“I wasn’t going to let her decide whether I got to be my baby’s mother.”
“So you and Sophie made a plan.”
“She won’t hear it from me.”
Mia nodded. “She was only supposed to take the baby for a few days. I’m working doubles this week. Once I get paid, I’ll have enough for the deposit on a room.”
“And after that?”
“I’ll take my daughter back. Sophie wasn’t raising her for me. I just needed somewhere safe until I got paid.”
I looked at her chapped hands and thought of Daniel.
“Mia, two teenagers shouldn’t have to carry this alone. Come home with me.”
“You and your daughter. No conditions.”
Her expression changed immediately. “No.”
“Mia…”
“You don’t understand.” She stood and grabbed her phone from the bed. “If Laura finds out where I am, she’ll come. And if she finds out where my daughter is…”
“She won’t hear it from me.”
Mia gave a short, bitter laugh. “You’re her mother. Of course you’d say that.”
I leave you my number and go home.
“Sophie’s mother.”
“And you went through her things. You called the resort. You found Laura. Now you found me.” Her eyes filled, but her voice stayed hard. That stopped me.
She was right. I’d been chasing answers because I couldn’t stand not knowing. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t expect you to trust me because Sophie does.”
Mia said nothing.
“Tell them the truth.”
“My house is there if you want it. You and your daughter. No conditions.”
“And if I say no?”
“I leave you my number and go home.”
“You’d really leave?”
“If that’s what you want.”
She looked toward the half-assembled crib. “I get paid Friday. I almost have enough for the deposit.”
“Take me to my daughter.”
“Then maybe you don’t need rescuing. Just somewhere safe until Friday.”
“What about the paperwork?” Mia asked. “Everything is in my name. Sophie wasn’t supposed to keep her this long.”
“Then we stop hiding. Call the hospital and find out what needs to be done.”
“What if they think I’m a bad mother?”
“Tell them the truth.”
“I think she needs her mother.”
She picked up her phone. “Will you stay?”
“Yes.”
When she hung up, she reached for her bag. “They’ll help me sort everything out tomorrow.” Then she looked at me. “Take me to my daughter.”
***
When we pulled in, Sophie was at the window with the baby.
She opened the door and froze. “Mom?”
“Your father never knew about Mia.”
I stepped aside. Mia stood behind me with her bag.
Sophie’s face crumpled.
“I think she needs her mother.”
Mia was already moving. The two girls met in the doorway, the baby between them.
Later, at the kitchen table, I told Sophie the truth.
I found her holding an old photograph of Daniel.
“Your father never knew about Mia. Neither did I.”
“You didn’t know?”
“No.”
“I spent the whole summer lying to you. I thought I was protecting everyone.”
I reached across the table.
“I’m sorry, Mom.”
“I know.”
It hurt, but differently now.
She leaned into me, and I held her.
I thought that was the last difficult thing Daniel had left us to face.
A few nights later, Mia proved me wrong.
I found her holding an old photograph of Daniel, twenty-five and grinning.
“Sophie gave me this. She thought I should know what he looked like. She told me he hummed when he was nervous.”
I laughed. “Constantly. Always the wrong tune.”
Mia smiled, and I saw Daniel in the crooked corner of her mouth.
It hurt, but differently now. He had betrayed me. He had also been Sophie’s father and, unknowingly, Mia’s.
Those truths didn’t have to cancel each other out.
