I was surprised that Margaret knew my daughter’s name. When I asked how she recognized it, she hesitated and explained that she had known someone named Lisa many years earlier. She asked whether my daughter had ever mentioned a woman called Margaret. I searched my memory but couldn’t recall hearing that name. Margaret then asked whether Lisa had grown up in a small town outside the city. When I confirmed it, her eyes filled with tears. She explained that she had once been very close to a young woman from that town, but they had lost contact after a painful family disagreement.

Margaret suggested that we sit down at a nearby café. She wanted to explain something important, but she seemed afraid of saying too much before confirming a few details. Ellie sat beside me, holding my hand as Margaret described a friendship that had lasted decades ago. Then she mentioned a photograph she had kept for years. According to her, it showed two young women standing beside a little girl at a family gathering. When she finally opened her purse and pulled out the photograph, I recognized one of the women immediately. It was my daughter Lisa.