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“And Mummy… I read the letter.”
Blossom couldn't breathe.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
She stood beside the small blue gate, holding her phone tightly against her ear while Efe watched her face.
“What did you say?” Blossom finally whispered.
“I read the letter, Mummy.”
“Amara, where are you?”
“In your room.”
“Don't touch anything else.”
There was silence.
Then Amara asked softly,
“Why didn't you tell me?”
Blossom closed her eyes.
“Tell you what?”
“That the woman who gave birth to me is not the woman whose name is on my birth certificate.”
Efe's eyes widened.
Blossom almost dropped the phone.
“Amara…”
“So it's true?”
“Listen to me.”
“No, Mummy. You listen to me.”
Amara's voice broke.
“I have spent my whole life believing that you were my mother. You were the person who carried me when I was sick. You were the person who stayed awake when I had nightmares. You were the one who paid my school fees and held my hand on my first day of school.”
She began to cry.
“So why is another woman's name on my birth certificate?”
Blossom's lips trembled.
“Amara, please come downstairs.”
“I don't want to.”
“Please.”
“I want the truth.”
Blossom looked at Efe.
Efe slowly shook her head.
Blossom knew there was no more hiding.
“I'll be home soon.”
She ended the call.
Efe stepped closer.
“You have to tell her.”
Blossom nodded.
“I know.”
“But you still haven't told me everything.”
Blossom looked at her.
“I was trying to protect her.”
“From what?”
Blossom's eyes filled with tears.
“From the truth.”
When Blossom arrived home, Amara was sitting in the living room.
The brown envelope was on the table between them.
Daniel was not home yet.
David was upstairs doing his homework.
The house was quiet.
Too quiet.
Blossom slowly walked inside.
Amara didn't look up.
“Mummy.”
“Yes?”
“Sit down.”
Blossom sat opposite her.
Amara pushed the envelope toward her.
“I found this underneath your clothes.”
Blossom looked at it.
“I thought you threw it away.”
“I lied.”
Amara stared at her.
“Why?”
“Because I was afraid.”
“Of me?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
Blossom looked down.
“Of losing you.”
Amara laughed bitterly.
“You already lost me the moment you decided I wasn't important enough to know the truth.”
“That isn't fair.”
“Then tell me what is fair!”
Blossom flinched.
Amara wiped her tears.
“Who is this woman?”
Blossom didn't answer.
“Her name is written here.”
She picked up the letter.
“Grace.”
Blossom's heart sank.
“Yes.”
“Who is Grace?”
Blossom looked toward the staircase.
Then back at her daughter.
“She was someone I knew.”
“That's not an answer.”
“She was my friend.”
Amara stared at her.
“And she gave birth to me?”
Blossom's silence answered the question.
Amara stood up.
“My whole life is a lie.”
“No.”
“It is!”
“No, Amara.”
Blossom reached for her hand.
Amara pulled away.
“Don't touch me.”
Blossom's eyes filled with tears.
“You are my daughter.”
“But I'm not your biological daughter.”
Blossom's voice became firm.
“You are my daughter.”
Amara shook her head.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because when you were born, everything was falling apart.”
“What happened?”
Blossom looked at the letter.
“Your mother was very sick.”
“My mother?”
“Yes.”
“Grace?”
Blossom nodded.
“She gave birth to you, but she couldn't take care of you.”
“Why?”
“She had no one.”
“And you?”
“I had Daniel.”
Amara frowned.
“What does Daddy have to do with this?”
Blossom's face changed.
“Nothing.”
“Don't lie to me again.”
Blossom looked away.
Amara noticed.
“Mummy…”
Blossom remained silent.
“What does Daddy have to do with Grace?”
Before Blossom could answer, the sound of the front door opening filled the room.
Daniel was home.
“I'm back!”
Blossom froze.
Amara looked toward the door.
Daniel walked into the living room with his work bag over his shoulder.
He smiled.
Then he saw their faces.
His smile disappeared.
“What happened?”
Nobody answered.
Daniel looked at the table.
His eyes landed on the brown envelope.
His face suddenly went pale.
Amara noticed.
“Daddy?”
Daniel swallowed.
“Yes?”
“You know about this?”
Daniel didn't speak.
“Daddy, do you know Grace?”
Blossom quickly stood up.
“Daniel…”
He looked at Blossom.
And something passed between them.
Something Amara had never seen before.
Fear.
Real fear.
Daniel slowly placed his bag on the floor.
“Where did you get that letter?”
Amara stared at him.
“It was in Mummy's room.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
For eleven years, he had hoped this day would never come.
But now it had.
Amara stepped closer.
“Daddy, who is Grace?”
Daniel looked at Blossom.
Blossom's tears began to fall.
Then Daniel whispered,
“She was your biological mother.”
Amara's heart broke.
She already knew.
But hearing it from her father made it real.
She sat down slowly.
“So why did Mummy raise me?”
Daniel took a deep breath.
“Because your mother asked her to.”
“Why?”
Daniel looked at Blossom.
Blossom shook her head.
“Don't.”
But Daniel continued.
“Because Grace was running from someone.”
Amara looked up.
“Who?”
Daniel didn't answer.
“Daddy, who was she running from?”
Daniel's voice became low.
“Your biological father.”
The room went silent.
Amara stared at him.
“My father?”
Daniel nodded.
“Who is he?”
Daniel looked at Blossom.
Blossom couldn't speak.
Amara stood up.
“Who is my father?”
Daniel's eyes filled with tears.
Then he said the one thing Blossom had spent eleven years trying to keep hidden.
“Amara…”
He paused.
“Your father is not dead.”
Amara's face went pale.
“He's alive?”
“Yes.”
“Where is he?”
Daniel looked at Blossom.
And Blossom finally whispered:
“He has been looking for you.”
TO BE CONTINUED…