Chapter 9 - THE WOMAN IN THE HALLWAY
My mother came to the hospital three days later.
She wasn’t allowed near me.
A protective order made that clear.
Apparently she thought rules were for other people.
Hospital security found her on the maternity floor wearing a visitor badge issued under my aunt’s name.
She claimed she only wanted to see me.
Then security searched her bag.
Inside was a medical power-of-attorney document bearing my signature.
Except I had never signed it.
The document gave Diane Mercer authority to make medical decisions if I became incapacitated.
Margaret looked at the signature for less than ten seconds.
“Forgery.”
My mother was taken downstairs.
She screamed that Ethan had manipulated me.
She screamed that Margaret was stealing our family.
She screamed my name until the elevator doors closed.
I sat in my hospital bed shaking.
Dr. Collins examined me again.
The baby was stable.
My contractions had slowed.
But I was nowhere near safe enough to go home.
That night, I finally listened to my mother’s voicemail from before I blocked her.
“Hannah, sweetheart.”
Her voice sounded soft.
Almost loving.
“You’re confused.”
“Your grandmother filled your head with fantasies before she died.”
“Your father and I built this family.”
“We sacrificed everything.”
“Lauren sacrificed too.”
“You can still fix this.”
“Withdraw the court order.”
“Sign the waiver.”
“Then we can forget this terrible accident ever happened.”
Accident.
My sister had looked me directly in the eyes.
Then she kicked my stomach.
I deleted the voicemail.
At midnight, a nurse entered.
Her face was pale.
“Mrs. Mercer, did you authorize someone to access your medical chart?”
“No.”
She looked at Ethan.
“Someone used a temporary provider login and attempted to view your medication schedule.”
Ethan stood instantly.
“Who?”
“We’re checking security footage.”
Thirty minutes later, hospital security arrived.
They showed us a still image from a hallway camera.
My mother stood near a computer station.
Beside her was another person.
A man wearing a dark baseball cap.
His face was partially turned away.
I still recognized him.
May you like
Mason Reed.
Our unexpected ally had been meeting with my mother behind our backs.
