Richard had been so excited about our adoption. He couldn’t stop looking at Jennifer, and his joy was contagious. But Jennifer remained cautious, clinging to me as if unsure of her place in our family. During a family outing to get ice cream, I noticed how uneasy she seemed, especially around Richard. She barely spoke to him and kept close to my side, which only heightened my suspicions.

That night, Jennifer’s warning kept echoing in my mind. The next day, I overheard Richard on the phone, speaking in a tense, low voice. He mentioned that Jennifer might tell me something, and that it was hard to keep things “under wraps.” My heart raced as I wondered what he could be hiding from me.

I confronted Richard later, demanding answers about what he was keeping from me. He seemed caught off guard but eventually explained that he had been planning a surprise party for Jennifer’s first birthday. He didn’t want her to accidentally spoil the surprise, so he’d kept it a secret.