There was Aunt Madeline, her sister Rose, Patricia Thornton, and a fourth woman whom I recognized instantly despite the passage of time.

It was Brenda.

She was much younger in the picture, but her features were unmistakable.

On the back of the photograph, someone had written a short message in neat cursive: Our very first joint restoration project.

We truly believed we were going to change the world together.

I felt a dizzying sensation as if two completely separate family histories had suddenly folded into one shared narrative.

“How could Gavin’s mother know my aunt Madeline for decades and never mention a single word to me?” I asked, my voice trembling with emotion.