“I understand.”
“I don’t hate you now.”
Darius began crying.
Caleb continued.
“But I’m keeping my last name.”
Darius laughed through tears.
“Okay.”
“And Mom is my mom.”
“Always.”
“And Simone is my biological mom.”
“Yes.”
“And Jonathan was my biological dad.”
“Yes.”
“And you’re…”
Caleb paused.
Darius waited.
“My dad too.”
Darius covered his mouth.
Caleb looked uncomfortable with the emotion.
“So are we leaving or what?”
Darius laughed.
“Yeah.”
As Caleb walked toward the door, Darius carefully folded the drawing.
Then he tucked it into his jacket pocket.
Like something sacred.
I thought that was the end of the story.
It wasn’t.
Because eighteen months after Simone’s conviction, Rachel called me unexpectedly.
“There’s one more thing.”
I almost laughed.
“Please never start a conversation with me that way.”
“I’m serious.”
“What now?”
“A sealed Greenhaven record was released.”
My stomach dropped.
