Chapter 4: The Brother I Never Knew Existed
For several seconds, I thought I'd misunderstood Madison.
A brother?
I looked at Dad.
He was standing beside the kitchen counter, one hand gripping the medical paperwork so tightly that the edges had begun to wrinkle.
"Madison," he said slowly.
"What did you just say?""
Madison wiped her nose.
"Mom said Hannah had a brother.""
Dad turned toward Karen.
"Is that true?""
Karen shook her head.
"She's confused.""
"Then explain what she means.""
"Daniel, please. Not in front of the girls.""
I laughed bitterly.
"You were perfectly comfortable stealing my identity in front of us. Why are you suddenly concerned about privacy?""
Karen shot me a furious look.
"Hannah, this doesn't concern you.""
I stepped closer.
"My name is on the medical request. My signature is on a form I never signed. My identity was used to access a patient file. How exactly does this not concern me?""
Dad raised his hand.
"Nobody is leaving this kitchen until we understand what's happening.""
Karen grabbed her purse.
"You're making a terrible mistake.""
"Then help me understand it.""
She looked at him, and for the first time, I saw something other than anger in her eyes.
Fear.
Real fear.
Madison sat down.
"Mom, just tell them.""
Karen shook her head.
"You don't know what you're asking.""
"Yes, I do!""
Madison pulled a crumpled tissue from her pocket.
"You told me Hannah's brother was the reason we moved to Atlanta when I was little.""
Dad went completely still.
"Moved to Atlanta?""
Karen closed her eyes.
Madison continued.
"You said he was sick. You said his father abandoned him. You said you had to do everything yourself.""
I stared at Karen.
"Who is he?""
She didn't answer.
Dad placed the paperwork on the counter.
"Karen, I married you six years ago. You told me Madison's biological father had died before she was born. You told me you had no other children.""
Karen's eyes filled.
"I was trying to protect my family.""
"From what?""
She looked at me.
"From the past.""
I couldn't take it anymore.
"Stop speaking in riddles!""
Dad picked up his phone.
"I'm calling an attorney.""
Karen immediately stepped forward.
"No!""
He looked at her.
"Why not?""
"Because you don't understand what this could do to us.""
"Then tell me.""
Karen's voice cracked.
"The boy was born before I met you. His name is Ethan.""
I felt my heart beating in my throat.
"How old is he?""
"Twenty-four.""
Twenty-four.
I was seventeen.
That meant he had been alive seven years before I was born.
Dad slowly sat down.
"Where is he?""
Karen stared at the floor.
"I don't know.""
"Don't lie to me.""
"I'm not!""
Madison suddenly spoke.
"He's in Atlanta.""
Karen spun around.
"How do you know that?""
Madison looked terrified.
"Because I talked to him.""
The room went silent.
I stared at her.
"You know him?""
She nodded.
"He's been messaging me.""
"Since when?""
"About two months.""
Dad rubbed his forehead.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
Madison looked at Karen.
"Mom said I couldn't.""
I felt a strange mixture of anger and confusion.
Everyone seemed to know something about my family except me.
"Why would Ethan contact Madison?""
Madison hesitated.
"Because he wanted to talk to Hannah.""
My breath caught.
"Me?""
"He said he was your brother.""
I sat down.
Madison reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone.
"I still have the messages.""
Karen immediately moved toward her.
"Give me that.""
Madison pulled away.
"No!""
Dad stepped between them.
"Nobody touches her phone.""
Madison unlocked it and opened a conversation with an unsaved contact.
The first message was dated eight weeks earlier.
*Ethan:* Is this Madison? Karen's daughter?
*Madison:* Who is this?
*Ethan:* My name is Ethan. I think we have the same mother.
I kept reading.
*Madison:* That's impossible. My mom only has me.
*Ethan:* That's what she wants you to believe.
Then came another message.
*Ethan:* I don't want money. I just want to meet my sister.
Madison had replied two days later.
*Madison:* I have a stepsister named Hannah. Are you talking about her?
His answer made my stomach drop.
*Ethan:* Hannah is my sister too. Please tell her I need to speak with her before Mom makes another mistake.
Dad took the phone.
"Did you respond?""
Madison nodded.
"He told me not to tell Mom he contacted me. But she found out.""
Karen covered her face.
Dad looked up.
"What mistake?""
Karen didn't answer.
I scrolled further.
The last message was from the previous night.
*Ethan:* If your mother uses Hannah's information again, tell her to check the old hospital records. She'll understand why.
I looked at Madison.
"What does that mean?""
She shook her head.
"I don't know.""
Dad grabbed his keys.
"I'm going to find out.""
Karen moved toward the door.
"Daniel, don't go looking for him.""
Dad stopped.
"Why?""
"Because he's dangerous.""
"Is he?""
Karen's silence was answer enough.
Dad turned back.
"Or is he simply someone you've spent twenty-four years trying to keep hidden?""
Karen began crying.
"I didn't have a choice.""
Dad stared at her.
"Everybody has a choice when they decide to steal a child's identity.""
He left.
I stood by the window and watched his truck disappear down the street.
For the first time, I wondered whether my father had ever known the woman he married.
An hour later, my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered cautiously.
"Hello?""
A young man's voice came through.
"Is this Hannah?""
"Who is this?""
"My name is Ethan Brooks.""
I gripped the phone.
"How did you get my number?""
"Madison gave it to me.""
I looked toward the staircase.
"What do you want?""
He was quiet for a moment.
Then he said, "I need you to listen carefully. Your mother has been lying about something much bigger than the surgery request.""
I froze.
"My mother?""
"Karen.""
"She's my stepmother.""
Another silence.
May you like
Then Ethan said something that made my knees weaken.
"Hannah, Karen isn't your stepmother. She's your biological mother.""
