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"She met the widow and the little boy at a community center where she was performing. She heard their story and thought it was incredibly sad. When she had some extra cash, she decided to help them."
"Really? That’s the connection?"
"Yes."
I wasn't sure I bought her story, but I needed to know more. "Getting back to New York, when did you leave the city?"
"After Laura graduated from college. We decided it was time to start over somewhere new."
"Why? What happened?" As she hesitated, I added, "My father told me yesterday that he isn't my biological father, that when he met my mom, she had two kids who were three months old at the time. My mom said she had me when she was twenty-two, so that seems pretty close to the time she'd be graduating from college and living in New York."
"She was living in LA when you and Dani were born," Rachel said.
"Were you with her?"
"For some of the time, but not when she met your father. I remember how happy she was when she called to tell me about him. She said she was making a new family, and I was really happy for her."
"She was happy in her new family until I turned seven, until she faked her death and disappeared," I said. "Then she changed her name. She built a life away from her own kids. And I don't understand why. What happened in New York? What happened with my biological father? Why did my mom fake her death when I was seven years old?"
"Trouble," Rachel said, repeating what appeared to be her favorite word. "She thought she'd escaped it, but then it found her again. She didn't want to put you or your sister in danger, so she made the difficult decision to leave. She had to protect you."
"Why are you being so vague? Why didn't she go to the police? Why didn't you? What exactly is the trouble you're talking about?"
"It's complicated."
"Well, I'm sure when the police talk to you, they'll find a way to uncomplicate it."
"You can't go to the police. You can't tell them about me."
"Why shouldn't I?"
"Because it could get your mother killed. You have no idea what's going on."
"Because you're not telling me," I said in frustration.
Rachel's lips tightened. "The last thing your mother would want me to do is tell you the truth and put you in danger. You need to go home."
"I'm not leaving without knowing the truth, without making sure she's safe."
"Where's your sister? Where's Dani?"
"She's in Carmel. She's pregnant, and she can't be stressed out. She can't be here."
Rachel nodded, a gleam in her eyes. "You're protecting her the way your mother always protected me."
"You are twins, aren't you?"
"Yes. It's been the two of us against the world almost since we were born. We'd do anything for each other, no matter the cost."
"Do you have kids?"
"No. I wouldn't have made a good mother."
"My mom was a good mother until she left."
"It broke her heart, Brynn."
I shook my head, telling myself not to care about my mother's broken heart. "She doesn't get to be the victim. She's the one who caused the heartbreak."
