He Raised the Cup With His Mistress, But the Boy Was Mine novel · Chapter 30 of 32

Chapter 30: Two Mamas

"No, buddy," Shelby said, before any of us could. "Grandma isn't in jail because of you. Not one tiny bit."

She sat down on the hallway floor so her face was level with his.

Ty and I sat down too, on either side of her, in our good clothes on the worn rug.

Eli looked at the three of us, one at a time.

"Then why?"

"Grandma did something very wrong," Ty said. "A long time ago, before you could walk. She lied to a lot of people, and she hurt them."

"Did she lie to me?"

"Yes," I said. "She lied to all of us."

His lip wobbled, and he squeezed Gary against his chest.

"Eli," Shelby said, and her voice shook and then steadied. "Do you remember when you asked me where babies come from?"

"From their mommy's tummy."

"That's right."

"And I came from yours."

Shelby took a breath.

"No, baby. You came from Lena's."

He stared at her.

Then he turned his head and stared at me for a long time.

"My ear's the same as hers," he said slowly.

I laughed, and it came out as a sob.

"It is," I said. "We both pull it when we're nervous."

"I know. I saw you do it at the parade."

I hadn't known he had.

"The day you were born, there was a mix-up at the hospital," Shelby said. "A very big one. Grandma made it on purpose, and she told us both a story that wasn't true.

"You were Lena's baby, and Lena was told you had died. I was given you, and I thought you were mine."

"Was I yours?"

"Every day since," Shelby said. "I never stopped being yours. I just wasn't the one who carried you."

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