“On one condition,” Dr. Hale said.
“On one condition,” Grandma repeated. “Total secrecy. Ruth would never contact the child. Never. Not once. And Frank and I would never tell anyone where the baby came from. If we ever broke that agreement, Harold’s lawyers would take him away.”
She looked down at the envelope in her lap.
“Frank came to the hospital that afternoon,” she said. “I called him at work. I said, ‘Frank, come to the hospital. Bring the car seat. Don’t ask any questions.’ And he came. He didn’t ask a single question. He walked into Room 214 and looked at that baby and started to cry. And he said, ‘Evelyn. Oh, Evelyn.’”
I couldn’t stop the tears anymore. They were just running down my face.
“Before they took Ruth home,” Grandma said, “she pulled me down close to her and pressed something into my hand. She whispered, ‘Keep this. Don’t let my father have it. Someday, he should know.’”
