As The Mill Grinds

TIP OF THE ICEBERG CHAPTER 13

"Hey Zack!"

"Yeh dad!"

"Help me change around the bedroom for your mom. I think bringing the bed closer to the window will help her feel better."

"Ok."

Zack and his dad did everything to help ease Nancy of the household duties, since their visit with Charlotte and O'Brien, and she loved every minute of it. While she was out doing business they decided to help out at home by changing up the layout of the furniture. They moved the bed closer to the window and took off the sheets to wash, but something fell on the ground from the covers. Thomas picked it up.

"What's this?" He asked.

It was an envelope. He turned it over and examined it. Zack knew exactly what is was but forgot all about it being there. He eyed the envelope, and his heart hammered as he searched for a good explanation to why those documents were under the bed. He thought he could cover for his mom or just come clean. 

"Look dad, there's something I have to tell you about mom." He began, choosing to come clean.

"Huh? What is it son?" Thomas started to open the envelope.

"Um, here's the thing, mom um... I think that um... that mom has," Zack fought to get the words out.

Thomas held the documents upright and began to read the cover. "Adoption Papers? What is this?" He asked.

Zack's mouth and throat went dry how can he tell his dad that his mother seems to be hiding something from them.

"Hey all! I'm home!" Nancy shouted from downstairs.

Zack felt a chill ran down his spine. Finding out the truth was so close, but he wondered how his family would take it. He could hear her foot steps coming up the stairs, his mind went in a tail spin.

"Dad, I... I'm sure that mom has a reasonable explanation for those." He pointed out. "We just need to give her chance to explain. Ok?"

"Hi! Where is everyone?...There you are!" Nancy came in the room looking for them but never expected to find her husband holding the documents she thought she had safely put away. "What are you doing with this?!" She snatched the envelope and documents from her husband.

"What is this hon? Adoption Papers? Who's papers are they?" Thomas asked very confused. He reached for the papers but she moved away.

Nancy turned away from them and placed the documents back in the envelope. She was afraid that they would find out that she had been lying to them all these years. Her heart pounded uncontrollably. She wasn't sure if he had read the document. 'What to do?' She went blank and turned back to them. She even tried to speak but no words came.

"Look dad it's probably nothing. Don't forget that mom used to work as a social worker in um, um... what's that place called again?" He pretended not know any details.

"Barbados?" Thomas asked confused.

"Yeh! Exactly! Barbados!" Zack confirmed.

Nancy mustered enough words to speak. "It's ... It's been a long time ago."

"So why do you still have it? And why hide it under the mattress? Doesn't any of this seem strange to you?" Thomas asked. He was really trying hard to piece it together. He sat on the bed and waited for her to answer.

"Just think of it as a keepsake." She said.

"A keepsake?" Thomas didn't get it.

"Yes! Exactly!" Zack exclaimed. He was really trying to throw off his dad by agreeing. He too, didn't believe it was a keepsake, but there wasn't enough evidence to confirm his mother was lying or even telling the truth. He thought he needed to speak to Nadine and clear up the issue behind the photo and the adoption papers and how comes they were not processed.