“This is my life,” he says, arms lifted as he gestures around. “Ian Whalen died a long time ago, Nina.”
Nina makes a strangled noise, and I can see the guilt she harbors.
“You shouldn’t have had to run from him,” she cries, hands coming to her face to shield the tears streaming down her face. “This is all my fault,” she whispers.
Ian’s eyes widen in disbelief at her words, and for a moment, he seems unable to comprehend what she’s saying. “It was never your fault, Nina.” He falls to his knees before her, grabbing her hands away from her face. “I didn’t run for me,” he begins, his voice thick with emotion. “It was never about me.”
Ian stands, walking toward a table near the television. He grabs a picture frame and a box of tissues, holding them out to Nina.
Her eyes narrow in on the offering, first grabbing a tissue and then the frame.
“I couldn’t allow Richard to find our son.”
Nina gasps, her hands gripping the frame tightly as she stares at the photo of Ian and a young man. The closer I look, the more realization sinks in.
Her son has been with Ian this entire time.
“You knew?” she whispers, her voice barely audible.
Ian nods, his eyes filled with sadness and regret. “Your mother…she went to my mom,” he explains, his voice barely above a whisper. “She told her everything. It was my parents who adopted him. We’ve been raising him all these years.”
As the weight of Ian’s words sinks in, a flood of emotions washes over all of us.
Nina’s mother, the woman we all love to hate, ensured Nina’s son was safe and with his father. It might’ve been the most important thing the woman has ever done, aside from give Nina life.
The truth, long buried beneath years of secrecy and silence, isfinally laid bare. Nina weeps next to me as I pat her leg, offering the only comfort I can in the moment. Her tear-filled stare is fixed on the photo of her son. A boy she handed over at birth and hasn’t seen since.
And as we sit here, facing the truth together, I can’t help but feel a glimmer of hope for Nina’s future. Yes, she’s missed out on a large part of his life, but she gets a chance to know the man he’s become. The man his father raised.
I stand, offering my seat to Ian. Nina needs him in this moment. They need each other.
“His name is Chase,” Ian says. “He’s twenty-four and in his senior year at Tulane. It’s why I took the position.” He chuckles. “Our son is brilliant, but there’s still costs.”
Nina’s face is a mix of emotions—shock, sadness, and a hint of longing as she processes the news. “Tulane?” she repeats, her voice craggy. “What’s he studying?”
Ian nods, a sad smile tugging at the corners of his lips. It’s clear he can see how hard this is on Nina. “Psychology,” he replies, his voice tinged with pride. “He’s always wanted to work in a school setting. His plan is to help with students’ academic and social-emotional development. A mix of his mom and dad,” he says, smiling sadly as he peers into Nina’s eyes.
The mention of Nina’s influence on their son brings a bittersweet smile to her lips. It’s clear that despite the years of separation, the bond between mother and son runs deep.
I catch Lanie’s attention and motion for her to join me in the corner.
“I think we should give them some time alone.”
She nods her head. “What should we do?”
“I think I’m going to head back to Knox Harbor with Nick. There are some things I need to help him with.”
I can see the disappointment flicker across her face. “I’ll stay here with Nina until she’s ready to head back,” she says.
“Are you angry with me?”
She shakes her head. “No. I get it. I just wish you were staying.” She glances at Nina and Ian, whose heads are together as they look through an album. “I’ll be spending some time with Adeana, if things go the way I’m envisioning.”
I smile wide. “That’ll be a good thing. Nina’s happiness is all that matters right now.”
She makes a face. “Obviously. But please allow me a moment to mope about my abandonment.”
I roll my eyes and pull her into a hug. “If I could stay, I would. But murders are occurring at an alarming rate. If I can help, I have to.”
