This Life I Lead

Chapter 67

"What?!"

"Why didn't you tell me we were adopted?" Maddie repeated calmly.

Her siblings looked at each other in a panic.

"And don't lie to me."

They gulped.

"Well?"

"Why would you think something like that, Maddie?" Laura tried.

"It's a family secret, isn't it? Nobody's supposed to talk about it?" Maddie ventured.

"We're not adopted, Mad." Marc shook his head.

"You're lying to me!"

"I'm not!" He was.

"Mikey? Mal?" She looked at her honest brothers.

They grimaced as they looked at each other then back at her. But wisely kept their mouths shut.

"Marcy?"

Marcy crossed her limbs and looked away.

"Mercy?"

Mercedes swallowed thickly as she was caught up in Maddie's eyes. "Um..."

"Mercy!" Laura reached over to take her hand.

"She has no proof." Quinn added.

Maddie took folded pages from her purse and set them on the table between them.

Laura snatched up the papers and unfolded them. She gasped after looking them over.

Marc took them with a wince. "Damn!"

Marcy threw up her hands. "Why would they keep those in the house?!"

"Why do you think they were in the house?" Mike took the page with his name on it.

"Where else could she have found them? But the bigger question is why'd she go looking?"

"That is a great question." Mal took the page with his name on it. "Where did you find these? Why did you find these?"

"Carrie told me." Maddie lifted her chin.

"Carrie-?! Carrie told you?!" Quinn was flabbergasted. "You're not even talking to Carrie!"

"She thought it'd hurt me. Of course I didn't believe her but I guess I should have."

"How does Carrie know about this?" Mike didn't get it.

"Apparently Aunt Marigold was talking about it with Joanna at the beginning of the reunion."

"Why-?!" Laura was seriously upset. "Why would they be talking about it at all?! Why would Joanna know in the first place?! Why were they talking about it in public?!"

"We can't tell Momma about this." Marcy shook her head. "She'd kill Aunt Marigold and their truce would be over."

"I think we should tell her!" Mercedes was angry herself.

"That doesn't change the fact that you all knew but didn't tell me." Maddie brought up.

"Maybe we should get our parents?" Quinn tried to stall.

"No. I want you to tell me. To my face. Why are there these stories about us together as babies if we're adopted? Where did the pictures and videos come from? Who are those people?!"

"Maddie, calm down." Laura tried to soothe her. "You were doing so well."

"Well I had some time to calm down. But I want answers."

"Fine! You want answers?!" Marcy snapped.

Maddie's "yes!" overrode everyone else's "no!".

"We're all adopted."