Alexander continued.
"Who is Claire Bennett?""
Nobody moved.
May you like
My son had just discovered his mother.
And he didn't even know he had one.
