I knew about the fire.
Everyone who grew up in town did.
Three infants died.Shop Baby Gear
Several nurses were injured.
One lawsuit had nearly closed St.
Anne’s.
My mother had never talked about it.
Evelyn continued.
“Your mother was there.”
I swallowed.
“So was mine.”
She pulled another document from the envelope.
An old newspaper clipping.
The headline read:
NURSES RESCUE INFANTS FROM ST.Shop Baby Gear
ANNE’S FIRE
There was a grainy photograph.
My mother.Track Pregnancy
Margaret.
Another nurse.
And three babies wrapped in blankets.
I stared at it.
“My mother saved babies?”
“She saved one in particular.”
My pulse quickened.
Evelyn looked straight at me.
“You.”
Everything inside me stopped.
I laughed nervously.
“No.
I wasn’t born at St.
Anne’s.”
“Yes, you were.”
“My birth certificate says County Memorial.”
“That certificate was amended.”
My mouth went dry.
“What are you saying?”
Evelyn pushed another paper toward me.
It was a copy of a hospital record.
Infant female.Shop Baby Gear
Temporary name: Baby Jane.
Date of birth.
My birthday.
Mother listed as:
Unknown.
I looked at Evelyn.
“No.”
She nodded slowly.
“Your mother wasn’t your biological mother.”
