Chapter 1
Questions
Ashley Chapman
Swarthmore College, Four Years Ago
Ashley Chapman was a senior at Swarthmore when she and her college friends approached the idea of ancestry lineage reports with lighthearted curiosity, joking about the possibility of dating a relative and seeking explanations for endearing personality quirks they all had.
They made a pact to read their results in Ashley’s dorm room.
The day the results came back, the girls brought in their laptops and sat on the bed and floor, eager to learn more about their heritage.
The atmosphere was charged with excitement, but Ashley’s mood shifted dramatically when she saw her results.
Her friends quickly noticed her distress, and Dora, one of the young women, grabbed Ashley’s laptop to investigate.
The report revealed no DNA connection between Ashley and her parents—the people who had raised her.
The group insisted that Ashley surely resembled her mother, with her dark blonde hair and slightly rosy complexion.
The only difference was their lips—Ashley’s were fuller, but other than that, she and her mother were both the same height and had similar body types.
Despite Dora’s protests that it had to be a mistake, a seed of doubt had been planted in Ashley’s mind.
It has to be a mistake, Ashley thought to herself, but she wanted clarity.
She exited the program and searched for another reputable DNA mapping service.
Encouraged by her friends, she ordered a new kit, which promised results within seven to ten business days.
She’d have to be patient, but Ashley felt somewhat reassured knowing this would all be cleared up soon.
Over a week had gone by when the second kit arrived.
She carefully followed the instructions, registering it, and preparing the sample for shipping.
The anticipation of learning the truth about whether she was genetically related to Jessica and Todd Chapman weighed heavily on her.
She considered the possibility of asking her parents directly but hesitated, wary of raising questions she was not prepared to hear the answers to.
For now, it was vital that she maintain her focus on her studies.
Ashley grew up in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, a little over an hour outside of Philadelphia.
On the weekends she would often take the SEPTA into Philly and visit the museums. The Penn Museum was her favorite.
She marveled at the differences in cultures and countries.
It astounded her that the world was a vastly different place depending on what continent you lived on.
Ashley’s fascination with different cultures crossed over into her academic studies.
She enjoyed studying world literature and analyzing the cultural influences on great writers of our time and of the past. Her friends teased her that she always had her nose in a book, and Ashley definitely tried to balance work and leisure, but she also respected the sacrifices her parents made to send her to college.
She was determined to make the most of her schooling, squeezing every ounce of education from her curriculum.
She was focused and kept her eye on the prize: earning a PhD in literature and becoming a college professor.
Final exams were approaching, and Ashley was determined to maintain her perfect GPA.
It was essential for securing scholarships or grants for her master’s degree in Comparative Literature.
She had been accepted to Dartmouth, where the cost of attendance was over $100,000, and she didn’t want to graduate with a mountain of debt.
Thus, it was incredibly important that her impending DNA results didn’t interfere with the tasks at hand.
Still, she was on pins and needles waiting for the new report.
The timing of her academic tests, word of a scholarship, and the DNA results seemed to converge.
Ashley knew that no matter how nerve-racking it was, the only thing she could do was keep on moving ahead.
Regardless of the results, she could and would handle it.
She decided to wait until after graduation to read the DNA results.
She rationalized that if she didn’t know for sure, then there wasn’t any need to bring it up with her parents.
Besides, there probably wouldn’t be anything to bring up anyway.
That first test must have been a mistake.
Exam week passed in a haze of all-night study sessions and killer tests, but Ashley survived.
More than that, she aced them all. She never took anything for granted, including her grades, but now she was graduating with a perfect grade point average.
Now she just had to wait for the notice from Dartmouth, and the DNA results.
Two pivotal pieces of information were close at hand.
She nervously checked her email every hour while she packed up her dorm room.
She scrutinized her wardrobe, which consisted of several pairs of jeans, sweatshirts, and a few long-sleeve shirts.
She had one basic black dress, several scarves, three pairs of sneakers, and a pair of flats.
It was typical college attire. She knew she was going to have to step it up for grad school.
She would be among highly regarded published and awarded professors.
Not that the educators at Swarthmore were slackers, but she knew the next step was a big one and she wanted to make the best impression possible.
Ashley planned to return to her camp-counselor job for the summer. It would enable her to purchase more appropriate attire and still contribute to the family’s bills. Her mother insisted that it wasn’t necessary, but Ashley was determined to pay for her share.
Her parents divorced during Ashley’s freshman year of college.
It was amicable. Even friendly. They both realized they married young, and their interests had taken different paths.
Jessica was a teacher and wanted to get her master’s in education administration.
Todd started out as a UPS driver and worked his way into management.
After thirty years on the job, he decided to retire.
He wanted to plot his own driver’s schedule.
Todd was attractive; not necessarily handsome, but he was charming, fit, and in his early fifties.
He wanted to spread his wings. Not with other women.
With an RV. Jessica wanted nothing to do with that.
Living as a nomad held no appeal for her.
In some ways she was relieved. The first few months after he left his job, Todd was underfoot.
Constantly. She welcomed the space, literally and figuratively.
It was clear that her parents loved each other but didn’t want to live together—Jessica in a two-story colonial; Todd in a house on wheels.
As they worked out their finances, Jessica bought Todd’s half of the house and Todd spent the money on a Winnebago with an “F-53 Ford chassis!” He was like a kid who got his first bike.
Todd pursued his wanderlust and stayed connected with Ashley and Jessica on a regular basis with weekly catch-up calls, even if it was simply to say hello.
They would FaceTime often and shared the details of their lives.
It was as if the family was still intact.
And in many ways it was. They even spent the holidays together.
Ashley was in awe of how “adult” her parents were with each other.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the ping on her computer. It was an email from Dartmouth.
Dear Ms. Chapman,
We are happy to inform you that you have received a grant toward your tuition to commence this fall at the Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies.
Please check your application portal for details.
Bear in mind that all other expenditures shall be your responsibility.
We look forward to your matriculation. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Graduate Admissions.
Ashley read and re-read the notice. She let out a squeak and giant exhale. The next step was to finance the rest of it without bankrupting herself, but this was outstanding news. Things were falling into place.
Her hands were trembling when she phoned her mother to share her good news. She could barely speak when Jessica answered the phone.
“Muh, ma. Mom!” Ashley gasped.
“Are you alright?” Jessica asked with concern.
“I am great!” Ashley caught her breath. “I got the fellowship!”
“That’s wonderful news, darling!” Jessica was truly proud of her only child. “Does your father know?”
“I haven’t spoken to him yet. I wanted you to be the first to know.” Ashley beamed.
“Oh, honey, I am thrilled. You certainly deserve it.”
“Thanks, Mom. And what about you? Any word?”
“Well, I don’t mean to brag but I have good news too.” Jessica chuckled. “I too got a fellowship. Drexel, in Philly.”
“We’re going to be students at the same time!” Ashley squealed. “And did you tell Dad?”
“Not yet. I was waiting to hear from you so we could give two-barrels’ worth of good news.”
“What about Sugar Babe?” Ashley was referring to the family dog, a cockapoo, a mixed breed of cocker spaniel and a poodle. Sugar Babe was considered a standard size, weighing in at twenty-five pounds.
“She’ll be fine. I have to go into the city once a week and the rest is online,” Jessica said. “And I can substitute teach if I want to pick up a few extra dollars.”
Jessica was fifty-four and had recently retired from teaching.
After twenty years she had a respectable pension.
The house had been paid off and she purchased Todd’s half with money she made in bonds.
Once she got her master’s in administration, she planned to work for another ten years and finally retire at sixty-five.
She would still be young enough to travel and enjoy the next phase of her life.