The Photograph That Led Me to My Twins—and the Letters My Mother Hid for Three Years

We started with park outings and occasional lunches.

Sometimes the children ignored me and ran to Lucas.

Sometimes Maya wanted me to read the same picture book three times.

Caleb made me rebuild the toy train bridge after he knocked it down.

Those afternoons did not resemble the dramatic reunion I had imagined from a photograph.

They were better because they were real.

My mother asked repeatedly when she could meet the twins.

I told her the decision belonged to Savannah and the children’s established parents, and that she should not contact the family independently.