PART 2 — THE WOMAN IN THE HOSPITAL
Toby’s lips trembled.
“It was Grandma Brenda.”
For several seconds, I couldn’t breathe.
My mother-in-law?
The same woman who had spent the last two weeks telling me how sorry she was?
The same woman who had brought flowers to my hospital room?
The same woman who had cried beside Lucas when we were told our baby was gone?
“No,” I whispered. “Toby, you must have misunderstood.”
He shook his head violently.
“I didn’t, Mom.”
His eyes filled with tears.
“I saw Daddy give her the money. Then she took the baby.”
My entire body went cold.
“What baby?”
“My baby sister.”
I stared at him.
“Toby… where did she take her?”
He pointed toward the hallway.
“Daddy said they couldn’t let you see her.”
My hands began shaking.
“Why?”
Toby swallowed.
“Because Grandma said you would ruin everything.”
I immediately reached for my phone.
Lucas answered after the second ring.
“Hey, sweetheart. How are you feeling?”
“Where is our daughter?”
Silence.
Not the kind of silence that happens because someone doesn’t hear you.
The kind that happens when someone suddenly realizes the truth is no longer hidden.
“What are you talking about?” he finally asked.
“Toby told me everything.”
Another silence.
Then Lucas said quietly:
“Listen to me. You’re still recovering. You’re confused.”
“Where is my baby?”
“I don’t know what Toby thinks he saw.”
“Lucas.”
My voice cracked.
“Where is our daughter?”
He hung up.
That was when I knew.
Something was terribly wrong.
I called the hospital and asked for every document connected to my delivery.
The nurse initially told me that everything had been handled according to procedure.
But when I gave her my name and date of delivery, her voice changed.
“Mrs. Miller… can you hold for a moment?”
I waited.
A minute passed.
Then another.
Finally, a supervisor came on the line.
“There’s something unusual in your file.”
“What?”
“The neonatal records don’t match the discharge documentation.”
My heart nearly stopped.
“What does that mean?”
“There is a record indicating your daughter was alive after your emergency surgery.”
See more on the next page