White aunt gave birth to a dark-skinned baby. Despite her vows to never cheat, her white spouse left her. We never saw him again.
I work at a doctor’s clinic and noticed his name 18 years later. He brought in a young man who looked like my cousin but darker and taller, shocking me. Checking them in made my heart flip. He was Raymond Hartley. His companion was Malik Hartley.
Unable to look away. The child thanked me for directing them to the waiting area with a smile. His calm, deep, compassionate voice reminded me of my uncle—now ex-uncle.
I silently texted my mom while they waited. Who came in with a son? Uncle Ray. The boy resembles Natalie’s twin!”
Rarely, my mom responded slowly. Dr. Jensen buzzed and said to send them in before I could think.
As they entered the consultation room, my stomach twisted with curiosity. Throughout the day, I replayed that moment. Resemblance was too intense to ignore.
Nighttime call from Mom.
She angrily stated, “I don’t want you getting involved. What’s done is done.”
“What if Natalie has a brother?” I whispered.
“She doesn’t. Ray accused your aunt, insulted her, and left her when she needed him. We won’t let him back in.”
I knew she meant it. Still, something was off.
I spotted their file on the follow-up list the next morning. Curiosity drove me to open the intake form. Malik’s mother was deceased. Under ethnicity, he marked Biracial. My throat dried.
I couldn’t resist. Passing the open door, I looked in during their appointment. While Ray talked to Dr. Jensen, Malik read a magazine quietly. He glanced at me and nodded like we share a secret.
I did something wrong that night. Messaged Natalie.
My cousin Ray abandoned his daughter. She was in her second year of college, studying music and working part-time. We maintained in touch despite our distance.
“Hey… odd question. Ever wonder why you look the way you do?
A few minutes later, she replied. “Lol. Why do I look adopted? All the time.”
Paused, typed, “I saw your dad today. He entered the clinic. With son.”
Her response was delayed.
“He has another?” So she sent.
“Looks like you. Same smile. Same eyes.”
The silence was long. “Can you send me a photo?”
Can’t do that. Completely against clinic policy.
“No. Perhaps you should consult your mother.”
Natalie closed by saying, “I’ll think about it.”
Three days later, she arrived to my apartment with a backpack and tired eyes.
“I can’t stop thinking about it,” she remarked. I asked my mom if she cheated, and she cried. Her denial was nonexistent this time. I was even more curious when she responded, ‘I don’t owe anyone the truth anymore.’
I made her tea and told her how much Malik resembled her and how Ray felt fatherly around him. She stared at her cup.
“What if he left because he thought she cheated?” She whispered. “What if she didn’t?”
She slept on my couch that night. She requested the clinic schedule in the morning.
“I just want to see him,” she replied. Stop talking. Just observe.”
I advised her against it, but she was set.
She sat in the back of the waiting area in a sweatshirt at his next visit. While walking in with Malik, Ray didn’t spot her. Malik did.
He nudged Ray, widening his eyes. Ray raised his eyes. His face paled.
They were monitored from behind the front counter. Long silence hurt.
Lastly, Malik asked, “Dad… who is that?”
Ray didn’t reply. He stared at Natalie like a ghost.
She gently stood and approached. I saw her shaking hands.
“You left before giving me a chance,” she whispered. “Why?”
Ray appeared to faint. He sat heavily in a chair.
I believed your mother cheated. You looked unlike me. You were unlike her. It scared me. Angry. My family hated me when I left. I thought my actions made sense.”
Natalie sat across.
“You never asked? To test DNA? You just ran?
Ray regarded Malik. I didn’t want to mistrust myself again. I met Malik’s mother. She was aware. I heard something new from her.”
“What?” Natalie asks.
“She said people like us carry echoes of the past,” he said. “That skin tone is inherited. Her grandmother was dark. Son was lighter. It happens.”
Natalie was quiet.
“Mom never cheated,” she added. “You left her to raise me alone.”
Ray looked down. “I know.”
Malik peered between. Were you suggesting she was my sister?
Ray nodded slowly. I’m sorry. I should have tested. I oughta listened. I felt humiliated. Also, too proud.”
Natalie blinked back tears. “You lost 18 years. You missed everything. You missed prom, piano recitals, and my first heartbreak. You lose that.”
“I know,” Ray, voice cracking, repeated. However, I would like to attempt… if you allow.”
She remained silent. She left.
I heard nothing from her for weeks. One evening, she called.
“Malik messaged me,” she said. “He wants to meet. The two of us.”
I said nothing.
“I think I’m going.”
She looked completely different when I saw her next. Less harsh.
“We talked for hours,” she claimed. “Not like Dad. Kind He is. Thoughtful. He reads poetry. He found growing up with Dad strange because he never talked about the past. Never hung photographs. Lived like the past didn’t exist.”
I nodded, listening.
“He said something else. Two years ago, his mother died. Cancer. She informed him, “There’s someone you need to find,” before dying. A sister.’ So he convinced Dad to visit our clinic. He knew I might work there. He found me.”
That shocked me.
“So he planned?” I requested.
Natalie grinned. “Yeah. Malik apparently has a detective streak.”
What’ll you do?
“I won’t forgive Ray. Not yet. Maybe never totally. But I won’t penalize Malik for his father’s mistake.”
Summer brought additional meetings. They sometimes drank iced tea and laughed over family stories in my apartment. They tried to trace their features down through generations using Malik’s mother’s photo albums.
It was odd. But lovely.
Natalie then arrived with a DNA kit.
“I need to know,” she said. “Even if it’s 99.9% sure, clear that 0.01%.”
Results arrived weeks later.
The Day Truth Walked In
