Denise covered her mouth.

“Oh, sweetheart.”

For the first time the possibility felt less like a theory and more like the outline of a lost life.

PART 12

No one hurried Paige toward a DNA test.

Violet and Denise offered family records and consent for a comparison if Paige wanted one.

She discussed privacy, expectations, and the emotional weight with a licensed counselor who specialized in adoption reunion.

“I don’t want a dramatic surprise,” she told us.