The latch stuck.
I pulled harder.
Inside were photographs, envelopes, and a thick folder.
I picked up a photograph.
Mom stood beside a woman I’d never seen before. A little girl stood in front of her.
Tessa.
“Who’s she?”
“My biological mother. Michelle.”
I stared at the picture again.
“When was this taken?”
“Before I moved in.”
That made me look up.
“You knew Mom before the adoption?”
“When was this taken?”
“Yes.”
I grabbed the folder.
“What aren’t you telling me?”
“Belle…”
I opened it.
Inside were dates, signatures, and a stack of paperwork I didn’t understand.
“What aren’t you telling me?”
Then I saw a name.
Alex. Dad.
I held the page toward her.
“Why is Dad’s name on your adoption paperwork?”
Tessa closed her eyes.
“Answer me.”
Then I saw a name.
Her hands started shaking.
That frightened me more than anything else had.
“Was he your father too, Tessa?”
Tessa’s face folded.
“Yes. He was my biological father, Belle.”
I backed into the counter.
