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“You did a great job.” Carly jiggled the baby in her arms. “Where’s Dad?”
The slight smile fell off Isabelle’s face. “Gone.”
Without saying goodbye. His quick visit cemented his supreme disregard for his girls. He hadn’t cared about seeing any of them. All that mattered to him was using Gram and the rest of the family. At least they didn’t still live with him like poor Isabelle. What a terrible father.
“I’ll be right back.” She carried the squalling baby up the stairs.
What kind of father would Eric have been? She’d never had a chance to tell him about Noah, but she suspected he’d have been angry at first. She’d been talking about a baby for nearly two years, and he kept postponing the question. It was a mystery how she’d gotten pregnant on the pill, but clearly God had plans he hadn’t let them in on.
Noah was her chance to experience unconditional love. She settled in a rocker and fed him. The sweet aroma of his skin soothed her, and she ran her hand over the downy softness of his hair. The love a parent felt for their child was like none other. Even if he’d initially been upset, Eric would have come around. Who could resist Noah with his blue eyes and gummy grin? Eric would have taken one look at his son and been as smitten as she was. She blinked suddenly blurry eyes. If only he’d had the chance.
An image of Lucas holding Noah sleeping on his chest came to mind. Even a stranger had been unable to resist the baby’s charisma.
Noah’s eyes drifted shut and she transferred him to his crib, then turned on the noise machine. She grabbed the file folder, then tiptoed out of the room.
Now to talk to Gram before she told her sisters. Gram deserved to hear the truth in private in case it was upsetting. Carly hoped she’d be excited at the thought of finding a twin sister.
The house felt curiously empty when Carly descended the steps. The living room held only Gram, who sat sipping a cup of tea in her favorite blue Polish mug. Her peacock skirt draped around her ankles and covered most of the chair where she sat. The aroma of lobster bisque drifted from the kitchen and reminded Carly that she hadn’t had lunch yet.
“Where are the girls?” Carly asked.
“I had them take Isabelle shopping. They were only too glad to get out of the house before you came down and put them to work.” She pointed to the sofa. “Have a seat, Carly Ann.”
Carly perched on the edge of a sofa cushion. “You think I was wrong to tell them what needed to be done here?”
“Of course not. They needed to know their marching orders. I’m surprised you waited as long as you did.”
“Were they still mad?”
“Over their hissy fit, I think.” Gram took a sip of her tea and released a satisfied sigh. “How are things in the attic—about ready for the flea market?”
“Not even close.” Carly leaned forward. “Um, Gram, I found something very unexpected up there. I actually found it a week ago, but I was going to keep it quiet until I learned more. I think you need to know about it, though.” She handed over the papers. “I think it’s best if you read it for yourself.”
Her grandmother’s blue eyes revealed her curiosity as she took the papers. “What is this, Carly Ann?”
Carly’s pulse skipped, and she shook her head. “Read that top little note—the one in the spidery handwriting.”
Her grandmother read in silence before reading the birth certificate under it. She gave a quick gasp and held her hand to her throat. She lifted her gaze to Carly’s. “This seems to indicate I might be adopted?” Her voice quivered. “Why didn’t my parents tell me?”
“I don’t know. There’s a note to me from Gramma Helen. She said she was leaving it to me to decide what to do. I think that’s why she left all the mementos in the chest to me.” Carly gestured to the documents. “Those are adoption papers, Gram. Your name was changed from Mary Balandin to Mary Padgett. Did you see the picture?” She got up and retrieved the picture from the file folder. “This is you and your twin sister, Elizabeth.”
The pink washed from Gram’s cheeks as she stared at the picture. “Twins. How old were we?”
“It doesn’t say, but I think the babies appear to be only afew weeks old. Not older than a couple of months.” Carly took the adoption papers and studied them more closely. “This is dated July 2, same as your birthday. Gramma Helen must not have known your exact birthdate so she used the date of your adoption.”
“I-I can’t believe it.”
Her normally vibrant grandmother seemed as though she might faint. Carly had never seen her so pale. “Do you need to lie down?” she asked.
Gram shook her head. “No, no. It’s just such a shock. Atwin. I can’t wrap my head around something so astounding. I’ve hankered for a sibling all my life. Can we find her?”
“I’m trying. Lucas is helping me, and he’s found a possible relative. We’re going to take a boat trip to Tybee Island and talk to her. It might be nothing, but we have to try. I’d hoped to find your family and surprise you with it for your birthday, but it’s more complicated than it first seemed. The name Balandin is not common. I didn’t have the resources to try to track down the family until Lucas offered to help.”
Gram didn’t take her attention from the picture. “It’s very good of him.” Her eyes were wet when she finally met Carly’s gaze. “What if my birth mother is still alive? If she gave us up for adoption, maybe she was quite young. Sixteen, seventeen. She’d be in her eighties, but she might still be living.”
“The thought crossed my mind.”
The hope in Gram’s face tore Carly’s heart wide open. What if they couldn’t find her sister or her mother? What if they were both dead? It was possible. Gram was nearly seventy. Accidents, illness—something could have carried off both sister and mother. Still, there might be an aunt or an uncleleft. A niece or a nephew. Gram would welcome any family with open arms.
