Chapter 5 - THE OTHER BABY
The lawsuit came from Linda’s younger sister, Karen.
Not about Emily.
About Karen’s son.
Three years after Emily was abandoned, Karen accused Robert and Linda of taking $18,000 from an account meant for her infant son’s medical treatment.
Civil case.
Settled.
No criminal conviction.
The family relationship collapsed.
Karen had not spoken to Linda in nineteen years.
Rachel found her.
Karen agreed to one phone call.
Emily listened silently.
Karen said:
“I knew Linda had a baby before.”
Emily gripped the phone.
“Me?”
“I think so.”
“What did she tell you?”
“That the baby died.”
Emily closed her eyes.
“When?”
“Right after.”
“Did you believe her?”
“I was twenty-two. She said premature. I didn’t ask.”
Then Karen remembered something.
Months later, she saw a newspaper clipping in Linda’s kitchen.
FOUND INFANT THRIVING WITH FOSTER FAMILY.
Same county.
Karen asked why she kept it.
Linda said:
“Sad story.”
Emily whispered:
“She knew.”
Karen started crying.
“I think she did.”
Not proof yet.
Then Karen said something worse.
“When you became successful, Linda showed me an article about you.”
“What article?”
“Three years ago.”
Emily froze.
Three years.
Not eight months.
Linda had known who Emily was before the TV show.
“How did she know?”
“She said you looked like Robert.”
Emily felt sick.
“So why didn’t she contact me?”
Karen hesitated.
“She said you probably hated them.”
Then:
“And she said if you ever came looking, they needed to agree on the same story.”
Emily stared at Rachel.
Same story.
Not apology.
Coordination.
Then Karen added:
“Robert asked whether you were married.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“Anything else?”
“He asked how much your company was worth.”
There.
Three years before Finding Home.
Before cameras.
Before tears.
May you like
They had known.
And stayed silent until somebody offered them a stage.
