Chapter 1 · The Doctor Said I Had Two Sons

Dr. McCoy stared at her computer for a few seconds. "You've had two C-sections before?

I froze for a moment. "What?"

She looked up at me. "You have given birth twice. The first one was in 2018, and the second in 2021, right?"

I sat there, not moving.

Roberto Jones, who was sitting next to me, turned to look at me as well.

Today was my first visit to Harborview Health Pavilion to start my prenatal checkups. I was twelve weeks into my pregnancy, and this was the first time I'd ever been pregnant in my life.

I looked at Dr. McCoy. "Doctor, are you sure you're looking at my records?"

She checked the records again. "You are Kathryn Powell, right?"

"Yes," I replied.

"ID number ending in 3726?"

"Yes."

She clicked to another page. "That's correct. The system shows you have two hospital delivery records."

She swiveled the screen so I could see.

My name popped up right there. Kathryn Powell, and the ID number matched mine exactly.

Two entries appeared underneath. [July 21, 2018. C-section. Boy.]

November 3, 2021. C-section. Baby boy.

There was another note after the second entry. [Severe bleeding after delivery, needed a transfusion.]

I stared at those two dates and suddenly felt my hands go cold.

Roberto spoke up first, "Will this affect her current pregnancy?"

Dr. McCoy glanced at him. "If these records don't belong to her, we need to verify them as soon as possible. Your pregnancy history is nothing to take lightly.

"Especially since the records show two C-sections and a postpartum hemorrhage."

I didn't catch anything else she said.

Those two dates kept echoing in my mind. July 21, 2018 and November 3, 2021.

I remembered those two dates. How could I not? Because those were the days my nephews were born.

My sister Laura Powell's eldest son, Charlie Linwood, was born on July 21, 2018, and her younger son, Andy Linwood, was born on November 3, 2021. Right on the dot.

I pulled out my phone.

Roberto held my wrist. "Kathryn."

I glanced at him. "Let me make a call."

I dialed Laura. It rang three times before she picked up.

"Hello? What's up?" she asked.

I got straight to the point. "Laura, did you use my name to check in at the hospital when Charlie was born?"

The line went quiet. I caught the sound of her breathing.

"Laura," I said. "Tell me the truth."

She finally spoke, "How did you find out?"

I gripped my phone, and my fingertips started to go numb.

She wasn't surprised or confused by my question. She said, "How did you find out all of a sudden?"

I gave a short laugh. "So, it's true."

"Kathryn, listen to me," Laura said.

"And what about your second childbirth?" I didn't give her the chance to explain.

She paused.

I asked, "Did you use my name when Andy was born, too?"

She went silent.

"Say something," I said.

"It wasn't so simple back then," Laura said.

"I want a straight answer. Did you, or didn't you?"

She got flustered. "Why do you have to bring this up now?"

I stared at the line that said "postpartum hemorrhage" on the screen and said in a flat tone, "Because I'm literally sitting in the maternity ward right now. The doctor told me I've had two sons."

The line went dead silent again.

After a few seconds, Laura said in a low voice, "Did you go to register your pregnancy at Harborview Health Pavilion?"

"Yeah," I replied.

"Everything's showing up in their system?"

"Yeah."

She suddenly said, "Don't say anything to the doctor for now."

I thought I must've misheard. "What?"

"Anyway, come home first. This isn't something we can talk about over the phone. Kathryn, whatever you do, don't file for any corrections or sign anything yet."

I didn't say anything.

Laura's voice was getting more frantic. "Did you hear me? Don't do anything yet."

I asked, "Why?"

She didn't answer and ended the call.

I stared at the screen.

Less than a minute later, my mom, Selena Powell, called.

I picked up. "Mom."

She got straight to the point. "Laura already told you, right?"

I closed my eyes. 'So, she knew, too.'

Chapter 1

Dr. McCoy stared at her computer for a few seconds. "You've had two C-sections before?

I froze for a moment. "What?"

She looked up at me. "You have given birth twice. The first one was in 2018, and the second in 2021, right?"

I sat there, not moving.

Roberto Jones, who was sitting next to me, turned to look at me as well.

Today was my first visit to Harborview Health Pavilion to start my prenatal checkups. I was twelve weeks into my pregnancy, and this was the first time I'd ever been pregnant in my life.

I looked at Dr. McCoy. "Doctor, are you sure you're looking at my records?"

She checked the records again. "You are Kathryn Powell, right?"

"Yes," I replied.

"ID number ending in 3726?"

"Yes."

She clicked to another page. "That's correct. The system shows you have two hospital delivery records."

She swiveled the screen so I could see.

My name popped up right there. Kathryn Powell, and the ID number matched mine exactly.

Two entries appeared underneath. [July 21, 2018. C-section. Boy.]

November 3, 2021. C-section. Baby boy.

There was another note after the second entry. [Severe bleeding after delivery, needed a transfusion.]

I stared at those two dates and suddenly felt my hands go cold.

Roberto spoke up first, "Will this affect her current pregnancy?"

Dr. McCoy glanced at him. "If these records don't belong to her, we need to verify them as soon as possible. Your pregnancy history is nothing to take lightly.

"Especially since the records show two C-sections and a postpartum hemorrhage."

I didn't catch anything else she said.

Those two dates kept echoing in my mind. July 21, 2018 and November 3, 2021.

I remembered those two dates. How could I not? Because those were the days my nephews were born.

My sister Laura Powell's eldest son, Charlie Linwood, was born on July 21, 2018, and her younger son, Andy Linwood, was born on November 3, 2021. Right on the dot.

I pulled out my phone.

Roberto held my wrist. "Kathryn."

I glanced at him. "Let me make a call."

I dialed Laura. It rang three times before she picked up.

"Hello? What's up?" she asked.

I got straight to the point. "Laura, did you use my name to check in at the hospital when Charlie was born?"

The line went quiet. I caught the sound of her breathing.

"Laura," I said. "Tell me the truth."

She finally spoke, "How did you find out?"

I gripped my phone, and my fingertips started to go numb.

She wasn't surprised or confused by my question. She said, "How did you find out all of a sudden?"

I gave a short laugh. "So, it's true."

"Kathryn, listen to me," Laura said.

"And what about your second childbirth?" I didn't give her the chance to explain.

She paused.

I asked, "Did you use my name when Andy was born, too?"

She went silent.

"Say something," I said.

"It wasn't so simple back then," Laura said.

"I want a straight answer. Did you, or didn't you?"

She got flustered. "Why do you have to bring this up now?"

I stared at the line that said "postpartum hemorrhage" on the screen and said in a flat tone, "Because I'm literally sitting in the maternity ward right now. The doctor told me I've had two sons."

The line went dead silent again.

After a few seconds, Laura said in a low voice, "Did you go to register your pregnancy at Harborview Health Pavilion?"

"Yeah," I replied.

"Everything's showing up in their system?"

"Yeah."

She suddenly said, "Don't say anything to the doctor for now."

I thought I must've misheard. "What?"

"Anyway, come home first. This isn't something we can talk about over the phone. Kathryn, whatever you do, don't file for any corrections or sign anything yet."

I didn't say anything.

Laura's voice was getting more frantic. "Did you hear me? Don't do anything yet."

I asked, "Why?"

She didn't answer and ended the call.

I stared at the screen.

Less than a minute later, my mom, Selena Powell, called.

I picked up. "Mom."

She got straight to the point. "Laura already told you, right?"

I closed my eyes. 'So, she knew, too.'