“Did you have a good childhood?”
It was not the first question I expected to ask, but it was the only one that mattered.
“Yes,” she replied. “My parents were wonderful.”
Relief and grief struck me together.
“Are they alive?”
“My mother is. My father died three years ago.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Thank you.”
She looked at Eric.
“You signed the consent form.”
He nodded.
“You claimed my birth mother was medically incapable of participating.”
“I was wrong.”
“You lied.”
“Yes.”
Chloe stepped beside Sophie.
For several seconds, the sisters studied each other.
Then Chloe gave a small, tearful laugh.
“You have my eyebrows.”
Sophie touched one eyebrow.
“My mother always said they looked permanently suspicious.”
“They do.”
Sophie smiled.
It was the first warm moment in the room.
I wanted to embrace her.
Instead, I asked:
“May I come closer?”
She nodded.
I stopped several feet away.
“I don’t expect you to call me Mom.”
