A Woman’s Granddaughter Was Drawing Their Family Tree When She Noticed a Woman She Didn’t Recognize – Then the Girl Said, ‘Mom Asked Me Not to Tell You About Her’

Why did Laura look more frightened every time I gave Vanessa a chance?

Laura looked more tense, not less.

“Now that it’s all out in the open,” Vanessa said, stirring her cup, “we can stop sneaking around. We can finally be a family again. And I’d love to be at Dori’s art event on Saturday.”

“We already talked about that,” Laura said.

It came out fast and flat, like a door closing.

“And I thought you’d reconsider,” Vanessa said lightly.

“No.”

“We already talked about that,”

The warmth in Vanessa’s face slipped, just a sliver, like a mask sliding half an inch.

“After everything I’ve done for you, Laura, I don’t think that’s asking very much.”

Laura went perfectly still.

I heard it. Oh, I heard it. “What does helping Laura have to do with Dori?”

“Nothing,” Vanessa said at once, too smoothly. “Mom, you’re misunderstanding.”

“We should leave it,” Laura whispered.