“I don’t need proof.” Mac got up and went to his study off the den, returning a minute later with a framed photograph. Linda knew exactly which one it was. “This was my mother as a young woman.” He handed the frame to Mallory, who gasped and then covered her mouth as tears filled her eyes.

“Oh my God.”

“I know,” Mac said, “right? The proof is in the DNA.”

Mallory ran her finger over the image of her grandmother. “This is unbelievable. I always thought I looked like my mother.”

“You do. I can definitely see her in you.”

“This is so amazing,” Mallory said, still staring at the photo. “To fill in these blanks… It’s so priceless to me.”

“I’m glad we were able to do that for you,” Mac said. “We’ll fill in a few more when you meet the rest of the family.”

“What do you think they’ll say when they hear they have a half sister?”

Mac looked to Linda to answer for him. “If I had to guess,” Linda said, “they’ll be surprised, of course, but Mac will be rattled to hear he’s not the oldest, and Janey will be a little disturbed to learn she’s not the only girl. If I know my kids, though, they’ll be welcoming and friendly, if a little hesitant at first.”

“Which is certainly understandable.”

“I’d like for you to meet them while you’re here,” Mac said. “We don’t keep secrets from them, so I’d rather do it sooner than later. Mac is already aware that something’s up. He knows me very well and could tell I was rattled after we spoke this morning. Would you be willing to meet them before you head home tomorrow?”

“Sure. I’d like that.”

“Okay, then,” Mac said. “We’ll tell them to come by at ten. Perhaps you could come a little later so we have a chance to speak to them first?”

“Of course.”

“Great,” Mac said with a big smile for both women. “Now that we’ve got all the business out of the way, I’m ready for lasagna. Wait until you taste Linda’s lasagna.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” Mallory said.

As she realized that Mallory was a nice person who wasn’t out to destroy her family, Linda felt herself relax. Tomorrow they would tell their children about Mallory and then figure out their next steps as a family. Though slightly apprehensive about how the kids might take the news, she decided not to get too far ahead of herself. They’d find out soon enough.

David finished stitching up the gash in Dan’s palm and applied a bandage that covered most of his hand. “Keep it clean and dry for the next couple of days,” he said. “I’ll write you a script for pain meds.”