Chapter 6: ## Chapter 6: The Father Who Was Supposed to Be: The Father Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
Jordan stared at the photograph on his phone as if Dead
Jordan stared at the photograph on his phone as if the man in it had just climbed out of his the man in it had just climbed out of his grave.
The picture showed a middle-aged man standing outside a brick grave.
The picture showed a middle-aged man standing outside a brick building. He had dark hair, a narrow face, and a small building. He had dark hair, a narrow face, and a small scar running from his right temple scar running from his right temple toward his eyebrow.
Jordan's toward his eyebrow.
Jordan's hands began shaking.
“That's him hands began shaking.
“That's him,” he whispered.
Michael leaned over his,” he whispered.
Michael leaned over his shoulder.
“Who?””
“Thomas shoulder.
“Who?””
“Thomas Carter.””
Denise made a choking sound.
Michael Carter.””
Denise made a choking sound.
Michael turned toward her.
“You said he died.””
Denise backed away.
“He did turned toward her.
“You said he died.””
Denise backed away.
“He did.””
Jordan raised his phone.
“Then explain why someone.””
Jordan raised his phone.
“Then explain why someone just sent me a photograph of him standing outside a building.””
just sent me a photograph of him standing outside a building.””
Nobody answered.
Jordan tapped the message.
ThereNobody answered.
Jordan tapped the message.
There was no name, no introduction was no name, no introduction, just another line.
*If, just another line.
If you want to know why your mother chose you want to know why your mother chose you over your sister, meet me at the old Carter you over your sister, meet me at the old Carter estate. Come alone.
I grabbed estate. Come alone.*
I grabbed his wrist.
“Absolutely not.””
“Someone knows his wrist.
“Absolutely not.””
“Someone knows what's happening,” Jordan replied what's happening,” Jordan replied.
“They might have information about my father.””
.
“They might have information about my father.””
“They might also be trying to hurt“They might also be trying to hurt you.””
“Then I'll be careful.””
Michael took the phone from him.
“You're not going anywhere alone. Whoever sent you.””
“Then I'll be careful.””
Michael took the phone from him.
“You're not going anywhere alone. Whoever sent this knows about the hospital records. We need to involve Patricia.””
Denise suddenly laughed.
It this knows about the hospital records. We need to involve Patricia.””
Denise suddenly laughed.
It was an ugly, desperate sound.
“You people was an ugly, desperate sound.
“You people are making a terrible mistake.””
Jordan turned toward her.
“Then tell us the truth.””
“I have told you everything.””
are making a terrible mistake.””
Jordan turned toward her.
“Then tell us the truth.””
“I have told you everything.””
“No, Mom. You've told us“No, Mom. You've told us whatever you thought would keep us quiet.””
Den whatever you thought would keep us quiet.””
Denise's eyes filled.
“I raised you.ise's eyes filled.
“I raised you. I fed you. I stayed awake I fed you. I stayed awake when you were sick.
I was there for when you were sick. I was there for every birthday, every school play, every broken bone. Don't every birthday, every school play, every broken bone. Don't stand there and pretend I never loved you.””
Jordan stand there and pretend I never loved you.””
Jordan's expression softened for half a second.
's expression softened for half a second.
Then he looked at the photograph again.
“Love doesn'tThen he looked at the photograph again.
“Love doesn't explain why you lied about my father.””
Denise lowered her head explain why you lied about my father.””
Denise lowered her head.
Michael called Patricia.
Within twenty minutes, she.
Michael called Patricia.
Within twenty minutes, she arrived with a legal assistant and examined arrived with a legal assistant and examined the photograph.
She zoomed in on the the photograph.
She zoomed in on the background.
“That's the old Carter estate,” she said.
background.
“That's the old Carter estate,” she said.
Michael frowned.
“My father-in-law's property?””
“Yes. It wasMichael frowned.
“My father-in-law's property?””
“Yes. It was sold years ago, but the building is still there. This sold years ago, but the building is still there. This photograph appears recent.””
Jordan pointed at the scar photograph appears recent.””
Jordan pointed at the scar.
“Could it really be Thomas?””
Patricia studied.
“Could it really be Thomas?””
Patricia studied the image.
“I can't confirm that from a photograph. But the image.
“I can't confirm that from a photograph. But there's something else you should know.””
She removed there's something else you should know.””
She removed a document from her briefcase.
“Thomas Carter's a document from her briefcase.
“Thomas Carter's death certificate was issued seven years ago. However, the signature death certificate was issued seven years ago. However, the signature of the attending physician doesn't match the physician's signature on of the attending physician doesn't match the physician's signature on any other medical record.””
Michael stared at any other medical record.””
Michael stared at her.
“You think someone forged it?””
“I her.
“You think someone forged it?””
“I think we need to investigate.””
Denise suddenly think we need to investigate.””
Denise suddenly sat down.
Her face had become sat down.
Her face had become almost gray.
“Please don't almost gray.
“Please don't go to that house.””
Jordan turned.
go to that house.””
Jordan turned.
“Why?””
“Because your father wasn't the man you think“Why?””
“Because your father wasn't the man you think he was.””
Michael stepped closer.
“What does that mean?””
Den he was.””
Michael stepped closer.
“What does that mean?””
Denise shook her head.
“Thomas was dangerous.””
ise shook her head.
“Thomas was dangerous.””
“Dangerous enough to fake his“Dangerous enough to fake his own death?”” Jordan asked.
She didn't respond.
Patricia placed own death?”” Jordan asked.
She didn't respond.
Patricia placed the documents inside her briefcase.
the documents inside her briefcase.
“We'll contact the authorities“We'll contact the authorities and arrange a safe meeting if necessary.””
But Jordan was already moving toward the door.
“I'm going and arrange a safe meeting if necessary.””
But Jordan was already moving toward the door.
“I'm going.””
I followed him.
“A moment ago, you wanted answers. Now you're risking your life for a photograph.””
I followed him.
“A moment ago, you wanted answers. Now you're risking your life for a photograph.””
He stopped.
“Aaliyah, that man might be my father.””
“And you might be walking into a trap.””
He took my hands.
“I spent thirty years believing my parents were Michael.””
He stopped.
“Aaliyah, that man might be my father.””
“And you might be walking into a trap.””
He took my hands.
“I spent thirty years believing my parents were Michael and Denise. Then I discovered my biological parents were strangers. Now someone tells me my father is and Denise.
Then I discovered my biological parents were strangers. Now someone tells me my father is alive.””
His eyes were wet.
“I need to know who I am.””
I couldn't argue with that.
Not when I had spent the last alive.””
His eyes were wet.
“I need to know who I am.””
I couldn't argue with that.
Not when I had spent the last few days discovering that the woman who raised me wasn't the only mother I had.
We few days discovering that the woman who raised me wasn't the only mother I had.
We agreed to meet Patricia at the estate the following agreed to meet Patricia at the estate the following afternoon.
The old property stood behind a rusted iron gate, surrounded by overgrown hedges and dying trees.
A faded sign still displayed the Carter family afternoon.
The old property stood behind a rusted iron gate, surrounded by overgrown hedges and dying trees.
A faded sign still displayed the Carter family name.
Michael looked around uneasily.
“I haven't been here in twenty years.””
Jordan stared at the house.
“Did my grandfather own this?””
“Yes.””
“And Thomas lived here?””
“Sometimes.””
We walked toward the entrance.
The front door was already open name.
Michael looked around uneasily.
“I haven't been here in twenty years.””
Jordan stared at the house.
“Did my grandfather own this?””
“Yes.””
“And Thomas lived here?””
“Sometimes.””
We walked toward the entrance.
The front door was already open.
Inside, dust covered the furniture. Old family portraits lined the hallway..
Inside, dust covered the furniture. Old family portraits lined the hallway. A grandfather clock stood frozen at 3:17 A grandfather clock stood frozen at 3:17.
Then.
Then a voice came from the darkness.
“You finally came.””
A man stepped into the light.
He was older than the photograph, a voice came from the darkness.
“You finally came.””
A man stepped into the light.
He was older than the photograph, with gray hair and a deep scar near his right temple.
Jordan stopped breathing.
with gray hair and a deep scar near his right temple.
Jordan stopped breathing.
“Dad?””
The man stared at him.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Then Thomas Carter smiled sadly.
“My boy“Dad?””
The man stared at him.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Then Thomas Carter smiled sadly.
“My boy.””
Jordan rushed forward.
Thomas caught him in an embrace.
I watched Jordan's shoulders shake.
Thirty.””
Jordan rushed forward.
Thomas caught him in an embrace.
I watched Jordan's shoulders shake.
Thirty years of unanswered questions poured out of him in one desperate hug.
But Michael remained frozen years of unanswered questions poured out of him in one desperate hug.
But Michael remained frozen.
“Thomas,” he said.
Thomas slowly.
“Thomas,” he said.
Thomas slowly released Jordan.
“Michael.””
Michael approached him released Jordan.
“Michael.””
Michael approached him.
“You let us believe you were dead.””
Thomas's.
“You let us believe you were dead.””
Thomas's smile disappeared.
“I had no choice.””
“You had a son smile disappeared.
“I had no choice.””
“You had a son!””
“I know.””
“You had a wife!””
Thomas!””
“I know.””
“You had a wife!””
Thomas glanced toward Denise, who had arrived glanced toward Denise, who had arrived behind us with Patricia.
Then his expression hardened.
“ behind us with Patricia.
Then his expression hardened.
“Denise was never supposed to be myDenise was never supposed to be my wife.””
The room fell silent.
Michael frowned wife.””
The room fell silent.
Michael frowned.
“What are you talking about?””
Thomas looked at me.
Then.
“What are you talking about?””
Thomas looked at me.
Then at Jordan.
“Before you hear anything at Jordan.
“Before you hear anything else, you need to understand that the two of you were never supposed else, you need to understand that the two of you were never supposed to be separated.””
Jordan stepped forward.
“ to be separated.””
Jordan stepped forward.
“Then why were we?””
Thomas looked toward the staircase.
“Then why were we?””
Thomas looked toward the staircase.
“Because your grandfather wasn't trying to protect his business.””
He paused.
“He was trying to hideBecause your grandfather wasn't trying to protect his business.””
He paused.
“He was trying to hide which one of you was actually his heir which one of you was actually his heir.””
Michael's face tightened.
“Richard had.””
Michael's face tightened.
“Richard had no legitimate claim to either child.””
Thomas shook his head.
“You still don't understand.””
He reached into his coat and removed a folded document.
“Your mother no legitimate claim to either child.””
Thomas shook his head.
“You still don't understand.””
He reached into his coat and removed a folded document.
“Your mother wasn't the only person who gave birth that night.””
Denise gasped.
Thomas placed the document on the wasn't the only person who gave birth that night.””
Denise gasped.
Thomas placed the document on the table.
“Renee and Denise were both table.
“Renee and Denise were both pregnant. But one of the babies born that night wasn't biologically related to the Carter family at all.””
I stared at him.
“What?””
Thomas looked directly at me.
“Your mother pregnant. But one of the babies born that night wasn't biologically related to the Carter family at all.””
I stared at him.
“What?””
Thomas looked directly at me.
“Your mother knew. That's why she took you.””
Jordan stepped closer.
“Dad, what does that mean knew. That's why she took you.””
Jordan stepped closer.
“Dad, what does that mean?””
Thomas opened the document.
At?””
Thomas opened the document.
At the top was a laboratory report dated thirty years earlier.
And beneath the heading Paternity Analysis was a name that none of us expected.
*Richard Williams.*
My the top was a laboratory report dated thirty years earlier.
And beneath the heading Paternity Analysis was a name that none of us expected.
*Richard Williams.*
My grandfather.
The man who had arranged the hospital grandfather.
The man who had arranged the hospital deception.
The man who had paid to keep my mother silent.
The man who had supposedly wanted me deception.
The man who had paid to keep my mother silent.
The man who had supposedly wanted me adopted.
Thomas looked at me with unbearable sadness.
“Richard wasn't your grandfather, Aaliyah.””
adopted.
Thomas looked at me with unbearable sadness.
“Richard wasn't your grandfather, Aaliyah.””
He turned toward Denise.
“He was your biological father.””
Denise coveredHe turned toward Denise.
“He was your biological father.””
Denise covered her mouth.
And then Thomas revealed something even worse.
“He her mouth.
May you like
And then Thomas revealed something even worse.
“He was also Jordan's biological father.””
