“We have to find out more about our mother,” Alejandro suggested, his voice trembling with emotion. “She left us, but why? I need to understand.” Manuel nodded, his expression turning serious.
For the first time, they had a shared goal, one that gave both of them a new sense of belonging. Before they parted ways, they stood in silence for a long time. The park lamps illuminated their faces, and in that moment, they knew that whatever lay ahead, they would face the truth together.
After their emotional meeting in the park, Manuel and Alejandro decided to start their own investigation to find out who their mother was and what had forced her to leave them. Their first step was a return visit to the children’s home where they had been separated.
Manuel and Alejandro stood in the small office, surrounded by the old photos and dusty documents. The staff tried to help, but the archives contained only scant information.
“All we know is that you were found by a dumpster,” one of the employees said, holding a worn-out folder. “The case was immediately handed over to the police, so they might have more information.” She pointed to the name of the sheriff who had handled the case.
They went to the police department. The sheriff, now retired, agreed to meet with them. He was an older man with a sharp gaze and a gravelly voice.
When they explained who they were, he nodded slowly. “Yes, I remember that case. One of the strangest of my whole career.”
He poured himself a cup of coffee and began the story. “The night you were found, there was a heavy freeze. According to our records, a passerby found you, a man walking home from work.”
“He heard crying and, thankfully, didn’t just walk on by. He took you back to his place to get you warm and fed, and then brought you to the hospital in the morning and called us.”
“When we arrived, he showed us the spot where he found you, right by that dumpster.” The sheriff paused for a second, as if reliving the moment.
“The wind was piercing, and the snow was coming down so thick you could barely see a few feet in front of you. He said it was a miracle he got to you in the nick of time.”
The sheriff looked at the brothers gravely. “But that’s not all. That same day, just a few blocks from where you were found, we discovered the body of a woman. She had passed away. She had no ID, nothing on her to identify her.”
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in.
“We couldn’t identify her. She had no papers, and no one ever reported her missing. The medical examiner confirmed she was the one who had just given birth to you. The circumstances were tragic. It appeared she had succumbed to the severe cold shortly after you were born. We never found out why she was out there all alone.”..
