Chapter 4 Home

Inside the vehicle

- Is it always like this in boarding school?

- It's okay, it could be worse.

- Why don't you talk to the headmaster about it?

- I'm an orphan. I don't bring in as much money as the others. They do not have any sympathy for young people without a family here... If anything, it tells me to avoid them, that's all.

- You do have a family, Shahan.

- We will see about that... What will you do with Sara?

- ...

The answer couldn't have been any clearer. One look was all it took for Soren to let Shahan know that the situation was getting on his nerves, which meant that this person was not going to have a happy ending.

- Rest if you want, it's going to be a long ride.

Without making a sound, Shahan turns to the window and lets the wind slowly sway her.

- Here we are, sir.

At these words, Shahan looks up from his screen and peers through the glass. He sees an imposing house. It is the home of the Williams, her biological family.

After a few seconds of hesitation, she opens the door and gets out of the car.

- Here, let me help you.

- No thanks, I can carry it.

Shahan lifts her backpack from the trunk.

- The young lady doesn't seem too happy to be here, sir.

- She told me she'd turn back if she felt uncomfortable.

Once inside the mansion, the trio is greeted with curious looks and a falling cup of coffee.

- Sophie?! Sweetie, calm down, calm down.

- Shahan... This is Shahan. Maximus, it's her-she's our daughter.

The man, concerned about his wife's condition, hadn't taken the time to take a good look at the new arrivals, so when he turned his head towards the front door, following his wife's crying, he saw a young girl who seemed to be a portrait of his wife. As their eyes met, he felt it, that pang in his heart. He had no explanation, but one thing was certain: even without a DNA test, there was no doubt that this person was their little girl, their Shahan.

- Don't just stand there. Come and sit down.

- Yes, come. We have a lot to talk about.

In a room in the house

As the young girl lay on a bed, staring up at the ceiling, her mind drifted back to the conversation she'd just had with her parents. Although some of her questions had been answered, she was still left with many more to think about. The situation is simply unusual.

Flashback

- Shahan... you have never been abandoned. We've been waiting for you since the day we learned that your mother was carrying you.

- I have always wanted to have a little princess in this house full of men, so why would I do such a thing?

- The truth of the matter is, Shahan, you've been a loss.

- I've been what?

- Yes... You were born prematurely because Sophie had a car accident the day you were born. We'd just had time to name you when your mother fell into a coma.

- I was asleep for 9 years...

- When your mother had the attack which made her comatose, the nurses took you to the nurseries... Don't know what happened between then and now, but a few hours later, that baby I saw wasn't you. I saw a baby asleep with a wristband with your name on it, but it was not you. I didn't realize it with all the things that were going on. I wasn't thinking straight... This child... I brought her home thinking I was going to raise my little girl...

- When I woke up, I couldn't stop crying when I saw her. I couldn't understand why, but I was sure that she was not mine. I remember your eyes very well... that look you had from the day you were born, and that little mole in the corner of your eye. I was sure that she was not you. I was screaming so much that day that they had to give me a sedative to put me to sleep. Some people thought I had gone crazy, Shahan.

- For the whole week after she woke up, Sophie would repeat the same thing over and over. She was screaming that it wasn't her baby. I called a doctor and suggested a DNA test to calm her down... The result was a shock to my system. Sophie was right, and that's when it became clear to me that you had been switched. To this day, the details of what had happened are still unclear.

- Since then, we've searched everywhere for you. It wasn't until last week that we finally had a phone call from the business office with the news that they had a match.

- I'm so sorry, Shahan... Maybe if I'd been more careful, things wouldn't have turned out this way.

End of flashback.

On the one hand, she was relieved to know that she had parents who had always wanted her, and on the other hand, there were gray areas in what seemed to have happened. Someone had switched her out with a different baby. Someone had taken her out of the hospital and left her on the doorstep of an orphanage. According to the orphanage director, she had nothing on her at the time except her diaper.

Determined, she dialed a number that wasn't in her address book but that she knew by heart.

- I've got a job for you.

- Boss, you can't ask me to work when I'm on vacation.

- I need information on everything that happened before, during, and after the week of the X date, December XXXX.

- I may not have your IQ, but that's your date of birth. Isn't it?

- My understanding is that you'll have the information on my desk first thing in the morning?

- Heavens no, that's okay, I'm not going to ask any more questions. I'll send you everything as soon as I can... Keiko, whatever you are doing, take care.

- I know I will.

- Oh, it's that kind of talk that has us worried. By the way, when are you coming to visit us? It's been a long time...

Without letting the person on the other end finish, she turns off her phone. She makes sure to erase all traces.

She sits up on the bed. She takes a moment to look around the room. Apparently, it belongs to her. One of the shelves is filled with a variety of toys for children of all ages. They have not yet been unwrapped.

There is a knock at the door. When she gets up to open the door, she finds herself standing face to face with Sophie, her mother.

- Hmm... Hope I didn't disturb you.

- Not at all...

- You... I hope you like the room... I don't know what your preference is, so I've arranged it this way, but if you don't like it, please don't be afraid to tell me.

- It's perfect, thank you very much.

- It really is?! Oh, I'm so relieved to hear that. See the toys on the shelves? Didn't know where you were, but every birthday I bought you a present... I'm so sorry about this, Shahan.