Chapter 3
After hours of fighting to save her, the doctor finally shook his head helplessly and told me that Mia hadn't made it.
I felt like I just dropped into a dark, endless hole. Everything inside me went cold.
Why did this doctor say my daughter had been doing great?
She said to her colleague, "Has Charlie been overloaded with surgeries lately? His memory has been slipping.
"He kept a close eye on his daughter the whole time, you know. And when she was discharged, he shared the good news with everyone. People were saying what a great dad he was."
I was struck by the doctor's words.
It turned out that Charlie's colleagues had mistaken Anna's daughter for his.
My soul was supposed to be beyond pain, yet my body trembled with agony.
The day Sadie was discharged was the day Mia died.
While Mia lay there, her face pale and in agony, calling out for her dad, Charlie was out celebrating Sadie's discharge.
As he held Sadie's hand and passed out candy, did he ever think about the daughter he took 4 pints of blood from?
As a doctor, did he truly not grasp how much damage losing that much blood could cause?
While he was out celebrating Sadie's discharge, my precious Mia was lying in that hospital bed, eyes closed forever.
Everyone saw Sadie as his daughter, so what did that make Mia and me?
He had time to celebrate, but couldn't even spare a moment to reply to my messages or see his daughter.
Thinking about it all made me cry so hard that my chest felt like it was being cut apart.
Mia, standing close by, picked up on how upset I was.
"Mom, don't worry. I'll always be with you," she promised, her voice gentle.
I couldn't tell if my eight-year-old Mia really understood what the doctor said, but after that, she stopped asking about Charlie.
After Charlie got off work, Mia and I drifted along behind him, following him back to the place that used to be our home.
Even though Mia never called him "Dad" again, just being around Charlie still brought a smile to her face.
Mia always wanted a little attention from her father.
However, when we reached the front door, what we saw made both of us stop cold.
Sadie opened the door, offering Charlie a pair of slippers at the entrance.
"Mr. Reed, you're finally home. You were so late today. You have to tell me two bedtime stories tonight," Sadie said with a playful grin.
"Sure, as long as you stay healthy, I will do anything you ask," Charlie replied as he patted Sadie's head.
"Charlie, don't listen to her. You've spoiled her so much, and she won't listen to a word I say anymore," Anna chimed in.
Anna stepped out of the kitchen, apron still on, holding a dish she'd just finished cooking.
When I saw this lovely little family, memories came flooding back before I could stop them.
When Mia first started elementary school, her fragile health made her an easy target, and other kids often snatched her snacks.
As time went on, some even began demanding money from her.
If Mia refused, they'd poke her in the arm with their pencils.
When I saw Mia's injuries, I dragged Charlie straight to the school to confront her teacher.
"Isn't this supposed to be one of the best elementary schools in Belcrest? How could something as serious as bullying go on and no one notices?" I asked, trying hard to keep my cool.
The teacher said, "Mrs. and Mr. Reed, you know how crowded these classes are. There are just too many kids for teachers to watch every single one all the time.
"I've called the other child's parents over. Why don't you talk it through and see what happened?"
"Oh, it's just a misunderstanding. Don't worry about it. We actually know the other kid's parents," Charlie said the moment he saw the other child's mother, his eyes lighting up with joy.
In the end, Charlie just brushed it all aside and acted as if nothing had happened.