The Day I Found You

“Give me my daughter, Austin. I'm leaving you. Leaving your life and your mistress.” Cynthia's voice shook, but she didn't cry,not this time. She stood in the middle of their bedroom with a small suitcase beside her and their three year old daughter sleeping against her chest. The little girl had one arm around her mother's neck, completely unaware that her parents marriage was falling apart. Austin stared at Cynthia,for a moment, he said nothing,his shirt was still tucked neatly into his trousers,his expensive watch rested against his wrist,everything about him looked controlled,except his eyes. “Cynthia,” he said quietly. “No.”She reply without looking at him,she shook her head. “Don't say my name like that.” “Like what?” “Like you still care.”She shouted at him back. The words landed harder than she expected,Austin looked away,that hurt more. Cynthia had spent the last six months trying to understand the man standing in front of her. She had searched for explanations, had blamed herself too,maybe she was too busy with the baby,or she had stopped paying attention to him,maybe marriage had simply changed them,but there was always another woman. A woman whose perfume Cynthia had found on his shirts,a woman who called him late at night,a woman who had once sent him a message that read, I miss you already. Cynthia had seen it,Austin had lied,She was tired of lies. “Go to the court and bring divorce papers,” she said. “I will surely sign it,and I will relocate to another country.” Austin's head snapped toward her. “Another country?” “Yes,“With my daughter?” Cynthia held the little girl tighter. “With our daughter.” “No.” Her eyes narrowed. “What did you say?” “I said no.” Austin walked closer. “You can leave if that's what you want,but you are not taking her away from me.” Cynthia laughed bitterly,“Now you remember you're a father?” His jaw tightened. “Don't do this.” “Do what?”She screamed. “Turn this into something it isn't.” She stared at him. “Something it isn't?” Her voice cracked. “You brought another woman into our marriage, Austin.” “She means nothing.” Cynthia went still. That sentence was almost worse than an admission. “She means nothing?” “Yes.” “Then why did you spend every thursday night with her?” Austin didn't answer. “Why did you buy her a car?” Silence. “Why does she have a key to your apartment?” "Give me answers to all my questions,"Austin. His expression changed. Cynthia noticed. Of course she did. She had spent years learning every small movement of his face. Every hesitation,every lie. “She told me you were going to leave me,” Cynthia whispered. Austin looked at her. “Who?” “Your mistress.” “She came to this house?“She came here yesterday.” For the first time, Austin looked genuinely shocked,“What did she say?” Cynthia smiled without humor. “She said you loved her.” He said nothing. “She said you only stayed with me because of our daughter.” Still nothing. “She said I was an obstacle.” Austin's hands curled into fists. “Where is she?” Cynthia blinked. “What?” “Where is she?” “You're worried about her?” “No.” His voice was cold now. “I'm worried about what she told you.” Cynthia stared at him. There was something strange in his response. Something she couldn't understand, but she had already made her decision. “I don't care anymore.” She moved toward the door. Austin caught her wrist,Cynthia froze. “Let me go.” “Listen to me.” “No.” “Cynthia.” “Let go of me, Austin.” He released her. She walked out of the bedroom,their daughter stirred in her arms. “Mommy?” Cynthia looked down. “I'm here, baby.” “Where are we going?” Cynthia swallowed. “Somewhere safe.” Austin followed them downstairs. “Cynthia, wait.” She kept walking. “Please.” That word stopped her,Austin rarely said please,she turned slowly. He stood halfway down the staircase, and for a second, he didn't look like the powerful businessman everyone feared,he looked tired,broken. “Don't leave tonight,” he said. Cynthia's heart betrayed her,for one stupid second, she wanted to believe him,then she remembered the perfume,the messages,the lies, and she looked away. “You had plenty of chances to ask me to stay.” “I know." “You didn't.” “I couldn't.” She frowned,“What does that mean?” Austin opened his mouth,nothing came out,his phone rang,the screen lit up. Cynthia saw the name. Victoria. She smiled sadly. “There she is.” Austin immediately declined the call, it rang again,he turned the phone face down. Cynthia shook her head. “Answer her.” “I don't want to.” “Why?” “Because I'm trying to stop you from leaving.” “Then you're too late.” She opened the front door,rain was falling outside. Austin stared at her. “Cynthia.” She stepped into the rain,he followed her. “Cynthia.Please.” She stopped at the gate. “Take care of yourself, Austin.” “And you?” She looked at him. “I'll learn.” She walked away. Austin stood in the rain watching his wife disappear with their daughter. He didn't chase her,he couldn't,because he knew something Cynthia didn't. Victoria had lied, but not about everything. Austin's phone vibrated again,he looked at the screen. This time it wasn't Victoria,it was an unknown number. A message appeared, "She has the child", A another message followed. "If she leaves the country, you'll never see either of them again. Austin's face went pale,he typed quickly. "Who are you? The reply came almost instantly. "Ask Cynthia what happened the day she gave birth." Austin stopped breathing,his eyes lifted toward the road. Cynthia was already gone,he called her, Once, Twice,Three times,but no answer. Then his phone rang,a different number. He answered. “Hello?” A woman's voice whispered on the other end. “Austin?” He knew the voice. Victoria. “What do you want?” “I need you to come to the old house.” “Why?” There was silence,then she said something that made the blood drain from his face. “I found the man who has been looking for your daughter.” Austin gripped the phone. “What man?” “I don't know his name.” “Victoria.” “He showed me a photograph.” “What photograph?” Another silence. Then Victoria whispered, “A photograph of Cynthia holding the baby.” Austin's heart pounded. “When was it taken?” “Twenty years ago.” He froze. “That is impossible.” “I know.” Victoria's voice trembled. “Because Cynthia wasn't the woman holding that baby.” The call ended. Austin stood alone in the rain,his wife's car had disappeared into the distance. His daughter's face flashed through his mind. Three years old,three years,Twenty years ago? it made no sense,l can't relate it very well. Then his phone vibrated,a photograph appeared,Austin opened it,his hands began shaking. It was Cynthia, young,much younger, standing outside a hospital,but she wasn't holding their daughter,she was holding another baby,and standing beside her was a man Austin had never seen before,except he had,once. In an old family photograph,Austin stared at the man's face,his father. A man who had supposedly died twenty-two years ago,then another message appeared. Your wife knows the truth. A second message came immediately after, and now she's taking your daughter to the one place you promised never to find. Austin looked toward the road again,Cynthia was gone,and for the first time in their marriage, he was terrified that letting her leave might have been the greatest mistake of his life.