Adam leaned away from his laptop, massaging the back of his neck. He’d been sitting at the kitchen table, researching ways for adopted children to find their birth parents. There were adoption registries for people who were searching for their birth family. Social media was also commonly used.
Those methods took time, though, and they were going to see Benjamin tomorrow.
He and Molly had been a little stunned when they left Nonnie’s house the day before. They talked awhile by their cars, processing the new information. As far as telling Benjamin about his child, Nonnie had left that to their discretion.
Mr. Schwartz was old and in a nursing home. His health might not be very stable. And besides, what good would come from finding out he and Lizzie had a child out there whom he’d never know? They decided they’d wait and assess the situation before deciding what to do.
When Adam’s phone buzzed an incoming call, he was glad for the distraction. Deep down he hoped it was Molly. She’d said she’d see if her sister could work a little online magic today. Maybe Grace’s search had been more fruitful than his.
However, when he checked the screen, he saw it was his mom. Popping the little bubble of disappointment, he tapped the button to answer and greeted her.
“You must be feeling inspired,” she said by way of greeting. “We haven’t talked in almost two weeks.”
“Sorry, Mom. Things have been a little crazy lately.” He’d texted her at least. Since she’d helped them find Benjamin he wanted her to know they had located the man and were going to visit him soon.
“With your story, you mean? It’s going well?”
“Not that so much. Just . . . other things.”
“Could it have anything to do with your pretty innkeeper, Molly?” his mom asked in a teasing tone. “I looked up the inn’s website and saw her picture. She’s just darling.”
That didn’t even begin to describe her. “I actually moved out of the inn over a week ago. I rented a lake house.”
“Oh no. Did something happen? Not that a lake house doesn’t sound lovely.”
“It’s . . . complicated, Mom. And I’d rather not get into it right now if you don’t mind. I’d much rather talk about you. How’s your work going? Any new projects?”
“It’s going great. And yes, I do have a new family tree project. In fact, it turns out the woman’s uncle worked with your grandpa at the bank. Can you believe it? It’s such a small world.”
“You know what they say about six degrees of separation.”
“That’s true. And yet those connections always surprise me. I mean what are the chances that my client, a woman living in Idaho, has an uncle who worked with my father in Austin, Texas?”
Two things connected at once. Banking. Texas. Adam flashed back to Lizzie’s letter, processing all the information at lightning speed. His heart rate accelerated, and it seemed suddenly warm in the room. He stood and began pacing across the white tiled floor, assimilating the facts.
“Honey, did you hear me?” His mom laughed. “You’re plotting again, aren’t you? You creatives can be so hyperfocused. You surely didn’t get that from me. I’m as distractible as can be.”
“Mom . . .” The rush of adrenaline sent tingles through his limbs. “What was your mom’s name? Your birth mother, I mean?” He wasn’t even certain she’d mentioned it in the past. On the rare occasions she’d referred to the woman she’d always just said “my birth mother.”
“Well, that was out of the blue. Only reason I even knew it was because your grandparents felt it was important for me to have her name in case I ever wanted to search for her. They gave it to me when I turned eighteen, and as you know, I did look for her. Unfortunately, I was too late.”
“Right, but . . . what was her name?”
“It was Elizabeth Van Buren. Why do you ask, honey?”
Adam’s breath released in a great whoosh. A chill swept over him, and his legs trembled beneath him. He lowered himself into the nearest chair. This was . . . How could this even . . . He couldn’t believe . . .
Lizzie had given birth to a girl, and her parents had arranged an adoption with a banker and his wife from somewhere in Texas. His mother was adopted, and her birth date was May 3, 1965.
It seemed like an impossible coincidence that he’d come to Bluebell to research for his book and had stayed in the very building where Lizzie’s letter had been mailed.
And yet, he’d chosen Bluebell on his mother’s recommendation. And she’d come here because it had been her birth mother’s hometown.
Benjamin was his mom’s birth father. Benjamin was Adam’s grandfather. A fresh wave of chills washed over him. He blinked at the unfamiliar burn behind his eyes. His mind was officially blown.
“Honey, are you all right? Why did you ask about my birth mother?”
He sucked in a few breaths. “Mom . . . I have to tell you something.”
“Well, gracious, honey, what is it? You sound so serious.”
“You know that project I’ve been working on with Molly . . .”
“Of course. You’re going to see the man soon. What’s all this about? You’re scaring me.”
“Mom . . . I’m fairly certain the man we’ve been searching for—Benjamin—is your birth father.”
A heavy pause hung on the line. “What? Oh, honey, that can’t be. I couldn’t find any information about him at all, not even his name.”
“The woman who wrote the lost love letter was named Elizabeth Van Buren, Mom. She went by Lizzie. We have letters from her to her best friend. Elizabeth Van Buren was involved with Benjamin the summer of ’64—and she got pregnant.”
He went on to explain the rest of the story while his mother listened, probably in stunned silence. “We only just read the letters yesterday. We didn’t know about the pregnancy and subsequent adoption. I didn’t connect the dots until you mentioned Grandpa and his job at the bank. Mom . . . we’ve found your birth father.”
“Oh my word.” Her voice quivered with emotion. “Are you sure, honey? I mean, it all seems so . . .”
“I know. But your birth mother was from Bluebell. How many Elizabeth Van Burens could there have been in this little town?”
“You’re right. I know you are. I’m just . . . I have to catch my breath here. Did Benjamin know about the baby . . . about me?”
“No, he didn’t. Doesn’t. He doesn’t know about you, Mom. As far as Miss Nonnie knows, he and Lizzie never reconnected after she discovered she was pregnant.”
“Oh my. I’m just . . . I can hardly think straight. I’m shaking.”
“Are you all right? Are you glad to know? Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything.” But his mom had searched so hard for her birth mother. She’d surely want to know about her birth father. Her living birth father.
“No, honey, I’m glad you told me. I’m excited. And a little scared, I’ll admit.” She gave a choked laugh. “What if he doesn’t want to meet me? Is he married? His wife might not welcome this news. I probably have siblings—but they might not welcome the news either.”
“I guess we’ll have to play all that by ear. I don’t know what his health is like. He mentioned something about his heart, but I couldn’t tell if that meant he had heart problems. I imagine this will all come as quite a shock.”
“That’s right. You mentioned he was in a nursing home. He might be in poor health. Maybe you should feel out the situation first. I don’t want any harm to come to him, and I don’t want to cause his family any grief.” But he could tell by her tone the idea saddened her.
They talked it over and decided that would ultimately be the best thing.
Now he just had to tell Molly what they’d discovered.