I glance around the room, my heart pounds as I shift my gaze between Mum and Gabriel, trying to make sense of their argument or the secret they’re hiding.
“Mum, please,” I say, my voice trembling.
“What is going on? Can you just say it?” I gesture toward Gabriel.
“I don’t even know this man, but if he can donate a kidney for you, he must mean something. Who is he? What does he want?”
Mum meets my eyes for a second, then looks at Gabriel. Her lips press into a thin line as she squeezes her eyes shut. For a long moment, she’s silent, shaking her head slowly, as though wrestling with thoughts she can’t bring herself to say aloud.
“Mum, what is this? Can you just say it and get it over with?” my patience wears thin. I can feel she has a secret she’s holding onto tightly.
Before she can respond, a sharp, piercing scream echoes through the house. Shawn. He’s awake, and the absence of anyone around has startled him.
Without a second thought, I dash to his room. He’s sitting on the bed, his tiny hands covering his face as he sobs.
The moment he sees me, his cries grow louder. I don’t hesitate-I scoop him up, holding him close, rocking him gently in my arms.
“Shh, Shawn, it’s okay,” I whisper, brushing his hair back from his damp face. “Mummy’s here. Mummy loves you.”
Shawn’s little body trembles in my arms as he buries his face in my shoulder, his sobs softer now.
“Mummy’s here,” I whisper again, stroking his back. Slowly, his breathing steadies, his grip on me loosening as he calms.
I sit on the edge of his bed, holding him close, my mind drifting back to the tense moment I left behind. Whatever Mum’s hiding, it’ll have to wait. Right now, Shawn needs me.
His little voice breaks through the quiet, a soft, sleepy murmur. “Mummy?”
I press a kiss on his forehead. “Yes, baby. I’m here.”
“Where is my buddy?” Shawn asks, his little voice startling me.
“Your buddy?” I repeat, confused. For a three-year-old, his speech is so clear that it almost sounds like a much older child talking.
I’ve always had this idea, though I don’t remember where it came from, that first-born children don’t speak as clearly early on. It’s something I must’ve heard while growing up. But here Shawn is, defying that belief.
“Mummy, where is my buddy?” he asks again, a bit more insistent this time. I frown. He’s never mentioned a ‘buddy’ before. He usually calls Ethan ‘Da,’ so who’s this buddy he’s talking about?
Then it clicks-he must mean Logan. But I want to be sure.
“Who’s your buddy, sweetheart?” I ask gently, ruffling his hair.
“My buddy looks like me,” he says with a little smile, confirming my guess.
I chuckle softly. “You mean Logan?”
He nods, his eyes lighting up. “When will I see him again?” he asks.
“Soon, very soon, Shawn,” I say softly, smiling as I watch his face relax.
As Shawn settles down, his head resting against my chest. I wonder how much he understands if he feels that invisible thread between them, the connection that’s both beautiful.
I begin getting Shawn ready, focused on taking care of him, but my thoughts keep drifting to the two people downstairs. What secret is Mum hiding from me? Gabriel seems to know so much-about me, about Nathalie. How?
Suddenly, it hits me. That face. Gabriel’s face is familiar, too familiar. My eyes, my nose-they’re the same as his. The pieces fall into place, sharp and painful. My life has been a lie.
Clutching Shawn tightly to my chest, I storm downstairs, anger rising like a storm inside me. This can’t be real. How could they lie to me for so long?
My mind races with thoughts-memories of the man I’ve always known as my father. The way he used to look at me, sometimes distant, sometimes… sad. Did I always remind him of Gabriel?
I burst into the living room, clutching Shawn tightly, his small arms wrapped around my neck. My voice cuts through sharp and trembling with anger.
“Is this a joke?” I can barely contain the frustration.
Why would Mum keep something so important from us for twenty-three years? And the man-Gabriel-he’s stood by all this time, even donating a kidney to save her life. What more does she want from him, from one heartless Mr. Witte?
“Mum,” I say, my voice is filled with emotion.
“What?” they both say at the same time, their voices overlapping in confusion.
“I know,” is all I manage, the words hanging in the air like a final piece of a puzzle.
They exchange a look as if I’ve grown two heads, disbelief written across their faces.
“Mum, there’s no point hiding something so obvious,” I continue, with desperation in my voice. “He cares about you. So why do you keep pushing him away?”
“What?” she asks, trying to act like she doesn’t understand, but I see right through it.
“I know he’s our father,” I say, the truth heavy in my words.
The room falls into stunned silence. Mum’s face pales as she opens her mouth, but no words come out. She glances between Gabriel and me, searching for something to say, some way to explain the years of deception. But there’s nothing.
Then Gabriel’s face lights up with a smile, and he rushes to me, wrapping his arms around us. Shawn, nestled in my arms, starts crying in surprise. The sudden embrace snaps Shawn out of his daze.
Gabriel pulled back slightly, his eyes were with unshed tears. I see the pain in his expression and feel pity for him. I can’t imagine my life without my children for twenty-three years.
I turn to Mum. Tears stream down her face, and I’m at a loss for words. Should I lash out at her for living a lie and making my life so difficult?
I see her remorse, but is “sorry” enough to make up for all the lost years and the hurt?
“Why didn’t you tell me?” My voice cracks, and I feel Shawn shift in my arms. “All this time, you let me believe Witte was my father. You let me grow up with questions and doubts.
Mum finally speaks her voice barely a whisper. “I was trying to protect you.”
“Protect me from what?” I snap, the hurt boiling over. “From knowing the truth? From knowing my real father?”
Gabriel steps forward, with a calm voice. “It wasn’t just her decision. I agreed to stay away-for your sake, for hers. We thought it was best.”
“Best?” I laugh bitterly. “You thought keeping me in the dark was best? Do you know what that’s done to me?”
Mum flinches, tears welling in her eyes. “I was scared, Nadine. Scared you’d hate me for lying. Scared of what would happen if the truth came out.”
“I don’t hate you,” my voice softened slightly, but the hurt remained. “I just don’t understand why you didn’t trust me enough to tell me.”
Mum wipes at her eyes, and Gabriel stands there silently as if the past years have finally caught up with him.
“I didn’t want to lose you,” Mum whispers, her voice breaking.
“Nadine, please,” Gabriel says, stepping forward. “I don’t want you to stay angry at your mom. So many things went wrong, and the only thing she could do was keep it a secret.”
I look at Gabriel, trying to understand why he’s defending Mum despite everything she’s done. It feels like too much to process all at once. With the truth now clear, I turn to go upstairs to take care of Shawn. But Gabriel’s voice stops me.
“Nadine, wait,” he says urgently. “There’s something I need you to know.”