“Yes, it’s hard. But that’s why I’m here. My mother is from Maui, or at least that’s what she always told me. She met my father here, and then they ran away to the mainland, but she said he left us shortly after I was born. I’ve only had a name and never a face to remember. Now that she has passed, I’ve discovered that the name I had wasn’t actually that of my father. I have no idea who my real father is. That’s a big part of why I’m here, to see what I can find out.”

“What about your mother’s family? Are they still here?” Auntie Wang asked.

“I don’t know who they are,” Quinn said. “My mother was estranged from them, but she never said why.”

“There must be a story there, dear,” Auntie Wang said. “It would take a lot to divide a young woman from those who love her.”

Quinn shrugged. “Once I hit my teenage years, I assumed it was because she’d gotten pregnant and they had a problem with it, causing her to leave. I never pushed her for an explanation.”

Auntie Wang nodded, her expression kind and understanding.

“Would you like to share your mother’s family name?” she asked.

“It’s Senna,” Quinn said. “Elizabeth Senna.”

“Hmm,” Auntie Wang said. “I know of a few Sennas. I could ask around.”

“I’ve searched online but haven’t found anyone related to her. So I don’t even know if the name she used was real.” It felt frightening at first, talking about her life, but, gradually, the fear began to transform into relief. She was finally getting the words out.

“You have a birth certificate, right?” Auntie Wang asked.

“I do.”

“Have you ever applied for a passport?” Liam asked.

“No, why?”

He grimaced. “I hate to tell you, but if you can’t find any of your mother’s family here, for all we know, your birth certificate could be counterfeit. The only time they are examined closely is if you apply for a passport.”

“And your father’s name is on the certificate?” Auntie Wang asked.

“It says Wesley Maguire. But I know now that’s not true,” Quinn said.

“I can’t say I’ve heard of many Maguires on Maui,” Auntie Wang said.

Liam nodded in agreement.

“I know,” Quinn replied. “I’ve searched Wesley Maguires, but none of them could’ve been him. In Maui or anywhere.”

Auntie Wang shook her head. “Don’t read too much into that. Many people who would be in your father’s generation and older still aren’t online,” she said. “I am, but only because I’ve found it to be such an amazing platform to connect with family and learn more about our history.”