Chapter 6: The Man Who Never Let Go
Nobody moved.
The words hung in the room.
Your birth father.
I stared at Lauren.
“I have a birth father?””
She looked down.
“Yes.””
The anger I felt was almost overwhelming.
“How many people are there?””
Nobody answered.
“How many people know things about my life except me?””
My voice cracked.
James took my hand.
This time, I didn’t pull away.
I needed something real.
Something honest.
“Tell me everything,” I said.
Lauren sat down slowly.
“His name is Daniel.””
My father’s face changed.
Like hearing the name brought back something painful.
“You knew him?”” I asked.
Dad nodded.
“He was Lauren’s boyfriend.””
“Boyfriend?””
Lauren nodded.
“He was eighteen. I was seventeen.””
“What happened?””
She looked at the floor.
“Daniel wanted to keep you.””
I swallowed.
“And you didn’t?””
“I did.””
Her eyes filled.
“I wanted you more than anything.””
“Then why did you give me away?””
“Because Daniel wasn’t safe.””
The room went quiet.
James frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Lauren looked at him.
“He wasn’t violent when I met him.””
That sentence was enough to make my stomach drop.
“When did that change?””
“After we found out I was pregnant.””
She took a shaky breath.
“He became obsessed.””
“With you?””
“With the baby.””
She looked at me.
“With you.””
I felt a strange sadness.
Not love.
Not yet.
Just sadness for the baby I once was.
“He said you were his,” Lauren continued.
“He said nobody could take you away.””
My father spoke quietly.
“He threatened us.””
I looked at him.
“Threatened you?””
“Yes.””
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
Dad looked ashamed.
“Because we wanted you to have a normal childhood.””
I almost laughed.
“A normal childhood built on a lie?””
Nobody responded.
My phone buzzed.
Everyone froze.
Another message.
The same unknown number.
James immediately reached for it.
But I opened it first.
There was no picture this time.
Only text.
*You finally know about Daniel. Good.*
My fingers went numb.
Another message appeared.
*Ask Lauren why she lied about what happened the night you were born.*
I looked up.
Everyone was watching me.
Especially Lauren.
“Is there something else?””
She didn’t answer.
“Lauren.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I didn’t lie.””
I turned the phone toward her.
“Someone thinks you did.””
She read the message.
And the color drained from her face.
“Claire…”
“What?””
She looked terrified.
Not guilty.
Terrified.
“There’s something I never told anyone.””
James stepped forward.
“What?””
Lauren looked at me.
“When you were born…”
She stopped.
The silence stretched.
“When you were born, Daniel was at the hospital.””
My heart pounded.
“What did he do?””
Lauren’s lips trembled.
“He tried to leave with you.””
The room went completely still.
My father stood.
“Lauren.””
“No, Dad.””
She looked at me.
“She deserves to know.””
I could barely speak.
“What happened?””
Lauren closed her eyes.
“He took you.””
A cold wave moved through me.
“For how long?””
“Seven minutes.””
“Seven minutes?””
She nodded.
“The nurses found him near the exit.””
My hands started shaking.
“Why didn’t anyone tell me?””
Lauren looked at the phone in my hand.
Then at Emma’s photo.
“Because Daniel disappeared that night.””
A pause.
“And we thought he was gone forever.””
The front door suddenly slammed open.
Everyone turned.
A man stood there.
Older.
Tired.
With the same eyes I had seen in my own reflection my entire life.
He looked directly at me.
Then at Emma’s empty stroller by the doorway.
May you like
And he whispered:
“Claire… I’m sorry it took me this long to come home.””
