Chapter 6 - Mom's Final Secret
We thought the mystery was over.
It wasn't.
There was one final envelope.
Pastor Daniel gave it to me.
It contained a letter from Mom.
I read it alone.
Lila and Mia,
If you're reading this, then Richard has probably returned.
My hands shook.
I need you to know something.
I made mistakes.
I sat down.
Mom continued.
I should have told you the truth about your adoption.
I thought protecting you meant hiding the past.
I was wrong.
Then came the sentence that broke me.
I also made one terrible decision when you were children.
I kept reading.
After the fire, there had been another baby.
A boy.
He had survived.
Mom had wanted to adopt him too.
But there wasn't enough money.
So she gave him to another family.
His name was Daniel Hart.
I stared at the page.
Daniel.
Pastor Daniel.
I looked up.
He was standing in the doorway.
“You knew?”
He nodded.
“I found out when I was twenty.”
My mouth went dry.
“You're our brother?”
“Not biologically.”
“Then what are you?”
He smiled sadly.
“Another child your mother loved.”
Mia started crying.
“So Mom had three children?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't she tell us?”
“Because she was ashamed.”
I sat down.
Our entire family history had been built on secrets.
Yet every secret had started with love.
Mom had tried to protect us.
She had failed.
But she had never stopped loving us.
Then Daniel gave me another envelope.
“This one is from Dad.”
I opened it.
It contained only one sentence.
Your mother saved more lives than she will ever receive credit for.
I cried.
Mia hugged me.
“I wish she were here.”
“So do I.”
That night, we returned to the chapel.
The wedding guests had waited.
Some had already left.
Others remained.
I walked toward the altar.
Mia stood beside me.
Still wearing the white dress.
I looked at her.
“You know you can't wear that to the reception.”
She laughed through her tears.
“I know.”
“You're going to change?”
She nodded.
“Eventually.”
Owen smiled.
Pastor Daniel returned to the altar.
“Shall we finally begin?”
I nodded.
“Yes.”
And this time, when I walked down the aisle, Mia walked beside me.
May you like
Not as my rival.
As my sister.
