Daniel thought his life was perfect because he loved his wife, had a new daughter, and had a family baptism to celebrate. On the other hand, their younger child is less happy when the priest hugs him. He sounds like he’s saying, “This is impossible,” which makes everyone in the church cringe. As secrets are revealed, Daniel’s world falls apart at its foundations.
I sat at the window of the nursery and watched as the early light came in through the lace curtains and lit up Brittany’s cot in a soft way. I couldn’t keep my smile in check. This was all I ever wanted.
I felt like I was the luckiest person in the world when I looked down at my little, quiet girl. She was perfect in every way. “She is my little daughter,” I said.
For many years, I wasn’t sure if I would ever be able to meet this important goal: getting married, having a child, and living in a house I helped build. My first meeting with Nadine, which took place when I was a student, felt like a dream.
I still remember seeing her while she was sitting with her notebook on the stairs outside the library. She was unique, and I knew right away that she would always have a big effect on how I felt.
Making our lives more like each other was easy and quick. This is where we got married five years ago. It had been four months since Brittany, our beautiful angel, turned four months old.
If I had been happy, I would have been. I was thrilled the whole time. On the other hand, I had been dealing with a disturbing feeling for a while. Nadine had been quieter than usual; it was almost like she didn’t care about anyone.
Being a new parent, not being able to sleep, and the responsibilities of her freelance work were the main reasons. I kept trying to convince myself that these were the most important ones. Still, it was starting to annoy me.
It seemed like she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders when she stared at Brittany with her face tense. With that in mind, I didn’t know how to begin.
Still, everyone thought today would be a good day. This is where Brittany’s wedding took place. We could use this chance to honor her memory and start building the new life we will be sharing.
I turned my head to look at the bedroom. Nadine was still sleeping. She was hiding behind a cover and curled up like a nest, taking a quiet nap. The baptism might give her and her family the drive they need. It would be helpful to have something that makes you happy.
From the moment we walked into the church, we felt like we were at home. These things, the old stone walls and the strong smell of incense, were all very reassuring.
This place has been a top choice for my family for many years. This was something my parents did with each other. This is where I was baptized. Like most of you, I thought this was an important part of life.
Nadine had Brittany in her arms as she walked next to me as we walked. She didn’t say a word all morning, and her skin got paler. Worry was what I thought was going on. When there were big events like this one, she was always the quietest person there.
“You Okay?” As I asked the question, my chin was slightly tilted to the side until we got to the altar.
She smiled at me, but it was a small, hidden smile. And yes, I am just… a little nervous.
I nodded my head and gave her hand a light squeeze. It’s nerves. That was all that was true. Every little thing was fine.
As always, Father Gabriel was very kind to us when we arrived, and the ceremony started with the normal blessings and prayers.
I was very proud of myself as I stood there with my family. This was the moment I had been waiting for, the one where I could say, “We were successful.”After all was said and done, everything was great.
On the other hand, Brittany changed after Father Gabriel hugged her.
It became more and more clear to me that there was a small change in the mood during the event. The priest held her while his hands shook, and he never took his eyes off of her. He looked like he was dealing with a worry disorder.
“What’s incorrect?” “What is it?” I asked, but my voice was barely above a whisper because I was screaming so badly inside.
When Father Gabriel looked into my eyes, he looked worried, and his face was pale. “This is impossibility… this child…” He was unsure what to do when he turned to face Brittany. “She’s… my brother’s.”
I would cut off my limbs. I would not have been able to fully understand what he said.
“what did you say?” My voice shook as a wave of fear and confusion swept through me. What I was hearing didn’t make sense.
Father Gabriel looked at me and then back at Brittany. His hands were shaking even more, which showed that he was having a hard time staying calm.
The following is what he said. “We both have a special birthmark, my brother Matthew and me.” The tone of his voice was soft. “A mark in the shape of a circle found behind his left ear. It was passed down to us by our family tree. Besides that, Brittany also owns it.
It looked like the floor was giving way under me. I could feel it. not true. It’s not possible to do that. Brittany was both mine and hers!I turned around to face Nadine and saw that she was already turning away from me. Her face was as pale as a ghost’s.
After that, she ran off without saying anything.
“Nadine!!” When I yelled at her, she didn’t do what I asked. She didn’t even bother to look back.
The only sounds you could hear in the church were people talking to each other. I couldn’t focus on them even though everyone was watching; other things kept pulling my attention away. The rattle in my ears and the growing fear in my chest were the only things I could focus on. I also couldn’t concentrate on anything else.
In fact, this isn’t even really possible.
When Father Gabriel started to say that his brother looked just like Brittany when he was a baby, I could barely hear him. He said that this could not have been a chance. He wanted to make it clear that this wasn’t just a coincidence.
On the other hand, none of it made sense. Brittany was finally within reach. We were lucky to have a child together. “We were a family” .
On the other hand, my confidence was beginning to fade. I was on the trail of Nadine as she ran out of the church, my heart racing.
I began to shake all over our house as soon as I walked in the front door. I didn’t know what I would find. Nadine might be crying and about to tell me I was wrong about what happened. I had no idea what I would learn.
But my hopes were dashed when I saw her getting ready to leave by packing her things into a bag in our bedroom.
“You are not leaving,” I said in a low voice that was hard to hear. “You are not leaving.” Not until you tell me the truth.
It didn’t seem like she even bothered to look at me. Even though her hands were shaking, she kept packing and putting things in the bag. “Daniel, I,”
“Is it accurate?” I yelled, my voice rising to its highest pitch, “When the anger finally boiled over!” “Is Brittany… not mine?”
Her actions ended. For a moment, there was no sound in the room. With tears running down her face and fire in her eyes, she slowly turned around.
mumbling, “I am going to be so sorry.” “I never wanted for you to find out like this.”
“Find out like this!” As I spoke over and over, my voice got shaky. “How on earth were you expecting that I would come upon this knowledge?”What happened to her after she finished high school?
As Nadine looked at the ground, she began to shake. Because it was hard to hear her, she said, “I wasn’t sure how to inform you.” Matthew told Daniel, “I made a mistake. It just happened, and I was alone at the time.”
“That just happened.” It made me laugh badly, even though the sound was simple and bad. A mistake is something that you do only once. Is this what it is? Nadine, this is our whole life. Was every single thing we made up a lie?
She was so upset that she was crying out in pain and her head was shaking. “Daniel, I treasure you.” Please know that I never meant to make your life bad.
I looked at you and said, “You have already made me useless.”
No one has anything else to say about that. That the truth had been exposed, and that it had affected every part of me, leaving nothing but ashes behind.
Nadine lied to me and broke our wedding vows, even though I really thought she was my true love.
She was leaving right now, taking with her the traces of our lives. I saw her take the ring off her finger and put it on the table.
“What about Brittany?” . You will also be going with her.
As she stood in the hallway, she realized she couldn’t move and let out a deep gasp. “I’m…” It’s become clear to me over the past few months that I’m not cut out to be a mother. I’m sorry about what happened. Making things even worse for me is the road I’m going to take from now on.
The facts I learned shocked me, but Nadine had already left before I could say anything.
When I got home that night, the house looked just like it had when I had seen it.
Brittany was sound asleep in her bassinet upstairs, and I was just looking at nothing in the living room. It didn’t make any sense to me. What happened so quickly? For a split second, I thought I was the happiest person in the world. That’s when I found out my whole life was a lie.
I tried to forget what Father Gabriel said, but I just couldn’t.The person in question is a sibling’s sister. By law, I wasn’t in Brittany. On the other hand, every time I thought about leaving her, my heart hurt in a way I couldn’t describe.
She was my kid even though she wasn’t related to me in any way. I was there to give her food, peace, and physical support while she couldn’t sleep. I was also there when she was born. She had never had a different parent.
Next, I went to a higher floor and opened her room’s door quietly. She looked very calm, and her little chest moved up and down with each breath. In my neck, I tensed up as I sat next to her crib.
Thoughts of tears filled my eyes as I whispered, “You are mine.” “You’re mine whatever.”
At that exact moment, I understood that biology could not fully explain what love is. Blood wasn’t the problem at the moment. It came down to proving one’s presence, being there, and giving away everything one had.
I wasn’t going to leave Brittany; I had to help her.
Thought, “This is what God decided,” and I held her close.
At that very moment, I knew this was my fate and I would not give up on it.
