Chapter 7: The Woman Who Knew What Happened in the Delivery Room
Darius hadn't slept.
He sat behind his desk at three in the morning, staring at the photograph of the newborn baby and the young woman standing beside the hospital bassinet.
Brittany.
Six years earlier.
The date printed on the photograph was unmistakable.
It was the day Kayla had been born.
He turned the photograph over again.
The baby Renee was never supposed to bring home.
The words seemed to burn into his mind.
What did they mean?
And why was Brittany standing inside a hospital nursery on the day his daughter was born?
At 3:17 a.m., his phone rang.
It was Marcus.
“Darius, I managed to reach Linda.””
“Is she coming?””
“She agreed to meet us, but there's a problem.””
“What problem?””
“She doesn't want to discuss this over the phone. She says Brittany has been watching her for years.””
Darius sat upright.
“Watching her?””
“That's what she claims.””
“Where is she now?””
“At her daughter's house. She's safe for the moment.””
Darius rubbed his face.
“Marcus, I need answers.””
“I know. She's agreed to come to your house at eight.””
Darius looked at the photograph.
“Tell her to bring every document she has.””
“I'll tell her.””
Before ending the call, Marcus added something.
“One more thing. Linda asked me whether Kayla was still living with you.””
Darius frowned.
“Why?””
“She said she needs to know whether the child is safe before she tells us anything.””
Darius looked toward the hallway.
Kayla was sleeping in his bedroom that night.
He could hear her soft breathing whenever he opened the door.
“She is safe,” he said.
There was a pause.
Then Marcus replied quietly.
“Linda said Renee made her promise to protect Kayla if Brittany ever returned.””
The call ended.
Darius remained motionless.
He had spent six years believing he understood everything about his family.
Apparently, he knew almost nothing.
At 7:52 a.m., a silver sedan pulled into the driveway.
Darius watched from the living-room window.
A woman stepped out.
She was in her early sixties, with short gray hair and a leather handbag tucked beneath her arm.
Linda Parker.
He recognized her immediately from old family photographs.
She had attended Kayla's first birthday.
She had sent Christmas cards.
And she had disappeared from their lives shortly after Renee's funeral.
Darius opened the door.
“Linda?””
She nodded.
“Darius.””
He stepped aside.
“Please come in.””
Linda entered slowly.
Her eyes moved across the entrance hall.
Then she noticed the framed photograph of Renee on the console table.
Her expression crumpled.
“Oh, Renee,” she whispered.
Darius swallowed.
“You knew her better than almost anyone.””
Linda nodded.
“I loved that woman.””
“Then please tell me what happened.””
She looked at him.
“Is Kayla upstairs?””
“Yes.””
“Can I see her?””
Darius hesitated.
“She's still asleep.””
Linda nodded.
“That's probably for the best.””
Marcus entered from the study.
“Linda, thank you for coming.””
She placed her handbag on the table.
“I wouldn't be here if Renee hadn't made me promise.””
Darius frowned.
“Promise what?””
Linda looked directly at him.
“To tell you the truth if Brittany ever tried to become part of your family.””
They sat in the study.
Linda removed a thick folder from her handbag.
Inside were photocopies of hospital documents, several letters, and an old photograph.
She placed the photograph in front of Darius.
It showed two newborn babies in separate hospital bassinets.
One had a pink identification bracelet.
The other had a blue one.
Darius stared.
“Why are there two babies?””
Linda folded her hands.
“Because there were two births that night.””
Darius looked up.
“Two?””
“Renee and Brittany were both admitted to the hospital.””
Darius went completely still.
Marcus leaned forward.
“Are you saying they were both pregnant?””
Linda nodded.
“Yes.””
Darius shook his head.
“That isn't possible. Brittany told me she had never been married. She never mentioned having a child.””
“Because she didn't raise one.””
Linda took a breath.
“Six years ago, Brittany gave birth to a baby girl. The delivery was difficult, and the baby needed immediate medical attention. Renee gave birth later that night.””
Darius stared at the photograph.
“Kayla?””
Linda nodded.
“Kayla was born healthy.””
“Then what does Brittany have to do with Renee's baby?””
Linda looked down.
“That's where everything went wrong.””
Linda explained that she and Renee had known Brittany for years.
They had once been close friends.
Brittany had become pregnant unexpectedly and was terrified of raising a child alone.
Renee had offered to help.
She had accompanied Brittany to appointments, helped her prepare for the delivery, and promised to support her after the baby arrived.
But Brittany's pregnancy had been complicated.
Her daughter had been born prematurely and required specialized care.
Brittany became overwhelmed.
She struggled with the medical expenses and the possibility that her baby might not survive.
Renee, meanwhile, had delivered Kayla safely.
For a short time, the two women had been in adjoining rooms.
“Brittany was devastated,” Linda said.
Darius frowned.
“Because her baby was sick?””
“Yes. And because she believed she couldn't give that child the life she deserved.””
“What happened next?””
Linda opened the folder.
“Brittany made a decision that Renee never forgave her for.””
She placed a handwritten statement on the table.
Darius read the first line.
I, Brittany Collins, voluntarily request that my newborn daughter be placed under temporary protective care while I arrange suitable circumstances for her upbringing.
Darius looked up.
“Where did the baby go?””
Linda shook her head.
“That's what Brittany wanted everyone to believe was a simple decision. But it wasn't.””
“What do you mean?””
“She asked Renee to take the baby.””
Darius stared.
“Renee?””
Linda nodded.
“She told Renee that she couldn't manage two families, that she wasn't ready to be a mother, and that Renee could give the child a better home.””
Darius looked at the photograph again.
“And Renee refused?””
“Initially, yes.””
“Why?””
“Because she already had her own newborn daughter. She was exhausted, recovering from childbirth, and terrified of making the wrong decision.””
Linda paused.
“Then Brittany made her an offer.””
Darius leaned forward.
“What offer?””
“She told Renee that if she took the baby, Brittany would eventually return and become part of the child's life.””
Darius felt his stomach tighten.
“Did Renee agree?””
Linda nodded slowly.
“For a very short time.””
Darius stood.
He walked to the window.
The morning sunlight illuminated the backyard where the engagement party had been scheduled.
He remembered Renee's final months.
The way she used to hold Kayla for hours.
The way she would sometimes stare at their daughter and whisper that she was grateful.
He had always assumed those words were about motherhood.
Now he wondered whether they had been about something else.
“Was Kayla the baby Brittany wanted Renee to raise?””
Linda shook her head.
“No.””
Darius turned.
“Then which baby?””
Linda pointed toward the photograph.
“The other one.””
He looked down.
The baby wearing the pink bracelet.
Linda continued.
“Brittany's daughter was eventually placed with another family through a formal process. Renee never adopted her. She only helped arrange temporary care while Brittany recovered and the hospital completed its procedures.””
Darius exhaled.
“Then why did Brittany keep saying she had a claim to Kayla?””
Linda looked at him.
“Because she never accepted that Renee had a daughter who wasn't hers.””
Darius frowned.
“Explain.””
“Brittany became emotionally attached to Kayla. She convinced herself that Renee's daughter should have been part of her life. When Renee refused to let her take over, their friendship ended.””
Marcus opened the old hospital record.
“Was there ever a legal guardianship agreement?””
“No finalized agreement involving Brittany,” Linda replied.
“There was a temporary proposal, but Renee withdrew her consent.””
Darius stared.
“Why?””
Linda's expression darkened.
“Because Brittany began telling people that Renee was unstable and couldn't care for her own baby.””
Darius felt sick.
“That's what the guardianship document was about.””
Linda nodded.
“She wanted authority over Kayla.””
“Why?””
“Because she believed she deserved it.””
Darius closed his eyes.
All those years.
All those warnings.
And he had allowed Brittany into his home without understanding who she really was.
Then Linda reached into her folder and removed another document.
“This is the part Renee was most afraid of.””
Darius opened it.
It was a letter.
The first sentence made him stop breathing.
Brittany has been telling people that Kayla is her biological daughter.
He looked up.
“What?””
Linda nodded.
“She started making that claim after Renee refused to let her remain involved in Kayla's life.””
Darius's hands began trembling.
“But Kayla is my biological daughter.””
“Yes,” Linda said firmly.
“Renee was her mother. There is no question about that.””
“Then why would Brittany say something so insane?””
Linda looked toward the doorway.
“Because she wanted something she couldn't have.””
A voice suddenly interrupted them.
“That's not true.””
Everyone turned.
Brittany was standing in the doorway.
May you like
She had returned.
And she had heard everything.
