Chapter 6 - THE MISSING PHONE
Leah stopped in the doorway.
“Where is my phone?”
Doreen looked at her.
“How should I know?”
“It was charging beside my bed.”
Nathan entered behind her.
“What happened?”
“My phone is gone.”
He sighed.
“You probably misplaced it.”
Leah looked at Doreen’s open handbag.
“Check your mother’s bag.”
Doreen’s face hardened.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me.”
Nathan stepped between them.
“Leah, stop.”
Mae watched from the doorway.
Leah remembered her warning.
Stay calm.
She inhaled.
“Doreen.”
Her voice was controlled.
“Please empty your handbag.”
Doreen laughed.
“No.”
Mae spoke.
“Mrs. Carver, hospital policy allows security to be called if patient property is suspected stolen.”
Doreen stared at her.
“You are a nurse.”
“Yes.”
“And you are not above hospital policy.”
Nathan turned toward Mae.
“You’re upsetting my wife.”
Mae almost smiled.
“Your wife appears remarkably calm.”
That silenced him.
Doreen grabbed her handbag.
The phone slipped from the side pocket and hit the floor.
Nobody moved.
Leah stared at it.
Doreen recovered first.
“You must have put it there.”
Leah did not answer.
Nathan looked toward his mother.
“Mom?”
“It was on the bed.”
She said.
“I was going to bring it to her.”
Mae bent down.
She picked up the phone with a tissue.
“Security can document that.”
Doreen’s face changed.
“No need.”
Mae looked at Leah.
“Would you like security?”
“Yes.”
Nathan turned.
“Leah.”
“Yes.”
She repeated.
Security arrived.
Doreen left before they finished the report.
Nathan stayed.
He looked furious.
“You embarrassed my mother.”
Leah stared at him.
“She took my phone.”
“She made a mistake.”
“She has spent nine months making mistakes that always benefit her.”
Nathan lowered his voice.
“You are becoming paranoid.”
There it was.
The exact word Leah knew would eventually appear in the chart.
She smiled faintly.
“Say it again.”
He frowned.
“What?”
“Paranoid.”
Nathan looked around.
Mae stood near the medication station.
Simone was watching from her bed.
A security officer was still writing.
Nathan realized.
He stepped backward.
Leah continued.
“Make sure everyone hears you.”
He left.
Simone exhaled.
“He’s scared.”
Leah looked at her.
“So am I.”
Simone shook her head.
“No.”
“He’s scared of getting caught.”
That afternoon, Leah called Adrian.
He was already driving toward Columbus.
Then she called the independent patient advocate.
By sunset, an external review had been requested.
At eight, Dr. Rusk entered looking furious.
“You’ve involved hospital administration.”
Leah smiled.
“Yes.”
“You’re creating unnecessary conflict hours before delivery.”
“I’m protecting myself.”
Dr. Rusk stared at her.
Then said.
“That kind of suspicious thinking is exactly why I entered the psychiatric flag.”
May you like
Mae heard every word.
And quietly wrote it down.
