Chapter 9 - THE AIRPORT PLAN
Grant’s passport was flagged before he reached the international terminal.
He and Vanessa arrived at the airport with six suitcases.
Two contained jewelry and personal property taken from our apartment.
One contained company laptops.
Another contained financial records Grant had removed from Halston Medical Supply’s headquarters.
The final two belonged to Vanessa.
Security officers stopped them near the airline check-in counter.
Grant immediately called his attorney.
Vanessa started crying.
She claimed she had no idea stolen property was inside the suitcases.
Airport police separated them for questioning.
Grant blamed Vanessa.
Vanessa blamed Grant.
Their perfect future began collapsing before they even passed through security.
My grandfather received updates from Miriam while sitting beside Noah’s incubator.
I did not celebrate.
The twins had endured a difficult night.
Noah’s lungs remained dangerously underdeveloped.
Elise had developed an infection that required antibiotics.
Everything happening outside the NICU felt distant.
Grant could lose every dollar he had stolen.
It would mean nothing if I lost one of my children.
Dr. Pierce entered after reviewing the newest laboratory results.
“Elise is responding to treatment.”
I gripped the edge of the chair.
“And Noah?”
“He is stable, but he needs more respiratory support.”
“Is he getting worse?”
“He is not improving as quickly as we hoped.”
Her answer was gentle but direct.
“We may need to transfer him to the advanced pulmonary unit.”
My grandfather looked toward her.
“That unit is at Whitmore Children’s Hospital.”
“Yes.”
The hospital was thirty miles away.
The thought of separating Noah and Elise terrified me.
“Can Elise go with him?”
“Her infection makes transportation risky.”
I looked from one incubator to the other.
I had carried them together for twenty-nine weeks.
They had entered the world less than two minutes apart.
Now I might have to choose which child to follow.
Dr. Pierce sat beside me.
“You do not have to decide this second.”
“What would give Noah the best chance?”
“The pulmonary unit.”
“Then transfer him.”
My voice nearly broke.
“And I will go with him.”
My grandfather touched my shoulder.
“I will stay here with Elise.”
I looked at him.
“You won’t leave her?”
“Not for one moment.”
Before the transfer team arrived, a hospital attorney entered.
Her expression was tense.
“Grant has filed an emergency petition.”
“For what?”
“He is demanding authority over the twins’ medical decisions.”
The room went silent.
“He called them burdens,” I said.
“The footage proves it.”
“He claims his words were taken out of context.”
“What context could possibly excuse them?”
“He also claims you are mentally unstable following childbirth.”
My grandfather’s face became cold.
“He is trying to stop the transfer.”
The attorney nodded.
“He believes the publicity will improve if he appears involved in their care.”
I looked through the incubator at Noah.
Grant did not want to save his son.
He wanted to save his reputation.
“Tell the court we will answer immediately,” I said.
“And prepare every second of the NICU recording.”
May you like
Grant wanted to pretend he was a father.
I would make certain the judge saw the truth.
