Chapter 5 - Dad Knew Before I Married Glen
I did not scream.
I wanted to.
Instead I asked one question.
"When?"
Dad sat in Mom's old armchair.
"When you and Glen had been dating about four months."
My vision blurred.
Eight years earlier.
Before our engagement.
Before our wedding.
Before Ariel.
"You knew Clara was his biological mother."
"I suspected."
Clara stood.
"You told me you didn't know his surname."
Dad looked at her.
"I didn't at first."
"When did you know?"
"When Rachel brought him to Thanksgiving."
Clara stared.
"Seven years ago."
"Yes."
She slapped him.
The sound cracked through the room.
Nobody moved.
Clara looked horrified by what she had done.
Dad touched his cheek.
"I deserved that."
I said, "Do not turn this into a cleansing moment. Answer me."
Dad nodded.
He recognized Glen's full name and birthday from Elaine's duplicate St. Agnes file.
He did not tell Mom because she was already dying.
He did not tell Clara because he believed she would contact Glen immediately.
"He had parents," Dad said. "A life. He was happy."
Clara laughed through tears.
"So was I supposed to be grateful he was happy without me?"
"No."
"Then what?"
Dad's face folded.
"I was afraid."
I almost laughed.
Everyone's favorite explanation.
"Of what?"
"Of destroying Margaret. Of destroying you. Of exposing your mother after she was dead. Of losing Clara."
I looked at him.
"You protected every adult except the one whose identity you were hiding."
Dad closed his eyes.
Glen arrived twenty minutes later.
I had texted only:
HE KNEW.
He walked into the study and looked at Dad.
"How long?"
"Seven years."
Glen nodded once.
Then turned to Clara.
"How long did you know it was me?"
Clara wiped her face.
"Two years."
That surprised all of us.
"How?"
"The moon."
Glen frowned.
"Your birthmark. Ariel pointed at it at a family barbecue when you took off your shirt."
Ariel.
Again.
A child noticing what adults ignored.
Clara continued.
"I asked Martin. He denied it. Then I found your birthday in a Christmas card Rachel sent."
Glen stared.
"And you still said nothing."
Clara's chin shook.
"I tried."
"When?"
She looked at Dad.
"The day before Ariel was born."
Glen went still.
Clara whispered, "Martin stopped me outside the hospital."
Dad looked sick.
Glen's voice dropped.
"What did you say to her?"
Dad did not answer.
Clara did.
"He told me if I walked into your room and told you the truth, Rachel would learn what her mother had done while she was in labor."
----------------------------------------
The next chapters are on the left side of your screen.
May you like
If you enjoyed the story, bookmark my site: https://metro.treeiq.biz
New stories are posted daily, so check back for updates.
