Chapter 2 – The Lie About My Daughter

“Vanessa told me you were ready to let Maisie come live with me.”

For a moment, I couldn’t speak.

Maisie’s hand slipped out of mine.

She looked at me with an expression I’d spent seven years trying to make sure I never saw again.

“Mom?”

I reached for her.

She moved back.

“Did you say that?”

“No, sweetheart.”

“Did you tell her you didn’t want me?”

My throat tightened.

“Never.”

Vanessa stood.

“That’s not what Lauren meant.”

I turned toward her.

“Then what did you mean?”

She looked uncomfortable.

“Rachel, you’ve told me yourself how difficult things have become.”

Luca leaned forward.

“What exactly did Rachel tell you?”

Vanessa glanced at him.

“She said she was exhausted.”

I felt the room tilt.

Because I knew exactly which conversation she meant.

Three weeks earlier, Vanessa had found me sitting alone after serving dinner at the mansion.

I’d worked six consecutive days.

Maisie needed new glasses.

Her school had announced an expensive overnight science trip.

And our landlord had just raised the rent.

Vanessa asked whether everything was all right.

I was so tired that I cried.

I told her I didn’t know how much longer I could keep working every weekend while trying to be everything Maisie needed.

She’d put her hand on my shoulder.

She’d said she understood.

And now those words were being used against me.

“I told you I needed a different schedule,” I said.

Vanessa looked away.

“I thought you needed more than that.”

“You thought I wanted to give away my child?”

“I thought you needed help.”

“Then why didn’t you ask me what kind?”

Nobody answered.

Maisie was staring at her hands.

I recognized that expression.

She was trying to decide whether she could believe me.

That hurt more than Vanessa’s accusations.

“Maisie,” I whispered, “do you remember last Tuesday?”

She nodded faintly.

“You helped me make a list of things we could do to save money.”

Her eyes lifted.

“We said we’d make pizza instead of ordering it.”

“Yes.”

“And you said the science trip was important.”

“It is.”

She swallowed.

“Because you wanted me to go.”

I nodded.

“Because I want you to have every opportunity I can give you.”

A tear rolled down her cheek.

“But you cried that night.”

“I did.”

“Was it because of me?”

I shook my head.

“I cried because I was tired. Adults get tired, honey. That doesn’t mean they stop wanting their children.”

Maisie stared at me.

I reached for her hand again.

This time, she took it.

Across the table, Lauren began crying.

“I didn’t know,” she whispered.

I looked at her.

“You believed Rachel wanted you to take Maisie?”

Lauren nodded.

“I didn’t want to believe it.”

“Then why did you?”

She swallowed.

“Because Vanessa said you’d asked her to help arrange a gradual transition.”

Luca went still.

“What transition?”

Vanessa rubbed her forehead.

“I never said anything was finalized.”

Lauren looked at her.

“You told me Rachel couldn’t keep managing everything alone.”

“That part was true.”

“And you said Maisie had started asking about me.”

Vanessa hesitated.

I felt my stomach tighten.

“What did you tell Lauren about Maisie?”

“She said she’d been wondering about her biological mother.”

Maisie looked up sharply.

“I didn’t tell you that.”

Vanessa turned toward her.

“Sweetheart, you asked me whether people who stop drinking can become good parents again.”

My daughter’s cheeks turned red.

I stared at her.

She’d never asked me that question.

Maisie lowered her eyes.

It broke my heart to realize there were things she’d been afraid to tell me.

But I couldn’t let my hurt become another burden she had to carry.

“Honey, you can ask questions about Lauren.”

She glanced at me.

“Even if they’re hard?”

“Especially then.”

Vanessa seemed to think she’d won something.

“There. You see? Maisie was curious.”

Luca’s voice sharpened.

“Curious is not consenting to leave home.”

Lauren nodded immediately.

“That’s not what I wanted.”

I looked at my sister.

“Then what did you want?”

She took a breath.

“I wanted to meet her somewhere safe. With you there.”

“Why didn’t you contact me?”

Her eyes filled.

“Because I was afraid you’d say no.”

I almost laughed.

Seven years.

Seven birthdays.

Seven Christmas mornings.

And she’d been afraid of a difficult conversation.

“You should have been more afraid of what your silence was doing to her.”

Lauren accepted that without arguing.

“You’re right.”

For the first time, something about her answer softened my anger.

The Lauren I remembered would have defended herself.

She would’ve blamed our childhood.

Her drinking.

The people who’d disappointed her.

This woman simply sat there and let the truth hurt.

Then Maisie spoke.

“Did you remember my birthdays?”

Lauren looked at her.

“Yes.”

“Did you buy presents?”

“Sometimes.”

“Where are they?”

Lauren’s eyes filled.

“I kept them.”

Maisie looked confused.

“Why didn’t you send them?”

“Because I didn’t know where you lived after Rachel moved.”

I stared at her.

I’d moved apartments twice.

The last time, we’d stayed with a friend for three weeks because I couldn’t afford the security deposit.

Lauren couldn’t have known those addresses.

But she could have found another way to reach me.

“You knew where I worked before the Morettis,” I said.

Lauren nodded.

“I did.”

“Then why didn’t you try harder?”

She looked down.

“I was ashamed.”

The word angered me.

“Maisie paid for your shame.”

Lauren began crying again.

“I know.”

Luca placed the train tickets inside the envelope.

“Those tickets won’t be used. Rachel remains Maisie’s legal guardian, and nobody here has the authority to change that.”

Maisie leaned against me.

For a moment, she looked relieved.

Then Lauren took something from the pocket of her brown coat.

A small silver elephant charm.

Its trunk was bent.

I recognized it immediately.

Maisie’s stuffed elephant had once worn that charm around its neck.

It had disappeared the morning Lauren left.

Maisie stared at it.

“That’s Ellie’s necklace.”

Lauren nodded.

“You named her Ellie because you couldn’t say elephant.”

My daughter looked stunned.

Then Lauren said something that changed the way I understood her return.

“Rachel, I didn’t come here because I wanted to take Maisie away.”

She looked toward Vanessa.

“I came because Vanessa told me Maisie had been asking to see me for months—and that you were the one refusing to let her.”