Clara pressed a hand to her mouth, a sob tearing through her throat. Relief warred with terror. Relief that Emily had never been abandoned, that her life had been wanted from the start. Terror that one truth could unravel eighteen years of love in an instant.
She pushed the papers back into the envelope, shoving it deep into her satchel as the front door slammed and Emily’s voice rang out: “Bye, Mom! See you tonight!” Clara called back something—she didn’t even know what—her eyes locked on the satchel.