Not My Mother Miranda Smith (chromebook ebook reader .TXT) 📖

more customers than I would have predicted. Mostly tourists, and part of me wonders if they’re here because they’re completely oblivious to Mom’s arrest, or if they came as part of some morbid spectacle.

Normally, Ava would spend most of the afternoon in the back room, but neither of us are willing to take our eyes off her. I wonder if this paranoia will ever go away. The DNA test proves Mom is my biological mother, that somewhere along this path the police have gotten something wrong, but this whole ordeal is still frightening. It’s clear there are manipulative people out there, willing to kidnap children. I’m just thankful Mom is no longer considered one of them, at least in my mind.

Between the DNA test results and my time at the hospital, I’ve had little time to think about Amelia. When I do think of her, my body seizes in sorrow. This woman—a perfectly nice and respectable woman—still believes I’m her daughter. She believes that the infant stolen from her all those years ago has been found. I know I’ll need to see her again, but it weighs on me, knowing she’ll eventually learn the truth. That I’m not Baby Caroline, and the police are no closer to learning what happened to her daughter.

“Martinez!” Des yells from behind, startling me.

A young woman walks to the counter. I hand over her pizza, and she pays. As she leaves, I look around the dining room. Lunch rush is officially over, and there’s only a few customers left. This might be the only chance I’ll get to find out what’s inside that storage facility.

“I’m thinking of grabbing lunch,” I say to Des, untying the apron around my waist. “Will you keep an eye on Ava for me?”

“I can make you something here,” Des offers.

“I could use a minute alone, really.”

“Take your time,” Des says, looking over at Ava in the corner of the room. She’s playing with a stack of blocks inside her playpen.

I bend down to kiss the top of her head before I leave.

The storage facility is almost forty-five minutes away. I’m not sure why I was expecting it to be closer. Perhaps I’m used to the convenience of North Bay, everything being exactly where you need it to be. I know I’ll be gone too long if I go now, but I’m not sure when I’ll get the opportunity to return. I’m not comfortable taking Ava with me.

I drive in silence, enjoying the gentle whir of passing cars on the highway. I’m about five minutes away from my destination when the phone rings. I fear it’s Des, already irritated that I’m taking this long to “go get lunch”, but it’s not. Amelia is calling.

“Are you busy?” she asks when I answer the phone.

“No. Just on my lunch break.”

“I’m never sure whether it’s a good time to call. I’m afraid of pestering you too much.”

“It’s not a problem, Amelia.” I’m uncomfortable talking to her now that I know the results of the DNA test, but I don’t want to ignore her. I’m hoping when the news does break, it can be done gently. “Everything okay?”

“Just fine. I only wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed having lunch with you this week. Ava is an absolute doll.”

“It was my pleasure.”

Even thinking back to that lunch makes my stomach ache. When she left that day, a big part of me believed she was my mother. That we were three generations spending time together, getting to know each other. It’s part of the reason I felt so compelled to seek out the DNA test on my own. I feel guilty, knowing I know the truth and she doesn’t.

“Are you free for dinner tonight? I know we’re trying to avoid being seen in public, what with the press and all. My hotel has an impressive room service menu. I thought maybe you and Ava would like to come over.”

“Oh, Amelia, that sounds lovely. I’m afraid I can’t tonight. It’s been a busy day. We’ve just reopened the restaurant since, well… you know. Maybe another day?”

I can’t ghost this woman, but I’m not ready to tell her the truth either. At some point we’ll have this conversation. I’ll make sure Amelia knows whatever horrible ideas she’s had about Mom are unfounded. That Mom was not the woman who stole her child, murdered her husband. But it’s tragic to know that person is still out there.

“Yes, yes. That’s perfectly fine. Are you sure everything is okay?”

There’s that fear in Amelia’s voice. She’s been so careful whenever we’re together, afraid of pushing me away. That’s probably what she thinks is happening now.

“I’ve loved getting to know you, Amelia. I’m just trying to get us back to our normal routine. We’ll see you later in the week. Is that okay?”

“Completely fine. You’ll let me know if you need help with anything, won’t you?”

“Of course,” I say, pulling into the storage facility complex. “I’ll call you soon.”

I sit in the car for several minutes, staring at the series of buildings in front of me. It’s a cement L-shape with a series of red garage doors in front of each unit. There must be dozens.

I step outside, looking behind me. It appears I’m the only person at the unit. I start walking forward, following the numbers until I find 308. I can tell we’re farther away from the sea here. The air is muggy, lacking the soothing breeze I’m so accustomed to in North Bay.

I reach my unit and plug in the code. For a brief moment, I hope the numbers won’t work. I hope this is a wild goose chase, mainly because I’m afraid of what I might find inside. No such luck. The screen above the lock turns green, and when I try the handle, the door pushes open with ease.

I remember Evan used to watch a show about these places. People who don’t pay their monthly fee get their units, and all their possessions, taken away from them.