Chapter 7: The Secret in the Hospital File
"Because if Monique has seen that document, she must never find out what the doctors wrote about her baby.""
Evelyn Carter's voice came through the phone speaker.
Nobody moved.
Damon stood beside his desk, holding the phone so tightly that his knuckles had turned white.
Monique stared at him.
"What did the doctors write?""
He pressed the phone against his ear.
"Mother, I'm busy.""
Evelyn ignored him.
"Did you hear me, Damon? The original file. You need to get it before she does.""
Bianca stepped closer.
"Mrs. Carter, this is Bianca.""
There was a pause.
Then Evelyn's voice softened.
"Bianca, darling. You're with him?""
"Yes. And I want to know why my name was placed on a guardianship application before I even knew Micah existed.""
Another silence.
Evelyn sighed.
"That is a complicated family matter.""
"Then explain it.""
"Not over the telephone.""
Monique stepped toward the desk.
"I'm standing right here, Evelyn.""
The older woman's breathing changed.
"Monique?""
"Yes. The woman your son told everyone had abandoned her child.""
Evelyn said nothing.
Monique's voice trembled.
"What did the doctors write about my baby?""
Damon reached for the phone.
Monique stepped away.
"Don't touch it.""
He stopped.
Evelyn finally spoke.
"The doctors were concerned about Micah's condition. That's all.""
"Then why did you say I must never find out?""
"I didn't mean—"
"Don't lie to me.""
For the first time, Evelyn sounded frightened.
"Damon, you told me she would never see those documents.""
Bianca closed her eyes.
There it was.
Another lie.
Damon ended the call.
He placed the phone on the desk and looked at both women.
"You're turning something medical into a conspiracy.""
Monique pointed to the guardianship application.
"Why was your mother listed?""
"Because we needed an emergency contact.""
"Your mother lived three states away.""
"She could travel.""
"And Bianca?""
"She was someone I trusted.""
Bianca let out a bitter laugh.
"You didn't even know me.""
Damon looked at her.
"That's not true.""
"According to the date on this document, you were still married to Monique when this was prepared. I hadn't even interviewed for the position at your company.""
Monique turned toward Bianca.
"Your company?""
Bianca nodded slowly.
"I worked for Carter Medical Holdings as a consultant. I was hired to review their administrative contracts.""
She looked back at Damon.
"That's how we met. You told me you were divorced.""
Monique felt another piece of the story fall into place.
"You were married when you met her?""
Damon looked away.
"That relationship was already over.""
Monique shook her head.
"You were still living with me.""
"I was trying to protect Micah.""
"Stop using his name to excuse what you did.""
Damon slammed his palm against the desk.
"Enough!""
The sound echoed through the study.
Bianca flinched.
Monique didn't.
She had heard that voice before.
She remembered the night he blocked the staircase.
The night he told her that she would never see her son again.
This time, she had documents in her hands.
And she wasn't leaving.
"Give me the hospital file," she said.
Damon laughed without humor.
"You don't get to demand anything in my house.""
Bianca reached into her handbag and took out her phone.
"Rachel is on her way.""
Damon looked at her.
"Your lawyer?""
"Yes.""
"You brought a lawyer into my home?""
"I brought someone who understands what happens when people forge documents and misuse medical records.""
He walked toward the study door.
"I'm done with this.""
Monique stepped aside.
But before he could leave, Bianca pointed to the blue folder.
"One more thing. Why did your mother say the doctors wrote something about the baby?""
Damon stopped.
His shoulders rose and fell.
Then he turned around.
"Micah was born with a serious respiratory complication. The doctors weren't sure he would survive the first night.""
Monique's eyes filled.
"I know he was premature. I was there.""
"You were sedated when they transferred him.""
"I woke up asking for my son.""
"And I was the one who made the decisions.""
Monique stared at him.
"What decisions?""
Damon looked toward the window.
"The hospital needed consent for an emergency procedure. There were risks. They needed someone to authorize it.""
Monique stepped forward.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"You were unconscious.""
"After I woke up!""
He didn't answer.
Bianca moved closer to the desk.
"What procedure?""
Damon swallowed.
"They needed to place him on a ventilator and perform additional testing.""
Monique shook her head.
"That doesn't explain the guardianship application.""
Damon's face hardened.
"Because there was another possibility.""
"What possibility?""
He hesitated.
Then he said, "The doctors suspected a genetic condition.""
Monique's hand flew to her mouth.
"What condition?""
"They weren't certain.""
"Did Micah have it?""
"The tests were inconclusive.""
"Then why was my name removed from the emergency contact list?""
Damon didn't answer.
Bianca looked at him.
"Did you tell Monique that Micah might be sick?""
"No.""
"Did you tell her about the testing?""
"No.""
"Why?""
Damon finally looked at Monique.
"Because I knew what you would do.""
"What would I do?""
"You would have stayed.""
Monique stared at him.
"Of course I would have stayed. He's my child!""
"And you would have fought me on every decision.""
Her voice dropped.
"That's what you were afraid of? That I would want to be involved in my own son's medical care?""
Damon looked down.
The silence was unbearable.
Then Bianca noticed another document tucked inside the folder.
It was a laboratory report.
She pulled it out.
The date was two weeks after Micah's birth.
At the top was a reference number.
Below it were several medical abbreviations and a handwritten note.
Bianca read the first line.
Then the second.
Her face changed.
"Damon...""
He looked up.
"What?""
"Why does this report say the original sample was never tested?""
Monique turned.
"What sample?""
Bianca pointed to the bottom of the page.
"There's a notation here. It says the specimen was collected, but the laboratory never received it.""
Damon reached for the report.
Bianca pulled it away.
"Where is the actual result?""
"There isn't one.""
"Then how did you tell everyone Micah might have a genetic condition?""
Damon's silence answered more than his words.
Monique felt her knees weaken.
For years, she had believed there was something about her son's birth that she hadn't been allowed to understand.
Now she was beginning to suspect that the truth had never been medically established at all.
A knock sounded at the front door.
Bianca looked toward the hallway.
"That's Rachel.""
Damon took one last look at the papers.
Then he said something neither woman expected.
"Before you involve lawyers, you should know that Evelyn wasn't the only person who signed that original hospital form.""
Monique stared at him.
"Who else signed it?""
Damon's eyes moved toward the staircase.
"Your mother.""
Monique stopped breathing.
May you like
Her mother had died four years earlier.
And according to Damon, she had signed a document concerning Micah before he was even born.
