Marianne lowered her head.
“Because the hospital made a catastrophic mistake.”
Nolan stepped forward.
“What about the doctor?”
Marianne looked at him.
“He knew there was a discrepancy.”
“What discrepancy?”
“The records didn’t match.”
She explained that the identification bracelets had been replaced, but the electronic records still contained conflicting information.
Then someone made another decision.
A terrible one.
Instead of immediately informing both families that an identification error had occurred, the hospital administrator ordered an internal review first.
“They were afraid of the consequences,” Marianne said.
“Consequences?”
“A lawsuit. A scandal. Their licenses. The hospital’s reputation.”
I felt sick.
“So they lied?”
“They concealed the error.”
“Where was Maisie?”
Marianne’s eyes met mine.
“She was transferred to another unit.”
“Why?”
“Because everyone believed she belonged to Rebecca.”
I covered my mouth.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“And Rebecca?”
“She was told her baby had died.”
The room went silent.
I thought of another mother waking up somewhere in that same hospital.
A mother grieving a child who was actually alive.
While I was grieving a child who might also have been alive.
Two mothers.
Two babies.
One terrible mistake.
“What happened after that?” I asked.
Marianne looked at Nolan.
“He discovered the mistake.”
I turned toward him.
“You knew?”
“I found out two days after your surgery.”
My voice broke.
“And you didn’t tell me?”
“I tried.”
“You didn’t!”
“I went to the hospital every day.”
“Then why?”
“Because they told me if I made the information public, they would say you were unstable and confused from the surgery.”
I stared at him.
“They threatened me?”
“Yes.”
“And you believed them?”
“I was terrified.”
He began crying.
“I had just been told I might lose you too.”
I wanted to be angry.
I was angry.
But underneath the anger was something much stronger.
Hope.
Terrifying, impossible hope.
“Where is Maisie?”
Marianne closed her eyes.
“That’s the part I couldn’t prove.”
My heart sank.
“What do you mean?”
“The hospital records were altered.”
Nolan nodded.
“I found a name.”
“Rebecca?”
“Yes.”
“And a location?”
He pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket.
I opened it.
There was an address.
My hands shook.
“Is she there?”
“We don’t know,” Marianne said.
“Then how do you know my daughter is alive?”
Marianne looked at Cody.
“Because of him.”
Cody frowned.
“Me?”
“You saw what happened.”
“But I only saw a baby.”
“You saw the correct baby.”
I stared at her.
“What does that mean?”
“The baby you saw was wearing a white blanket.”
Cody nodded.
“And you said she was crying.”
“Yes.”
Marianne’s voice trembled.
“That was Maisie.”
I felt as though the entire world had stopped.
“Why are you certain?”
“Because I marked her blanket.”
She reached into her bag.
From inside, she pulled a small photograph.
It showed a newborn baby.
Tiny.
Red-faced.
Wrapped in a white blanket.
Pinned to the blanket was a small yellow ribbon.
I recognized it immediately.
It had been tied around the blanket when I first saw Maisie.
My knees gave out.
Nolan caught me.
I pressed the photograph against my chest.
“She was alive.”
“Yes.”
“All this time?”
“Yes.”
I began sobbing.
Not the quiet tears I had cried every night.
Not the numb grief that had consumed me.
This was different.
It was pain mixed with hope.
Hope so enormous that it hurt.
“Where is she now?”
Marianne hesitated.
“That’s what we have to find out.”
We drove to the address that night.
Cody stayed with Grandma.
The house stood at the end of a quiet street.
Nolan parked across from it.
For several minutes, none of us moved.
Finally, I said:
“Go.”
He looked at me.
“You sure?”
“No.”
I opened the car door.
“But I’m going anyway.”
We walked to the front door.
Nolan knocked.
No answer.
He knocked again.
A curtain moved.
Then the door opened slightly.
A woman stood behind it.
She looked young.
Tired.
Her face was wet with tears.
“Rebecca?”
She froze.
Then her eyes fell on me.
Her face changed.
“You’re Jenna.”
My heart stopped.
“How do you know my name?”
She began crying.
“Because I’ve been looking for you.”
I could barely breathe.
“Where is my daughter?”
Rebecca looked behind her.
