Chapter 7 - The File Marked G.C.
Dad had a file cabinet in his home office that none of us used.
He did not try to stop me when I opened it.
Maybe he had finally understood that stopping people was the reason we were there.
The folder was labeled G.C.
Inside were eight years of Glen's life.
Public records.
A printout of his architecture firm's website.
Our wedding announcement.
A copy of Ariel's birth notice.
One photograph from a charity 5K where Glen carried Ariel on his shoulders.
I looked at Dad.
"You monitored my husband."
"I checked on him."
"Without telling anyone."
"Yes."
Glen returned while I was still holding the file.
He had gone to see Margaret.
She had given him every adoption paper she possessed.
He dropped them on Dad's desk.
"You knew my parents' address."
Dad nodded.
"Yes."
"Did you ever contact them?"
"Once."
Margaret had never mentioned that.
"When?"
"After Elaine died."
Dad wrote to Henry Cole, Glen's adoptive father.
He did not tell him about Clara.
He asked only whether Glen was well.
Henry replied:
Our son is loved. Whatever happened before us, please do not bring uncertainty into his life unless you know it is necessary.
Glen read the sentence twice.
"Dad knew?"
Margaret, standing in the doorway, whispered, "Not everything."
She had followed him.
Henry had shown her the letter.
They argued.
Margaret wanted to ask who Martin was.
Henry burned the envelope.
"Why?" Glen asked.
Margaret cried.
"Because we were afraid someone would take you."
Glen laughed bitterly.
"At seventeen?"
"Fear doesn't stay current."
Nobody spoke.
Then Margaret placed an old receipt on the desk.
ST. AGNES MATERNITY SERVICES.
Donation: $6,500.
Three days before Glen's adoption.
"We were told it was for Clara's medical expenses," Margaret said.
Clara stared.
"My parents paid my hospital bill."
The room went cold.
The money had not paid for Clara's care.
It had gone somewhere else.
Glen looked at Dad.
"What exactly was St. Agnes selling?"
----------------------------------------
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.
