Chapter 6 - DANIEL'S BIRTH
Robert arrived at the hospital that afternoon.
Daniel didn't hug him.
His father looked ten years older than he had two days earlier.
"I'm sorry," Robert said to me.
I believed him.
That almost made it worse.
"You knew how she treated me."
He lowered his eyes.
"I knew she was difficult."
"She drugged me."
"I didn't know that."
"You watched her insult me for three years."
Robert nodded slowly.
"I should have stopped it."
Daniel crossed his arms.
"You should have stopped a lot of things."
Robert flinched.
Then Daniel placed the photograph of Margaret's notebook on the table.
"Who is Stephen Holloway?"
Robert's face changed immediately.
That told us everything.
"You know him."
Robert sat down.
"Your mother knew him years ago."
"How?"
Silence.
Daniel leaned closer.
"Dad."
Robert swallowed.
"Before you were born, your mother had complications."
"What kind?"
"She lost two pregnancies."
Daniel's anger softened slightly.
"I didn't know that."
"She never wanted you to know."
Robert continued.
"After the second loss, she became obsessed with having a child. Doctors told us another pregnancy could be dangerous."
My chest tightened.
"What does that have to do with Holloway?"
Robert looked at Daniel.
"Stephen helped us."
"Helped how?"
Robert's hands shook.
"There were fertility treatments."
Daniel frowned.
"In the eighties?"
"Experimental ones."
Officer Harris, who had returned to take Robert's formal statement, leaned forward.
"What exactly did Dr. Holloway do?"
Robert shook his head.
"I don't know everything."
"Tell us what you do know."
Robert looked at Daniel.
"Your mother believed the treatment meant you belonged to her in a way other children didn't."
Daniel stared at him.
"What does that even mean?"
"I don't know."
"You're lying."
"No."
"Dad."
Robert looked toward the NICU hallway.
Then he said quietly, "There was another baby."
Nobody spoke.
Daniel's face emptied.
"What?"
Robert rubbed both hands together.
"Your mother delivered twins."
The air seemed to disappear from the room.
Daniel sat down.
"I have a twin?"
"Had."
Robert's eyes filled with tears.
"A boy. He lived less than a day."
Daniel stared at his father.
"Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"Your mother couldn't bear it."
Robert reached into his jacket.
He pulled out an old envelope.
Inside was a faded photograph.
Two newborn boys.
One labeled Daniel.
The other labeled Matthew.
Daniel looked at the photograph for a long time.
Then his expression changed.
He turned it over.
On the back, someone had written a date.
And underneath it:
Dr. Holloway knows what really happened.
Daniel looked at Robert.
"What happened to Matthew?"
Robert's face went white.
May you like
"I don't know."
But this time, nobody believed him.
