Page 53 of Brage & Dinah

Her mouth worked in worry. He waited, feeling the struggle going on inside of her.

"I remember a woman singing that song to me." Her gaze came back to him. "I think it was my mother."

He softened, bringing her to his chest. "Babe."

"Tony admitted I have a father who is dead. What if my real mom is alive?" She clung to him. "Why would she let Brad and Tony take me away?"

"I don't know." He stroked her back. "There are always two sides to every story. You've only heard Tony's side, and he didn't give you much to go on."

She raised her head. "I need to find out if she's alive."

"You want to find her?"

She shook her head. "I don't know, but I need to know if she's been out there all my life when I couldn't remember what happened when I was little. I need to find out why I'm living this way."

"I'll talk to Elling and see if he can find out anything for you." He kissed her forehead, her cheeks, and knew he couldn't mislead her. "You have to realize that there isn't much information to go off of. Your life with the Reed brothers wasn't official. Your birth certificate is fake. They hid that you weren't their blood relative. We don't even know how old you really are. I suspect they've forged documents to get you in school and to keep authorities away."

"I don't even know who I am anymore." She inhaled a shuddering breath. "You're the only real thing in my life."

"You'll find yourself." He wiped her cheeks. "You're strong. Beautiful. A hard worker. Smart. Do you need me to go on?"

She laughed sadly. "No, but thank you."

He kissed her. "Okay, let's get you inside the bar. Keeping busy will help you clear your head."

She wrapped her arms around him. "Will you stay at the counter for a little while?"

"I'll stay as long as you need me." He opened the back door of the bar.

"I might always need you," she whispered as she walked down the hallway.

He dropped her off in the breakroom and went into the bar. Sitting on a stool, he used the quiet before the doors opened to text Elling. His confidence that they'd find Dinah's mother low, he then called his parents in Norway, needing to hear their voices.

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