Page 144 of Lee

“They went to their graves with your secret.”

Lee felt a pang of sadness that he didn’t really understand. It wasn’t as if he had known the women.

“Once a year, we sent pictures, videos, and a letter detailing how your year had gone,” his mom said. “They would go to meet with the detective to see everything, but they never took anything home. Your maternal grandmother died two years after the trial, while your paternal grandmother died three years ago from cancer.”

“She was a very wealthy woman,” his dad said. “And shortly before she died, she sent us a large sum of money for you. Over the years, she’d given us money to help with the expenses we incurred raising you. We saved that up and used it to pay for your college, and what was left went into the account with the sum of money she gave before her death.”

“When were you going to give it to me?” Lee asked.

His parents exchanged a look before his dad said, “We didn’t know, to be honest. Because giving it to you would require explaining where it came from. And the thought of telling you about your past was unfathomable. We knew it would hurt you, and that’s the last thing we want for any of you kids.”

Lee didn’t know what to say. Now that he knew everything, he understood why his parents had been reticent to give him the information. No matter how it was revealed, he would have been hurt and devastated by the news.

“I’m really sorry that you found out the way you did, son,” his dad said. “And if there’s anything we can do to help you process this, we’re here for you.”

“I think I need to talk to a therapist, but I don’t know who to speak with since I don’t want to reveal details to someone who might let it slip that I’m still alive.”

“We can help with that,” his mom said with a smile. “The psychiatrist we spoke to back when the decision was made to give you a new identity said she’d be available if, at any point, you needed to speak to someone. She knows everything and signed an NDA like the rest of us.”

“I think I’d like to speak to her.”

“I’ll send her a message,” his mom said.

“You’re not alone dealing with this,” his dad added. “We love you and want you to live a happy, fulfilling life despite how you got your start.”

“You don’t worry about me having similar tendencies to my parents?”

His mom vigorously shook her head. “Not at all. We had no reluctance in taking you in, and we resolved to love you and care for you and give you the life you should have had.”

Lee still wanted the life he’d dreamed of having before discovering what had happened to him and his biological family.

Was it possible?

Or was he being selfish and putting the people he loved at risk?

He still didn’t know for certain.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Rori put her notebook into her Bible cover and zipped it up. She had spent time reading the Bible and praying that morning after she woke up. But now it was time to get ready for church.

That week had been weird for her. She and Lee might not have ended their relationship, but things were far from normal for them. He’d returned to full days at work, and he didn’t look as haggard and exhausted as he had the previous week. However, he was still subdued, and she often caught him spacing out, like he was somewhere else in his mind.

And he probably was.

The news he’d learned had changed a lot for him, and Rori knew he was still struggling to cope with the information. Thankfully, while he might not be back to normal, he was back to talking to her every day.

She really missed his smile. But more than that, she wished that she could spare Lee from the pain that plagued him. It hurt her that he was hurting. Especially because there was nothing at all she could do beyond praying for him.

After she ate a bit of breakfast, Rori got dressed, then curled her hair and put on a little makeup. She hoped Lee would be at church that day. He hadn’t attended since he’d learned about his past. But if he was back to working full time, perhaps he’d be back to attending church, too.

She hadn’t asked, however, because she hadn’t wanted to pressure him to do something he wasn’t up to yet.

After she was ready, Rori gathered her things and headed out the door. Rather than walk through the gloomy basement hallway to the back entrance, she decided to head out the front door and then walk around the building to the small lot where her car was parked.

A sunny day greeted her as she stepped out of the building. Rori blinked a few times as she looked up at the clear blue sky. It was going to be a perfect day to go to the park, but she hadn’t decided if she’d join the others or not.

She probably should go, since she was building friendships with Carisa, Charli, and Janessa apart from her relationship with Lee. He didn’t need to be there in order for her to spend time with them.

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