Yep! I was the secret. My mother had an affair, left my father and three sisters while pregnant with me. She couldn’t find babysitters to watch me and my father said he would raise me with my sisters, not knowing I wasn’t his. I learned the truth after a third dna test, when a cousin from my biological fathers family messaged me asking me who I was. I told her I was looking for my father’s family, TAYLORS, mentioned his siblings names etc. Then remembered when I heard a rumor that dad wasn’t my dad, questioned my sister who said my mom told her about the affair, but a week later when confronted she told me “”as far as she was concerned he eas my father”. I accepted that even though my two other sisters didn’t like how she answered the question…..and forgot about it. After receiving the message from a cousin I didn’t know who they were and the time we questioned my mother….I had to ask my sister who was the man my mother told her was my biological father? She gave me the name and I told this person who messaged me on ancestry and she immediately messaged me back saying that na was her uncle. He passed away two years before I learned the truth. My dad who raised me passed away just after my 22nd birthday. My mother, who lied, passed away 4 years before I learned the truth. I was 52 and am still very angry that she lied.
Thoroughly enjoying what you've done with this! Have you thought of sharing your link with the Historical Fiction Book Lovers group on Facebook?
In this chapter, I'm a little confused at why it's important to say that Amelia didn't have formal training as a nurse in 1890. I'm thinking of Clara Barton who founded the American Red Cross before the US Civil War and of the many Catholic nuns who were effectively nurses in French Canada.
When I see something like that in a book, I begin to wonder if it's a clue that I have to keep in mind.
I added that detail about Amelia’s background because, personally, I was interested in the history of nurse training and when and how that came into being - a topic which I tackled in the next bonus content.
I also saw a link between Amelia and Aimee, and her choice to become a private unregistered nurse that comes later in time.
The detail wasn’t meant to disparage Amelia or others like her, or to foreshadow any fault on her side. I’ll go thru that chapter and see how it could have been written better to avoid that red herring. Thanks!
Yep! I was the secret. My mother had an affair, left my father and three sisters while pregnant with me. She couldn’t find babysitters to watch me and my father said he would raise me with my sisters, not knowing I wasn’t his. I learned the truth after a third dna test, when a cousin from my biological fathers family messaged me asking me who I was. I told her I was looking for my father’s family, TAYLORS, mentioned his siblings names etc. Then remembered when I heard a rumor that dad wasn’t my dad, questioned my sister who said my mom told her about the affair, but a week later when confronted she told me “”as far as she was concerned he eas my father”. I accepted that even though my two other sisters didn’t like how she answered the question…..and forgot about it. After receiving the message from a cousin I didn’t know who they were and the time we questioned my mother….I had to ask my sister who was the man my mother told her was my biological father? She gave me the name and I told this person who messaged me on ancestry and she immediately messaged me back saying that na was her uncle. He passed away two years before I learned the truth. My dad who raised me passed away just after my 22nd birthday. My mother, who lied, passed away 4 years before I learned the truth. I was 52 and am still very angry that she lied.
Wow that must have been a lot for you. I’m sorry.
Thoroughly enjoying what you've done with this! Have you thought of sharing your link with the Historical Fiction Book Lovers group on Facebook?
In this chapter, I'm a little confused at why it's important to say that Amelia didn't have formal training as a nurse in 1890. I'm thinking of Clara Barton who founded the American Red Cross before the US Civil War and of the many Catholic nuns who were effectively nurses in French Canada.
When I see something like that in a book, I begin to wonder if it's a clue that I have to keep in mind.
That’s a great idea, thanks!
I added that detail about Amelia’s background because, personally, I was interested in the history of nurse training and when and how that came into being - a topic which I tackled in the next bonus content.
I also saw a link between Amelia and Aimee, and her choice to become a private unregistered nurse that comes later in time.
The detail wasn’t meant to disparage Amelia or others like her, or to foreshadow any fault on her side. I’ll go thru that chapter and see how it could have been written better to avoid that red herring. Thanks!