Chapter 4: The Truth About the Night Calvin Was Born
"Don't open that door," Leon whispered.
I stood frozen beside the window, my phone pressed against my ear.
Daphne was still speaking.
"Gloria? Are you listening?""
I swallowed.
"What do you want?""
"To help you understand something. You've spent your entire life believing Arthur was an honest man who loved you. But there were things he kept from you.""
I looked toward Leon.
He shook his head firmly.
"Tell her to leave," I said.
Daphne laughed.
"That's not going to happen. Calvin and I have a right to discuss his father's estate.""
"Calvin has no right to my house.""
A brief silence followed.
Then Calvin's voice came through the phone.
"Mother, please. Just open the door. We need to talk.""
I almost gave in.
That voice had once been enough to make me forget every argument we had ever had.
But then I remembered his finger pointing toward Daphne's shoes.
I remembered the transfer papers.
And I remembered the signature on Arthur's final page.
"No, Calvin. You can talk from where you're standing.""
His voice hardened.
"You're making a mistake.""
Leon approached me and quietly took the phone.
"Calvin, this is Leon.""
There was silence.
Then Calvin shouted, "You should have stayed dead!""
Leon didn't flinch.
"Your father trusted you.""
"Don't talk about my father!""
"Then explain your signature.""
I heard Daphne whisper something.
Calvin's breathing became louder.
"Give Mother the envelope.""
"No," Leon replied.
"That envelope belongs to my family.""
"It belongs to the truth.""
Daphne suddenly took the phone.
"Enough. Gloria, you have five minutes. Either you open the door, or our attorney will begin proceedings to have you declared incapable of managing your own affairs.""
The call ended.
I stared at the phone.
"They can do that?""
Leon shook his head.
"Not simply because you refuse to sign a document. But they can make your life difficult if they have enough money and influence.""
Eleanor gathered the papers.
"We should contact an independent attorney immediately. And we should make copies of everything.""
Leon nodded.
Then he looked at me.
"There's something else we need to discuss.""
I already knew what he meant.
The final page.
The statement about Calvin's birth.
I sat down slowly.
"Tell me.""
Leon remained standing.
"Before Arthur married you, he worked with a woman named Margaret.""
"My sister?""
"Yes.""
I frowned.
"Margaret worked at the same company as Arthur for a few months. She helped with bookkeeping.""
"I know that. But she left before Arthur and I got married.""
Leon nodded.
"That's what everyone believed.""
My hands tightened around the armrests.
"Leon, stop speaking in riddles.""
He took a deep breath.
"Shortly before Calvin was born, Arthur received a letter from Margaret. She told him she had information about a child whose birth records had been changed.""
I stared at him.
"Whose child?""
"Calvin's.""
The room became unbearably quiet.
I felt my heartbeat in my throat.
"Are you telling me my sister had something to do with my son's birth?""
Leon shook his head.
"Not exactly. Margaret worked at the hospital where you delivered Calvin. She was helping a physician with patient records.""
I remembered that hospital.
St. Mary's.
The delivery had been difficult. I had lost a frightening amount of blood, and the doctor had told Arthur that I needed several days of recovery.
I remembered waking up and seeing my husband holding our newborn son.
I remembered Arthur crying.
He had told me that Calvin was perfect.
That was all I needed to know.
"What records were changed?"" I asked.
Leon opened another folder.
"Your original delivery records were altered.""
I shook my head.
"Why?""
"Because another baby was involved.""
My mouth went dry.
Leon continued.
"That night, two boys were born within minutes of each other. One was yours. The other belonged to a woman who had died during childbirth.""
I looked at him.
"Where is the other baby?""
Leon lowered his eyes.
"That's what Arthur spent years trying to establish.""
A knock sounded at the front door.
Three sharp blows.
Then Calvin shouted.
"Mother! We know you're in there!""
Eleanor moved toward the hallway.
Leon stopped her.
"Don't answer.""
I looked at him.
"What does another baby have to do with Calvin?""
Leon returned to the table and showed me a hospital document.
There were two newborn identification numbers.
One had been crossed out.
Beside it was a handwritten note.
Transfer authorized by attending physician.
I recognized the physician's name.
Dr. Samuel Whitmore.
He had delivered Calvin.
"He was our family doctor for years," I whispered.
Leon nodded.
"Arthur discovered that Dr. Whitmore had been involved in illegal adoption arrangements. He believed one of the babies had been exchanged deliberately.""
I felt faint.
"Then Calvin might not be...""
"Gloria, I don't know yet.""
"But Arthur suspected?""
"Yes.""
I stood and walked toward the photograph of Calvin as a newborn.
He was wrapped in a blue blanket, his tiny fingers curled around Arthur's thumb.
I had loved that baby before I had even seen his face.
Nothing could change that.
But the thought that someone might have switched him made me feel as though the floor had disappeared.
"Why didn't Arthur tell me?""
"Because he didn't have proof. He wanted to protect Calvin until he could find the truth.""
A sudden crash came from outside.
I rushed toward the window.
Calvin had kicked the decorative planter beside the porch.
Daphne was arguing with him.
Then Victor stepped forward and raised one hand.
The two of them immediately fell silent.
I had never seen anything quite like it.
Daphne, who usually controlled every room she entered, was listening to him like an employee waiting for instructions.
Victor looked directly at my window.
Then he smiled.
My phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
*Ask Leon what happened to the other baby. He knows more than he's admitting.*
I turned slowly.
Leon was watching me.
"Did you know where the other baby went?""
He didn't answer.
"Leon!""
His expression changed.
"Arthur found the mother.""
"Who was she?""
Leon looked toward Eleanor.
She seemed equally uncomfortable.
"Her name was Evelyn Carter," he finally said.
I stared.
"Your wife?""
He nodded.
"Evelyn died that night. But before she passed away, she gave birth to a boy.""
I couldn't move.
"Are you saying...""
"Yes. The other baby was my son.""
The room went silent.
Leon looked down at the old hospital document.
"Arthur believed that Calvin and my son were connected to a deliberate exchange. He spent years searching for the original birth records.""
I gripped the edge of the table.
"Where is your son now?""
Leon looked toward the front door.
May you like
Then he said something I would remember for the rest of my life.
"Gloria, I believe your son has been living under another name.""
