Almost nothing.
The smile stayed but something behind his eyes adjusted.
“Oh?”
“Old photographs, mostly.
Some documents.” I kept my voice light.
“Did you know Frank had been married before he met my mother?”
Gerald set his mug down.
“Where did you hear that?”
“I found a birth certificate.
In his papers.” I watched his hands.
They were very still on the table.
“Her name was Catherine.
Catherine Reyes.”
“Frank mentioned her once or twice over the years.” His voice was measured.
“It was a painful chapter for him.
She passed away very young.
He didn’t like to talk about it.”
“Did you know her well?”
“Briefly.
This was a long time ago, Claire.”
“The birth certificate had my name on it.” I said it quietly, the way Frank would have said something important.
“Catherine was my biological mother.”
Gerald’s expression moved through something complicated and landed on sympathy.
