Chapter 7: The Morning He Didn't Expect
Monday came gray and cold.
Claire's contractions had started at four in the morning.
I was already in my car by four-fifteen.
I had called Dr.
Reyes's emergency line the night before and left a message.
She had called back within the hour.
"Bring the photographs," she said.
"Physical copies if you can print them."
I had printed them at the pharmacy at midnight.
I arrived at the hospital before Jason did.
Claire was already in a room, already being monitored, already surrounded by nurses who had clearly been briefed.
One of them — a tall woman with close-cropped gray hair — met me at the door.
"Mrs.
Hartwell?"
"Yes."
"Dr.
Reyes asked me to walk you through what's going to happen this morning."
Her name was Nurse Carol Briggs.
She had been in maternity for nineteen years.
She explained it calmly, like she had done difficult things before and was not afraid of this one.
When Jason arrived twenty minutes later, he came through the main entrance with a bag over his shoulder and the particular confidence of a man who expected to be in charge.
He found Claire's room.
He pushed the door open.
Carol Briggs was standing just inside.
"Mr.
Harlow.
I'm Carol, one of Claire's nurses today.
Before you come in, I need to go over a few things with you."
He looked past her at Claire.
Then at me, sitting in the chair beside the bed.
"What is she doing here?"
"Claire's mother is listed as her primary support person for this admission," Carol said.
"That's Claire's decision."
"I'm her husband."
"You're absolutely welcome to be here.
But Claire has designated her mother as her primary support and medical advocate for this birth.
That means in any situation where Claire needs someone to speak for her, that person is her mother." Carol's voice was entirely pleasant.
"Do you have any questions about that?"
Jason's jaw tightened.
"I have a lot of questions."
"Of course.
Dr.
Reyes will be in shortly and she can address them directly."
He came into the room.
He didn't look at me.
He went to Claire's side and took her hand and said something low that I couldn't hear.
Claire looked at him.
She didn't squeeze back.
Dr.
Reyes arrived forty minutes later.
She came in, checked Claire's progress, spoke to the nurses, and then turned to Jason with the folder I had given her that morning — the photographs, printed and paper-clipped.
"Mr.
Harlow.
Can we step into the hallway for a moment?"
"Whatever you need to say, you can say here."
"All right." She didn't hesitate.
"I've been reviewing documentation related to Claire's first pregnancy.
I have some questions about the supplements you provided during that pregnancy and whether Claire was fully informed about what she was taking."
The room went very still.
Jason looked at the folder.
"Where did you get that?"
"That's not relevant right now."
"Those are private documents."
"They were provided to me by Claire's designated medical advocate." Dr.
Reyes set the folder on the counter without opening it.
"I've also been in contact with the hospital where Claire delivered three years ago.
They're reviewing the records from that admission."
Jason looked at me.
For the first time, the performance was gone.
What was underneath it was not remorse.
"You did this," he said.
"Your daughter did this," I said.
"I just helped her carry it."
"This is a family matter — "
"Mr.
Harlow." Dr.
Reyes's voice was quiet and final.
"A patient advocate from this hospital is waiting in the hall.
There is also a social worker.
They would like to speak with you.
You can do that voluntarily, or I can make a formal referral and the process becomes less flexible." She looked at him steadily.
"I'd recommend the voluntary conversation."
He stood very still for a long moment.
Then he looked at Claire.
"You're going to regret this," he said.
Claire looked back at him.
Her hand rested on her stomach.
Her voice, when it came, was the steadiest I had ever heard it.
"I already regret enough," she said.
"I'm done adding to it."
May you like
Carol Briggs opened the door.
Jason walked out.
