The Girl Who Finally Spoke

Chapter 2 - The Ribbon On The Bear

Alexander waited until Lily fell asleep before confronting Elena.

She was sitting beside the child's bed when he entered.

"Where have you seen that bear before?"

Elena slowly stood.

"I haven't."

"Don't lie to me."

She looked toward Lily.

"Not here."

They went into the hallway.

Alexander closed the door.

"My daughter hasn't spoken to anyone since her mother died. Then you arrive, and within minutes she talks to you."

"That doesn't mean anything."

"You recognized the ribbon."

Elena's face tightened.

Alexander continued.

"My wife kept that bear locked away for years. Lily only started carrying it after Catherine died."

Elena closed her eyes.

"Because it wasn't Catherine's."

Alexander went still.

"What?"

"The bear belonged to me."

Silence.

Elena leaned against the wall.

Six years earlier, she had been pregnant.

She was twenty-four, alone, and living with her older sister.

Her sister's name was Catherine.

Alexander felt his stomach drop.

"No."

Elena looked at him.

"Catherine was my sister."

Alexander stared at her.

His wife had never mentioned a sister.

Not once.

Elena continued.

"When I was seven months pregnant, there was an accident."

"What accident?"

"A car hit me."

She touched her abdomen unconsciously.

"I woke up days later. Catherine told me the baby hadn't survived."

Alexander looked toward Lily's bedroom.

Elena's voice broke.

"I believed her."

"No."

"I left the country. I couldn't stay anywhere that reminded me of what happened."

Alexander shook his head.

"What does this have to do with Lily?"

Elena looked directly at him.

"When I returned six months ago, I learned Catherine had a daughter."

Alexander's breathing became shallow.

"You think Lily is yours?"

"I didn't."

Elena began crying.

"Not until I saw that bear."

Alexander stepped backward.

"The dates don't match."

"They do."

"Lily was born six years ago."

"So was my daughter."

"But Catherine was pregnant."

Elena shook her head.

"Was she?"

Alexander tried to remember.

Catherine had spent most of the pregnancy away from him, supposedly because complications required private medical treatment.

He had never attended an ultrasound.

He had never been allowed inside the delivery room.

Catherine claimed she wanted privacy.

At the time, Alexander thought she was frightened.

Now every memory felt wrong.

Then Elena whispered:

"There's something else."

Alexander looked at her.

"Lily called me by my name yesterday."

"You're wearing a name badge."

"I wasn't."

The hallway went silent.

Elena continued.

"She already knew who I was."