Page 75 of The Forsaken
“I’m thrilled to see you, Quinn. Or should I say Dr. Allenby? What an honor. I looked you up after I received your message. I’ve only just recently learned how to use Messenger. My word, you’ve come a long way from that squalling infant,” she said as she studied Quinn with undisguised interest.
“Should we walk, or would you prefer to find a shady bench?” Quinn asked.
“If you feel up to walking, I’m game,” Ms. Marks replied. “And please call me Hetty.”
They walked away from the memorial and deeper into the park. “I’ve only just found out about my sister,” Quinn began. “I had no idea my mother gave birth to twins. She never thought to mention the fact.”
“So you’ve met her then.”
“Yes, very recently. She’s not what I expected,” Quinn confessed.
“Few people ever are. I’m glad you contacted me though. I always did wonder about you girls.”
“Please tell me everything, as you remember it.”
Hetty nodded, a faraway look in her eyes as she recalled the details of that day. Her account was very similar to that of Reverend Seaton, and Quinn was disappointed that Hetty couldn’t add much to what she already knew.
“You see, I took a leave of absence shortly after the two of you were found. My mother fell and broke her hip, and needed looking after, so I spent nearly a year in Manchester. That’s where I’m from, originally. By the time I returned to work, your cases were closed.”
“Did you never look at the files?” Quinn asked.
“I was no longer the case manager, so I had no access to the information. Adoption files are confidential.”
“Do you know anything at all about my sister?”
“I know that she had surgery and remained in hospital for several weeks, under observation. By the time I returned, she’d been discharged and adopted. That’s all I can tell you, love.”
“Did she look like me? Were we identical?”
Hetty smiled kindly. “You were newborn babies. Even if you were identical, it’d be pretty hard to tell at that stage, especially as I never saw you side by side. I suppose you looked alike, but I can’t tell you anything more than that. I’m sorry.”
“Is there any way to find out who adopted Quentin?”
“I’m sorry, pet, but finding your sister won’t be easy. Had your mother gone through the proper channels, there’d be a record, and your sister would have had a surname at birth. As your mother decided to leave you girls just lying about…”
“I see. Thank you, Hetty.”
“I do wish I could help you. I always thought it was wrong that they split you up, but I suppose they thought it best to get you adopted as soon as possible without waiting for your sister to recover. Not many people wish to take on babies that are ill, and I believe your sister might have had a congenital heart condition. They thought you’d have a better chance on your own, and looks like they were right.”
“Yes, my parents are wonderful. I got very lucky. I can only hope my sister can say the same.”
“Have you searched the internet for a Quentin of about the same age?”
“I have, but no joy,” Quinn replied.
“What’s your next step then? Is there anything I can do?”
“I suppose I’ll visit the hospital where Quentin was treated. Perhaps someone might remember her, or maybe I can even getaccess to her file. As her sister, I could be considered next of kin,” Quinn speculated.
“Well, I don’t know about that, but you can certainly try. I think your mother might have a better chance, as the birth mother, you know.”
“Do you think so?”
“It’s worth a try, isn’t it? Oh, I do hope you find her, Quinn. I can’t imagine life without my sister. We’ve had our ups and downs, as sisters do, but there’s no one in the world who understands me the way she does.”
“Since Quentin and I didn’t grow up together, I can’t expect that we’d share that sort of bond,” Quinn replied, envious of Hetty’s relationship with her sister. She’d always longed for a sibling, but she was grateful for Jill, who was as close to a sister as Quinn could hope for.
“No, you didn’t, but you shared a womb, and parents. You must have something in common.”
