Chapter 2: The Woman Who Disappeared
The library suddenly felt too small.
Children were laughing near the reading circle. A librarian was arranging picture books. Somewhere behind the shelves, a printer hummed.
But Adrian heard none of it.
He was looking at Celeste.
The woman he had once loved.
The woman whose disappearance had left him with questions he had never been able to answer.
And the woman whose daughter looked exactly like his own.
"Mommy?"" Imani asked.
Celeste blinked.
"Yes, baby?""
"Why are you looking at that man like that?""
Celeste forced a smile.
"Mommy just knows him.""
Adrian finally found his voice.
"Knows me?""
Celeste's jaw tightened.
"Adrian, not here.""
"Not here?"" He glanced at the two girls.
"You think this is something we can discuss over coffee?""
"Please.""
"Six years, Celeste.""
She looked down.
"Not here," she repeated.
Zoe pulled on his sleeve again.
"Daddy, are you mad?""
Adrian immediately softened.
"No, sweetheart. I'm not mad at you.""
"Then why does your face look like that?""
He crouched beside her.
"Sometimes grown-ups have things they need to talk about.""
Zoe considered that.
"Like when you and Grandma argue about who makes the best macaroni?""
Despite everything, Adrian almost laughed.
"Exactly like that.""
Imani looked at Zoe.
"My mommy doesn't argue about macaroni. She burns it.""
"Imani!"" Celeste exclaimed.
The girls giggled.
For one brief moment, their laughter made the situation feel almost ordinary.
Then Adrian noticed something.
Both girls had the same habit.
When they laughed, they covered their mouths with their right hands.
He had watched Zoe do that since she was a toddler.
He had never seen another child do it.
Except now, apparently, there were two.
"Celeste," Adrian said quietly.
"How old is she?""
Celeste looked at him.
"Six.""
"When was she born?""
"Adrian.""
"What month?""
She glanced toward the reading area.
"November.""
His heart began pounding.
Zoe had been born in November too.
He remembered the date.
November 14.
The hospital room.
The rain against the windows.
The tiny bracelet around his daughter's wrist.
He remembered everything.
"What's her birthday?"" he asked.
Celeste's lips parted.
"November fourteenth.""
Adrian felt the floor shift beneath him.
Zoe looked up.
"That's my birthday!""
Imani's eyes widened.
"Mine too!""
The two girls turned toward each other.
"Really?"" Zoe asked.
Imani nodded enthusiastically.
"How old are you?""
"Six.""
"Me too!""
They exchanged excited smiles.
"Maybe we can have a birthday party together!"" Zoe suggested.
Imani clapped.
"With two cakes!""
"One chocolate and one strawberry!""
"Yes!""
The girls began discussing decorations as though they had known each other for years.
Adrian stood slowly.
Celeste looked like she might faint.
"Are you going to tell me what's happening?"" he asked.
She shook her head.
"Not in front of them.""
"Then where?""
"I'll call you.""
He let out a short, disbelieving laugh.
"You'll call me?""
"Adrian, please.""
"You said that six years ago.""
Her eyes filled with tears.
Before she could respond, Zoe raised her hand.
"Daddy, can I go sit with Imani?""
Adrian looked at Celeste.
Celeste looked at him.
For a moment, neither seemed willing to make the decision.
Finally, Adrian nodded.
"Stay where I can see you, sweetheart.""
The girls hurried toward the small reading table.
They sat side by side, their shoulders almost touching.
Zoe opened her book.
Imani leaned over.
"Can you read?""
"A little," Zoe replied.
"Daddy reads the hard words.""
"My mommy reads to me every night.""
"My daddy does too.""
Adrian watched them.
Then he turned back to Celeste.
"Tell me one thing.""
She rubbed her thumb against the edge of her library receipt.
"What?""
"Is Imani my daughter?""
Celeste closed her eyes.
It was the question he had been holding inside since he saw the silver pendant.
She didn't answer.
That silence was worse than anything she could have said.
"Look at me," Adrian demanded softly.
Celeste raised her eyes.
"Adrian, I never wanted you to find out like this.""
His throat tightened.
"Find out what?""
She looked toward the girls.
Then back at him.
"I need you to understand something. Whatever you think happened, it wasn't as simple as you believe.""
"Then explain it.""
"I can't do this here.""
"Why not?""
"Because I don't want those girls hearing things they aren't ready to understand.""
Adrian glanced at the table.
Zoe had placed her blue hair ribbon beside Imani's yellow cardigan sleeve.
They were comparing the little stars printed on their birthday stickers.
He looked back at Celeste.
"Did you know about Zoe?""
Celeste's face changed.
"What?""
"Did you know I had a daughter?""
"No.""
"Did you know I became a father six years ago?""
She shook her head slowly.
"Adrian, I swear I didn't.""
He studied her expression.
There was fear there.
Confusion.
But also something else.
Something that looked dangerously close to guilt.
"Then why did you disappear?""
Celeste's lips trembled.
"Because someone told me you didn't want me anymore.""
Adrian stared at her.
"Who?""
Before she could answer, Imani called out.
"Mommy! Look!""
Celeste turned.
Imani was holding Zoe's hand.
"We're the same!""
Zoe nodded.
"Even our birthdays!""
Celeste forced herself to smile.
"That's wonderful, baby.""
But Adrian noticed her hands shaking.
He stepped closer.
"Who told you I didn't want you?""
Celeste looked at him.
For a moment, he thought she would finally answer.
Instead, she whispered, "Your mother.""
The words landed between them like a dropped glass.
Adrian's face went pale.
"My mother?""
Celeste nodded.
"She came to see me at the hospital.""
He stared at her.
"Which hospital?""
"St. Mary's.""
Adrian remembered the hospital.
He remembered visiting Zoe there.
He remembered his mother insisting that he stay away from the maternity ward until the nurses had finished checking his daughter.
He had thought she was simply being overprotective.
But Celeste was already speaking again.
"She told me you had chosen another woman. She said you didn't want the baby. She said if I loved my daughter, I would leave before your family destroyed both our lives.""
Adrian shook his head.
"That's impossible.""
"She showed me photographs.""
"What photographs?""
"Of you with another woman.""
Adrian felt cold.
He had never been with another woman.
Not then.
Not while Celeste was pregnant.
"Where are those photographs now?""
Celeste wiped her cheek.
"I kept them.""
"Why?""
"Because I needed proof that I hadn't imagined what happened.""
Adrian stared at her.
Then, very quietly, he asked:
"Celeste, did my mother know you were carrying twins?""
Celeste froze.
May you like
The silence returned.
And this time, Adrian knew the answer was going to change everything.
