My loss had been his joy, but I could not find it in myself to resent him.

“Did they know I was looking?”

“Not until much later.” Tobias watched me closely.

“They were told you had chosen a closed adoption and wanted no contact.

They were told not to answer any inquiries because you needed a clean break.”

“I never said that.”

“I believe you.”

He reached into his coat pocket and removed a small white envelope, worn around the edges.