The Man Named Samuel Reed
Chapter 08 - The Man Named Samuel Reed
The name was Samuel Reed.
Marisol knew it.
Not well, but enough.
Samuel had been a family attorney in their hometown before retiring to a small community two hours away.
More importantly, he had been one of the last people to see Lily before she disappeared.
The following morning, Ethan wanted to find him.
Thomas offered to drive.
Ethan refused.
Marisol finally intervened.
“You two can spend the next twenty years being angry, or you can get into the same car for two hours.”
Ethan chose the passenger seat.
The drive was uncomfortable.
Thomas tried twice to speak.
Ethan stared out the window.
Finally Thomas said, “I don't expect you to call me Dad.”
“Good.”
“I don't expect forgiveness either.”
Ethan turned.
“Then what do you expect?”
Thomas kept his eyes on the road.
“A chance to answer questions.”
Ethan's voice hardened.
“You didn't even know I existed.”
“I should have.”
“That isn't the same thing.”
“No.”
Thomas nodded.
“It isn't.”
The honesty caught Ethan off guard.
They found Samuel living in a modest retirement community.
The seventy-eight-year-old man opened his door, saw Ethan, and nearly dropped his coffee.
“Lily's boy.”
Ethan froze.
“You know me?”
“I held you when you were three days old.”
Thomas stepped forward.
Samuel's expression changed.
“You.”
Thomas said nothing.
Samuel looked between them.
“So Margaret finally lost control of the truth.”
Inside, Samuel opened an old metal document box.
He explained that Lily had come to him before leaving town.
She wanted legal protection for her child.
She feared Margaret would try to take Ethan.
Samuel had helped Lily disappear safely.
Thomas looked stunned.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
Samuel's eyes hardened.
“Because Lily made me promise.”
“Why?”
Samuel hesitated.
“Because she eventually learned something worse than the forged letters.”
Ethan leaned forward.
“What?”
Samuel removed a sealed document.
“Your mother didn't stay away because she thought Thomas stopped loving her.”
May you like
He placed the paper on the table.
“She stayed away because she believed returning would destroy Marisol's life.”
