Searching for my Identity

Chapter 32 Emotional Chaos Pt. 2

My beloved readers, thanks again for your patient and support. A big thank you to my lovely beta reader amys99999. She's such a darling person ;-) I can't thank her enough. But now I won't let you wait. The next chapter is waiting for you :) and don't hesitate leaving critics. It's pretty important to me

Max sighed and wondered what was going to happen now? The whole situation was quite unbelievable for him.  He just couldn't believe that he and Katherine had adopted a kidnapped baby nearly fourteen years ago. And now the alleged biological parents were staring him in the face.

"A court order? If you really want to do a DNA test, then it will only be done on my terms," Max demanded in a calmer voice and looked at Logan. "Because who knows if this lab is as reliable as you say. And I want Emma first..."

"Her name is Norah, damn it," Logan interrupted in a loud voice and glanced angrily at him.

"Logan please calm down..." Rory tried to intervene while still doing her best to calm Kate down.

"Why should I calm down? This is about our daughter, Rory. And her name is not Emma. You know that very well. Her real name is Norah Emma Katherine Huntzberger," Logan shook his head, and Rory closed her eyes for a moment. At moments like this, Logan was very much like his father, comprehensive and cold.

"Logan, please. We will listen to Max's terms, and then we can reach some compromise.  There is no need for everyone to get angry here," Rory said, freeing from Katherine's embrace and walking toward her husband.

"Why would..."

"Logan, I know it's not easy, but we're all in the same boat here. And if we were in Kate's or Max's place, we would also be fighting for our child," Rory stated, putting her arms around husband's neck, staring deep into his brown eyes.

Logan already knew at the same moment that he had lost when he looked into his wife's pleading blue eyes. "You're right Rory. I'm sorry Max. I didn't want to interrupt you. Please tell us about your terms."

"I know that Kate and I can't do anything if you press for a test legally. But I'd like us all to consider the repercussions of this test very seriously before we involve Emma...er, Norah. I am suggesting we find out the answers before we tell her. I could have the DNA test done in the lab at my work at the Vienna st. Joseph's hospital. If you really insist on a DNA test, I would rather do it without Norah's consent," Max insisted.

Ordinarily, Max was the kind of person who didn’t rattle or get emotional quickly. Which, of course, was a direct result of his profession as a doctor. As a doctor, you could not allow yourself to become too emotional towards your patients or their relatives.

But this situation overtaxed him completely. This was not about one of his countless patients. It was about his daughter, Emma. His precious, clever daughter.

"I will consent to the test here in Vienna, but I don't agree with not telling Norah about it. Max, there is no other chance,  we have to tell her about the DNA test,” Logan said shaking his head. “We know it won't be easy. But we all need certainty that Norah is my and Rory's daughter, even though I already know she is. If it’s ok with you, I’d like Nathalie to meet her sister.  But we need therapeutic support for both sides. Neither for Nathalie nor for Norah will it be easy to understand the extent of this situation."

Max glanced anxiously at his ex-wife. A sad smile lay on her lips, while she walked up to him and said, "I think this is a good idea and I don't want to fight with all of you. We're all grown-ups here and hopefully, we will find a solution that satisfies us all.  It hurts so much that everything just is falling down like a house of cards."

Logan and Rory looked at Katherine gratefully, and before they could say anything, Kate continued, "But we have to make the best of the situation. This isn't just about us.” She sighed and asked, “I’m sorry, but I can’t help but wonder why you gave up your search for Norah. Was it really that hopeless after the FBI closed the case? I apologize in advance if I open up any old wounds with it. I just want to know why."  

Logan and Rory were aware that this question would eventually come up. But nevertheless, they had still a hard time talking about it, especially Logan. Secretly, he blamed himself for keeping the stroller out of his sight for a few minutes.

But not only Logan had to fight with his inner demons,  Rory also couldn't forgive herself for taking that call at that time. A lot of things would have been different if that call hadn't been there.

Nevertheless, Rory had tried everything to keep Logan from not stopping the investigation for Norah, but her husband went through his own personalized hell and had turned into a second version of his father.  After several months had passed by, Rory gave up searching for Norah. Though there was never a day when she didn't think about her daughter.

"Logan and I were simply so trapped in our pain that after some time we stopped looking for her.  We had the constant fear of getting news of her death. Not knowing was almost better than hearing that.  Then we could at least keep the belief that she was alive,” Rory said looking at her hands.

“But we never forgot Norah. Every day we have a constant reminder when we look into Nathalie’s face," she explained to them while the first tears were running down her cheeks. Rory felt so lost and lonely at this moment. She felt guilt and shame for giving up.  

Logan took his wife in his arms, gently stroked her brown hair and turned his gaze back to Max and Kate, "Believe me, Kate, Max, if Rory and I had had enough strength to keep looking, we would have done it, but it just didn't work out. We experienced so many beautiful things in the last years. We even went on to have two other children, Grace and Jacob.
We never thought that we would have more children after Norah's kidnapping.” Logan looked at them sympathetically and said, “ I do not want to fight with you. I can well imagine how bad this must be for you.  And I am terribly sorry for that, but we are in our own personal hell as well.”

He sighed and said, “We'll consult Mr. Peterson, one of the best family law lawyers at McRae & Partner so we can discuss everything."

Max just shook his head and cleared his throat, “Well if this is your last word we’ll..”

"Max please don't start arguing again. We all have to accept this now.  And in the next days, we have to discuss the next steps. We have to find a solution.
If it's okay with you, I would suggest Sarah Camden and Paula Davidson as therapeutic help. They are some of the best children and youth therapists in Vienna". Katherine interrupted him and looked at him with a severe gaze.