Lucas stared at the recorder.
“So she chose my parents.”
My mother’s voice came again.
“Margaret loved that child before she ever held him. Douglas loved him the moment he saw him. I watched from the end of the hospital corridor when they carried Lucas away.”
Lucas began crying.
Elena wrapped both arms around him.
I sat frozen.
Then my mother said something I did not expect.
“For many years, I told myself that was enough.”
A breath.
“It wasn’t.”
The cassette clicked softly.
“I should have told Hannah.”
My entire body went cold.
Douglas whispered, “What?”
“I should have told Hannah who the baby’s mother was.”
The tape hissed.
For three seconds.
Four.
Five.
Then my mother’s voice lowered almost to a whisper.
“But Walter made me promise never to speak her name.”
Lucas moved closer to the recorder.
“Come on.”
My mother continued.
“I broke that promise once.”
