Chapter 6 — How Olivia Found David
Daniel looked toward Olivia.
“How did you discover any of this?”
Olivia sat down.
“By accident.”
She had been preparing a video tribute for Margaret’s retirement.
Former coworkers sent photographs.
Family members recorded messages.
Helen provided boxes of old pictures.
One photograph showed Margaret standing on a beach beside a man Olivia had never seen.
On the back:
MARGARET + DAVID — CAPE MAY, 1998.
Olivia asked Helen.
Her grandmother’s reaction immediately made her curious.
Helen explained only that David had been important to Margaret before Peter.
“Then Grandpa told me not to use the picture.”
Daniel nodded.
“That made you investigate.”
Olivia almost smiled.
“Obviously.”
She searched David’s name.
Eventually she found a retired architect in Portland.
Age matched.
Photograph matched.
She sent an email.
My name is Olivia Ellis. Margaret Ellis is my mother.
David replied the next morning.
Is Margaret okay?
That response immediately told Olivia something.
David did not sound angry.
He sounded worried.
They spoke by phone.
Olivia asked:
“Why did you leave without saying goodbye?”
David became confused.
Then told her Robert had said Margaret ended the relationship.
Olivia thought David was lying.
So she confronted Robert privately.
“He admitted it?” Daniel asked.
Olivia nodded.
Not immediately.
But eventually.
Robert begged Olivia not to tell Margaret at the retirement reception.
“I should have told Mom privately,” Olivia said.
Margaret stared at her.
“Yes.”
Olivia wiped her eyes.
“I thought if I told you, you’d refuse to see David.”
“Maybe I would have.”
“That’s why I invited him.”
Margaret shook her head.
“You don’t get to force somebody into closure.”
Olivia lowered her eyes.
“I know.”
Then Daniel raised one hand.
“And apparently I was the disposable chair in this emotional experiment.”
Olivia looked toward him.
“I’m sorry.”
“Why my seat?”
She looked embarrassed.
“Because you were originally sitting beside Grandpa.”
Daniel stared at her.
Olivia wanted David beside Robert.
She believed putting them together would prevent Robert from avoiding him.
Table 8 was already full.
So she moved Daniel.
“You manipulated the entire seating chart to create a confrontation.”
Olivia sighed.
“When you say it like that…”
“There isn’t a better way to say it.”