My mom looked at my dad and then said, ‘Oh, sweetie. We’re so sorry but no one thinks any less of you. They knew how much we wanted a baby and they’ve only kept it to themselves because we asked them to.’

I pursed my lips. It still stung that most of my family had known something so major about me when I’d had no idea. I thought about what Andie had told me about Uncle Vinnie pressuring her into not telling me about the photo. Even though I knew it was at my parents’ urging, my face flushed hot with anger. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to look Andie’s parents in the eyes at dinner. But one glance at my parents’ remorseful, fearful faces made me push down the resentment building in my chest. I didn’t want to argue about this at Gram’s house with the entire family just in the other room. While their decision to keep this from me for so long was highly questionable, the fact that they loved me was undeniable. They’d done their best to give me a good life, and possibly, kept me out of reach of a dangerous relative. I softened, letting the tension in my neck relax. I couldn’t hold onto this anger forever, and what’s more, I didn’t want to.

‘Well, you haven’t heard from me much because I have been really busy,’ I finally said after a long pause, hesitating on how much to say. ‘But not so much with work. I’ve been trying to connect with my fam—, my biological family,’ I said, catching myself. As frustrated as I was with their lie, I didn’t want to be hurtful. ‘I just wanted to know more about where I came from, try to get to know them.’

‘Did you find anyone? Oh, sweetie, please tell us what’s been going on with you,’ my mom said. The tears that sparkled in her eyes were enough to cause my words to spill over.

‘I found my grand uncle, Cris, and his wife, Rosie. They live in Connecticut and have been really kind, getting to know me and having me over for a few meals.’

‘Grand uncle? On your mother’s side?’ my dad asked, his forehead wrinkled in concentration.

‘Yeah,’ I said, lowering myself onto one of the stiff loveseats that was practically pressed up against the back of my legs.

The wall behind my parents was almost completely covered in gilded framed photos of the family over the years and I felt the burn of their eyes all staring down at me. I squirmed, crossing then uncrossing my legs. My parents followed my lead and took a seat on the couch opposite me.