Page 19 of Kept in the Dark

He had made that apparent since the twins were in diapers. It was no secret her father wanted sons to carry on the Gallagher name and family legacy. And much to his dismay, Morgan refused to have any more kids after almost dying while in childbirth with the twins.

Hailey checked her phone for the time and realized an hour had passed. She had been so immersed in her mother’s thoughts and life that time seemed to stand still as she read the secrets that were being revealed in the pages.

Moving to the next diary, things appeared to have settled between Morgan and David. Morgan’s entries had simply become that of daily updates along with any accolades David received as Mayor. The entries were still few and far between, but nothing was alarming.

Every so often, Morgan would make known her regret of dropping out of nursing school. She wholeheartedly wanted to be a nurse but was convinced David deserved a doting wife. So, she gave up her dreams for him. She wrote that she sometimes felt lost, as if she had given up a piece of herself and didn't know how to get it back.

As time went on, the once bubbly woman now seemed to be losing her love for life. Hailey hated that Morgan’s light was being diminished by the man who was supposed to ignite it.

Wanting to confirm her suspicions, Hailey began skimming the entries for anything that may lend itself to the truth of an affair. Much to her dismay, she found what she was looking for.

Dated two years before Hailey and Sara made their appearance into the world, Morgan wrote:

The love of my life has betrayed me. I’ve known for some time, but he admitted his infidelity and I can no longer live in denial. I can no longer make excuses and now have to face the truth.

The affair started shortly after we were married.

Part of me doesn’t want to live anymore.

And to make matters more humiliating, his mistress is pregnant. My heart has shattered into a million pieces. I have been trying to conceive for a year now and I still have yet to feel the kicks of a sweet babe. But how easy it was for this woman to conceive my husband’s child. I feel awful for feeling such hatred toward the unborn child; they have done nothing wrong. But I can’t help but feel that something special has been taken from me and my future children. My children will not be his first born.

I have promised not to divorce him under the condition that he remains faithful and leaves his mistress and his child. It is a selfish condition, but I feel no remorse in asking. David has agreed and we will move forward in our marriage.

Hailey’s jaw dropped and her hand flew to her mouth. She found herself heartbroken for her mother.

Looking back, she had seen her mother be the doting wife who made sure the family was taken care of. She was always by her husband’s side for all his events and campaigns and photo-ops; her arm linked in his, placing a sweet kiss on the cheek every so often.

That was who Hailey remembered Morgan to be. The loving and dedicated wife and mother.

However, the more she thought about it, the less she could recall any moments in which her parents kissed, or touched, or even laughed together. Sure, they were loving while in the public eye. But behind closed doors, the two were cold toward one another.

Now she understood why.

She then realized she had a half sibling. One she spent thirty-one years knowing nothing about.

Before she could read any further, she heard Trinity’s footsteps. Trinity was about to greet Hailey when she saw the diary.

Trinity perked up, her curiosity getting the best of her. “What’s that?” She quickly came and sat next to Hailey in the other rocking chair, eager to know more.

Hailey didn’t know how much she wanted to share with her daughter. She didn’t want Trinity to bear the weight of family secrets Hailey had desperately tried to shield her from. Nor did she want her finding out about new ones.

But she also knew Trinity would not stop pestering her if she didn’t give her some sort of an answer.

“Not much. Just some of my mother’s diaries.”

“Read anything juicy?” Trinity lifted a brow and rocked back and forth, wanting to hear more.

If she only knew.

Hailey kept her response short, hoping to keep the questions at bay. “Nothing yet, but I don’t think there will be anything interesting in there, anyway.”

Trinity gave Hailey a sideways glance. “We tell each other everything, remember? So cut the crap, Mom. I know there’s something going on that you’re not telling me. When we left Alabama, you claimed to hate this place and now all of a sudden you need to go get coffee with people?” She rolled her eyes. “Give me a break. What are you really doing?”

Hailey squared her shoulders. “There’s a lot of bad things that happened here and I don’t want you knowing about certain people or situations. When you’re old enough, I’ll tell you about it, but now is not the time.”

“When I’m old enough? When’s that, when I’m eighteen?” Trinity crossed her arms. “Does it have to do with my father?” It didn’t take much to get Trinity worked up and her attitude was a force to be reckoned with, compliments of Hailey.

Though Hailey was blindsided by the question, she shouldn’t have been since Trinity knew her father lived in Auburndale. She definitely couldn’t tell her about Trey until she at least told Trey…if she told Trey.

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