Chapter 3 - A Chart Full of Lies
Mae returned forty minutes later.
This time, she closed the curtain around Leah’s bed.
Simone watched from across the room.
Mae lowered her voice.
“I checked the electronic record.”
Leah’s fingers tightened around her blanket.
“And?”
“The psychiatric note was entered yesterday.”
“I wasn’t even here yesterday.”
“I know.”
Leah stared at her.
Mae continued carefully.
“It says a telephone consultation occurred between you and a behavioral-health coordinator.”
“That never happened.”
“It also says your husband expressed concern that you were becoming paranoid.”
Leah felt something cold move through her body.
“What exactly did he say?”
Mae hesitated.
“That you believed members of his family wanted to steal your baby.”
Leah nearly laughed.
Except nothing was funny.
“I never said that.”
Mae nodded.
“There’s more.”
Leah waited.
Mae glanced toward Simone.
Simone immediately pretended to be asleep.
“The note recommends postpartum evaluation if your anxiety escalates.”
“What does that mean?”
“By itself, not much.”
Mae paused.
“But combined with family statements, medication, witnessed behavior, and a doctor’s recommendation, it could create a serious problem.”
Leah thought about Doreen’s folder.
Emergency guardianship.
Medical authorization.
Precautionary paperwork.
“They’re preparing something.”
Mae did not answer immediately.
Instead, she adjusted the blood-pressure cuff around Leah’s arm.
“Your blood pressure is climbing.”
“Because someone is putting fake psychiatric notes in my medical record.”
“That would raise mine too.”
Leah almost smiled.
Mae removed the cuff.
“Listen carefully.”
“I cannot accuse anyone yet.”
“I need evidence.”
“What should I do?”
“Stay calm.”
“That’s difficult.”
“I know.”
Mae lowered her voice further.
“And that is probably what whoever wrote this is counting on.”
Leah understood.
If she screamed.
If she confronted Nathan.
If she accused Doreen in front of staff.
Every natural reaction could be turned into evidence.
“She wants me to look unstable.”
Mae’s eyes flickered.
“You said that.”
“I didn’t.”
Mae nodded slowly.
“You’re right.”
“You said it.”
That terrified Leah more than anything.
The door opened.
Doreen entered again.
This time, Dr. Rusk was with her.
The obstetrician smiled.
“How are we feeling?”
Leah noticed the wording immediately.
We.
Not how was Leah feeling.
“How is the baby?”
Dr. Rusk checked the monitor.
“Stable.”
Doreen stood beside her.
“But Leah seems tense.”
Leah watched Mae.
Mae’s expression remained professionally blank.
Dr. Rusk glanced at Leah’s chart.
“I understand behavioral health may stop by.”
“Why?”
“Routine support.”
“I didn’t request it.”
“No one said you did.”
Leah looked directly at Doreen.
Doreen smiled.
Then Leah felt a sharp pressure low in her abdomen.
She inhaled.
Another pain followed.
Stronger.
Mae looked immediately at the monitor.
“Doctor.”
Dr. Rusk stepped forward.
Leah gripped the railing.
“What is happening?”
Mae checked beneath the blanket.
Her face changed.
“She's bleeding.”
Dr. Rusk reached for the emergency call button.
“Prep the operating room.”
Nathan entered just as another contraction tore through Leah.
Doreen moved toward him.
May you like
And while everyone rushed around the bed, Leah heard Doreen whisper something into her son’s ear.
“This may actually make everything easier.”
