Chapter 14
After the door closed, I sat on the couch with Isobel in my arms, feeling like all the energy had been sucked out of me.
Sophie crouched down in front of me.
"Coraline, we can't just sit around anymore," Sophie said. "They might already have the DNA results.
"If they show up at the hospital tomorrow waving those papers, it's going to be a nightmare."
I asked, "What can I do now?"
What can I do now?
Sophie said, "Report it to the police. File a refusal statement with the hospital. Then apply for a protective order and temporary custody of the child."
I nodded.
Just then, my phone started ringing.
The call was from Westbrook Hospital.
I picked up.
A woman's voice came through, polite but robotic.
"Hello, is that Isobel's parent?" she asked.
"Yes," I replied.
"Isobel's special appointment at the hematology department for nine o'clock tomorrow morning has been confirmed.
"Please make sure to bring both the child and the guardian's ID."
My throat tightened.
"Who made the appointment?" I asked.
She paused for a moment. "The system shows the appointment was made by Taylor."
I asked, "Is there any note on the appointment?"
She paused for a few seconds.
"The note says:" she replied. "Initial screening for a half-sibling donor."
After I hung up, the room fell silent.
Isobel grabbed onto my button, tilting her head up to look at me.
She had no idea what "half-sibling" meant.
All she knew was that my hands were trembling as I held her close.
I handed her over to my mom.
"Mom, take Isobel to the bedroom," I said.
My mom's eyes were rimmed with red. "Coraline."
I said, "Don't let her hear this."
My mom carried Isobel into the bedroom.
The little rattle jingled twice, then everything went quiet again.
Sophie jotted down what was said on the call.
Her voice was steady.
"We need to go to the hospital now," she said. "I'll go with you."
I nodded and grabbed my bag.
Before heading out, I glanced back at the bedroom door.
Isobel cooed softly from inside.
That sound rooted me to the spot.
I wanted to rush in and hold her close.
But I knew I had to protect her from anyone trying to take her away.
The lights at Westbrook Hospital were still on.
The emergency room was packed with parents holding their kids.
Some looked anxious, some looked exhausted, and some were softly comforting their crying children.
Standing at the registration desk, my eyes suddenly stung with tears.
This place was supposed to be where kids get saved.
But someone had dragged my daughter into their twisted game.
After Sophie showed her credentials, the staff led us to the medical affairs office.
I handed over my written statement.
The staff member frowned after reading it.
"Taylor was here this morning," he said.
My heart sank.
"What was he here for?" I asked.
"He was asking about the donor screening process. He said you were still recovering from childbirth, so you couldn't make it."
My hands clenched.
"What else did he say?" I asked.
The staff member hesitated, looking awkward.
Sophie spoke up. "This is about a minor's rights. Please make sure to record everything accurately."
The staff member sighed.
"He asked if the blood draw could be minimized because the child is so little," the staff member said. "He also wanted to know, if the initial screening is a match, how quickly the next round of tests could be done."
I could hear my own breathing getting heavier.
Sophie gripped my hand firmly.
"Just listen for now," she said.
The staff member continued, "Before we collect any samples, we need to verify the guardian's identity.
"If the guardians don't agree, we usually pause everything."
Sophie said, "Please record Ms. Sargent's refusal in the system.
"Also note that no samples are to be taken for anything other than medical treatment."
The staff member gave a firm nod.
I asked, "If someone brought in my kid's teether or a strand of her hair, could you really test that?"
The staff member's expression shifted. "The hospital would never do something like that in our standard process."
Sophie pressed, "What about outside agencies?"
The staff member paused for a moment. "Private paternity testing agencies might accept special samples.
"But that's not enough for medical compatibility testing."
It finally hit me.
They already used Isobel's teether to prove she was their blood.
Tomorrow at the hospital, that was what they were really after.
After leaving the medical affairs office, Sophie took me to the nearby police station.
The officer on duty listened to my story, and at first, he thought it was just some family drama.
But when I pulled out the audio recordings, photos, the hospital statement, and the recording where Willow admitted she took the teether, the officer's face changed; he finally looked serious.
The officer's demeanor shifted, and he finally looked serious.
He took down my statement.
He said, "For now, you and your mom should look after the child. Don't let anyone you don't trust get close to her.
"If Taylor tries to take her by force, call the police right away.
"We'll keep a record of this."
By the time I signed my name, my fingers were so numb I could barely feel them.
By the time we walked out of the police station, it was almost midnight.
The city was so quiet that it felt like the whole place was asleep.