Unfolding Truths: KO x LMM

Six

The next night, Karen and Gracie sat front row at Hamilton. Gracie was over the moon excited and Karen wasn't happy about it. "Remember our deal, mija. After tonight, we don't talk about this show or Lin again."

"Si, Mami. I remember."

"Good." Karen said and got ready for a painstakingly long three hour show. They sighed and checked their watch. The show was going to start in 15 minutes. Lin came in and sat next to Karen. They sighed again, turning to Gracie. "Switch seats with me, mija."

"Okay?" Gracie questioned, not having noticed Lin sit next to them. She switched seats with them anyway. "I am so excited to see this show, Mami."

"I know mija." Karen said, trying to play it cool. They didn't want to say anything bad in front of Lin.

"Glad you're excited, kid." Lin said. Gracie jumped, turning to face him.

"AY DIOS MIO! YOU ACTUALLY CAME!"

"Yeah, I came. I told you I was."

"My brother," Gracie started.

"Don't." Karen started, giving Gracie a hard glare.

"Mami." Gracie sighed, looking at the ground. "Anyway, My brother showed me Hamilton and I love it. It reminds me of him now. I use it to keep his memory alive for myself. Mami doesn't like me talking about it, but she won't say why."

The lights started to go down and the show began. Gracie gripped the arm rests on her chair as the opening song began, her eyes glued to the actors on stage. When Mandy came on, Gracie cheered the loudest.

After the show, Gracie met Krystal and Aubin, taking selfies with the two of them. Then, convincing her mom, she got pictures and autographs from everyone else in the cast. "Let's go now." Karen said after the last actor had taken a picture with Gracie and signed her playbill.

"Hey, Karen, you live pretty far, let me give you a ride back to Washington Heights." Lin offered.

"No, thanks. We can catch a cab."

"Karen, that'll cost at least a hundred bucks. Let me drive you."

"Fine." Karen sighed. Lin smiled.

"So, why the Heights?" He asked as the three got into the car. "And why that specific house?" Lin knew why, he just wanted to hear Karen say it.

"I don't know. It's just a good neighborhood. And after Heights, I felt connected to it. Always wanted to move there."

"So," Gracie piped in from the back seat as they drove towards home. "Other than In The Heights, how do y'all know each other?"

"You never told her that we..?" Lin looked at Karen.

"No."

"Told me what?"

"Well, I'm telling her." Lin chuckled. "We dated for the first three years of Heights. From 2005 until early 2008."

"OH MY GOSH! MAMI! YOU NEVER TOLD ME THAT!" Gracie shouted.

"That is why I never told her." Karen muttered.

The group was silent until they made it to Karen and Gracie's. Karen invited Lin in for a cup of hot cocoa before he headed home.

"So, did you have us with a rebound guy? I mean, I was born November 6th, 2008." Gracie asked as the three sat at the kitchen table, unable to contain herself anymore.

Karen took a deep breath. They knew they had been keeping this for as long as they could. It was inevitable that it would come out eventually. "No. You aren't from a rebound relationship. No. Otherwise, you would've been Matt's. Gracie, meet your father, Lin...this is your daughter." Gracie put down her mug, as did Lin.

"We have a daughter together? And you never told me?" Lin asked.

"Mami?" Gracie asked, looking at Karen. "You told me that you told my father about us. That he didn't want us."

"Gracie, Lin, I'm sorry. Lin, you have to understand, our breakup was awful. I didn't want to risk getting my heart broken again."

"So you decided not to tell me about our kids and then what? Used the first fight after finding out to break up with me?"

"I didn't find out until after! But I couldn't bring myself to call you, to tell you!"

"You didn't know? When you left?"

"No."

"But then you should've told me when you did! I would have been there for you!" Lin was angry. "And why this house?! Why this one?!"

"Because I thought one day, you and I could raise our family here!" Karen finally admitted. "I chose this house when I wanted to move in together in 2008 because I thought it was the perfect place to raise a family! I wanted a family with you someday, Lin. But you didn't. And so when I found out after we broke up, I didn't tell you. I lied to everyone except for Mandy."

"Is Gracie's brother from Matt? Or James? Did you keep him from them or did they keep him from you too?" Karen's face showed pain.

"He was my twin." Gracie spoke up, seeing the look of pain on her mother's face. "He passed away last month. Mami thought that a change of scenery would be good for us. Manuel died a week after our 14th birthday."

"I am so sorry. To both of you." Karen whispered. "I should have told you both sooner."

"It's okay." Gracie whispered.

"You're right, you should have told me. We can't change the past, but now that I know, I want a dna test done, and I want every weekend with her. She comes and stays with Vanessa, the boys and I."

"As long as we don't have to go through the court, that's fine." Karen responded. "Who gets her for Christmas Eve and morning?"

"I do. Next year, you can."

"Okay." Lin nodded. "We can figure this out as we go. But for now, I need to get home and talk to my wife."

Karen nodded and walked him out. Coparenting, they decided, was going to be rough.