Chapter 6: The Appointment
Dr.
Reyes had a small office off the main examination room.
A desk, two chairs, a window that looked onto a parking structure.
She closed the door behind us and didn't sit down right away.
Jason had dropped Claire at the entrance and gone to park the car.
We had four minutes, maybe five.
"I spoke with Claire this morning," Dr.
Reyes said.
"She told me about the folder."
"And the forum," I said.
"And the forum." She finally sat.
"Mrs.
Hartwell, I want to be transparent with you about where I stand.
Medically, I cannot prove that the supplements caused Claire's early labor.
The bloodwork from three years ago is suggestive, not conclusive.
Any attorney would challenge it."
"But you believe it."
She looked at me steadily.
"I believe Claire was not given accurate information about what she was taking.
I believe her husband controlled her access to her own medical care.
And I believe that Rule 9 was not a mistake."
"What do you think it was?"
"I think it was a test.
To see how much control he still had over who knew what." She folded her hands on the desk.
"If your family followed that rule without question, he would know the information was contained.
He sent it to everyone."
"He wanted to see who would push back."
"And you did."
The door to the waiting room opened and closed.
Footsteps in the corridor.
Dr.
Reyes lowered her voice.
"I've already spoken with the hospital's patient advocate and our department head.
When Claire is admitted Monday, Jason will not be permitted to speak on her behalf or direct her care in any way.
Claire has signed documentation confirming this.
He doesn't know yet."
"When he finds out — "
"He'll be told at admission.
In front of staff.
There will be witnesses." She met my eyes.
"I need you to be there, Mrs.
Hartwell.
Not in the waiting room.
In that conversation."
"I'll be there."
The door to the examination room opened.
Jason's voice in the hallway, asking the nurse something.
Dr.
Reyes stood.
Her expression shifted back to professional, smooth, practiced.
"Good morning," she said as Jason came in, Claire just behind him.
"Let's get started."
Jason looked at me.
I was sitting in the second chair — the chair that was usually his.
He looked at Dr.
Reyes.
"Is there a reason Claire's mother is in the examination?"
"Claire asked her to join us today," Dr.
Reyes said simply.
"That's her right."
A beat.
He smiled.
"Of course."
He took a position near the wall.
Standing.
No chair.
Throughout the appointment he tried twice to answer questions directed at Claire.
Both times Dr.
Reyes turned back to Claire and waited.
The second time she said, gently but without any softness in it, "I'd like to hear from Claire directly, if that's all right."
Jason said nothing.
On the drive home he was very quiet.
That evening, Claire texted me a single word.
*Desk.*
Twenty minutes later, six photographs arrived.
Pages from a folder.
Notes in Jason's handwriting.
Dates.
Supplement names.
Dosages.
And at the bottom of the last page, a single line that made my breath stop.
*If L doesn't survive, restart plan with C.
Timeline: 18 months.*
L.
Lily.
Their daughter who lived nine hours.
C.
May you like
Claire.
He had written it down.
