— Here’s the address. Do you think I came because of remorse? No, of course. I came to finish the job.
To destroy both of you. Only now I understand everything. And forgive me.
I sincerely ask for your forgiveness. Your real girl is there. Forgive me.
Here’s the address. The woman shoved a piece of paper into Natalie’s hands. All this time, I was hatching a plan for revenge.
But it turned out that it was even worse for you. Really, I’m very sorry. Natalie sat on the veranda, closing her eyes.
My God. How is this possible? Mom, what did that crazy woman want? Did something happen? Something with Dad? — Emily asked fearfully. — Everything’s fine, baby.
Natalie stroked her daughter on the cheek. But at that moment, a whole whirlwind of thoughts swirled in her head. The puzzle finally came together.
All these 16 years, she loved her daughter. But she always convinced herself that Emily just looked like her grandmother on her father’s side. And everything was fine.
But indeed, the girl didn’t look like either her or John. The next day, after tormenting herself all night, Natalie couldn’t stand it and still went to the indicated address. She knocked on the door, but no one answered.
And suddenly the door swung open, and before Natalie appeared a girl with provocative makeup. But despite that, in her features, Natalie saw a reflection of her own youth. — Who are you looking for? — the girl asked.
— What’s your name? — Natalie barely uttered. — Jessica! — the girl answered. — Hey, lady, what’s wrong? — Do you think that old guy George came to me? No, he goes to my mom.
Don’t joke like that. She already gets jealous of me with her lovers. When I turn sixteen, I’ll get my ID and get out of here.
Natalie didn’t hear the last words; she woke up already in the hospital. In the corridor sat that very girl, her real daughter. — Who are you to her? — the doctor asked the girl.
— Nobody! — she answered with a sly smile. — Girl, do you realize you brought her to a heart attack? Oh, come on! I see this lady for the first time in my life. How stupid you are! You two look exactly alike! Why are you like that with your mother? Go to her, talk! — the nurse insisted.
Jessica slowly entered the ward, reluctantly following the suggestion. The lady seemed not to take her eyes off her for a second. Her lips trembled.
— Sit down, baby! Give me your hand! And Jessica suddenly didn’t want to be rude. She wanted this stranger woman to call her baby again. My poor girl! My daughter! Forgive me, please, for everything! Hey, lady! I’m not your daughter! Did you hit your head or something? Tears flowed down the woman’s face.
— You are my daughter, Jessica! My biological daughter! What nonsense? What are you saying? I came to see you. I didn’t know anything, believe me. I have a daughter, Emily.
And you? You turned out? And I realized that it’s all true. Everything that scary woman said is true. She did it with her own hands.
Jessica listened to this incoherent nonsense and remembered the words of the doctor and nurse. She saw it all with her own eyes but didn’t want to believe. Yes, this lady really looks like her somehow.
It was like looking at herself in the mirror, though the reflection was older. But there are so many coincidences in life. Anyway, she still loved her wayward mother, Val, that’s what she called her mother Val, and her father Gary.
Sometimes the parents separated, and then the cowardly George would come to her mother. He cheated on his wife, swore love to Val, but always greedily slid his gaze over Jessica’s young body. The girl loved both parents, but her mother was undoubtedly closer to her.
Mom always protected her from her angry and hot-tempered father, hiding her behind herself. When mom was sober, it was a real holiday for Jessica, although such days were becoming rarer and rarer. Natalie, after leaving the hospital, thought long about what happened.
She decided to tell John the whole truth. However, he, of course, didn’t believe her at first, calling it all the ravings of a crazy ex. John spoke so contemptuously about Karen that Natalie even felt some pity for her.
— You said you broke up with her, that she left for a lover? — she asked insistently. — Ah, I don’t even remember what I said then. Maybe that’s how it was.
The man brushed her off like an annoying fly. — I don’t understand why you need to stir up this old stuff? — Stir up old stuff, you say. — Our daughter is there.
My daughter, — Natalie said with despair. — And where to put Emily now? Send her to those alcoholics? I suggest leaving everything as it is. I consider Emily my daughter, even if she’s not blood-related to me, as you say.
She’ll just perish there, you understand? I thought you loved Emily, but apparently, you only love money, dear. What do you want to achieve with this? For the hospital to pay you compensation? Karen has no money; she’s been in psych wards for years. How can you? How does your tongue even turn to say such things? I won’t give Emily to anyone.
But Jessica needs to be saved too. And as for Karen, you’re a complete scoundrel. And don’t look at me like that.
You’re a real bastard; it’s you who drove her to this state. The proceedings lasted a long time and turned into a loud scandal. No one wanted this story to come out, but it was impossible to avoid the hype.
Newspapers quickly picked up the sensation, and the case gained wide public resonance. Journalists greedily savored every new fact, not missing the opportunity to inflate details to incredible proportions. A real Santa Barbara.
Newspaper headlines were full of provocative phrases. «Wife Avenged the Mistress,» «Children Switched in the Hospital,» «Princess and Pauper, Whose Truth Will Win.» In pursuit of attention, the press exaggerated various details, happily mixing truth with guesses.
For all participants, this publicity became a heavy trial. Natalie tried to shield Emily from the attention of journalists, but the curiosity of others penetrated everywhere. It seemed that everyone wanted to know how the fate of the two families would turn out now.
And there was no place to hide from strangers’ gazes and discussions. Jessica sat on the bank of her favorite river, pulling her skinny knees to her chest. She threw pebbles into the water and thought, maybe to hell with it all.
Or maybe, a wild thought flashed in her head, and then lingered, slowly circling. Maybe that woman was right? No, it can’t be. After all, Jessica looked so much like her father’s mother, and even her cousin aunt said that more than once while she was alive.
She claimed that Jessica was the spitting image of grandma paradise. Here you are, a fair-haired and big-eyed boy, rode up on a bicycle and stopped next to Jessica. It was Bobby, the neighbor and the girl’s best friend, even more than a brother.
She was ready to protect him from literally everyone and everything. When Bobby was little, his mother, Aunt Linda, often brought him to them. Jessica, being four years older, took care of him while Aunt Linda worked.
Jessica early understood where and how her mother’s best friend earned money. For the kids from this yard, it wasn’t something shameful or bad. They perceived it simply as part of their life.
No one exalted Aunt Linda, but no one condemned her either. — Tired, Lindy? — her not-yet-too-drinking mother would ask then. — Yeah, of course, even chafed my thighs! — Aunt Linda would answer with a laugh.