Chapter 3 - The Blue Stamp
Mae arrived at the hospital with wet hair, a paper grocery bag, and Captain Rabbit tucked under one arm.
"He insisted on coming in the front seat," she told Lena.
For the first time since the ambulance ride, Lena smiled.
Mae had retrieved the rabbit with a police officer present; Meredith had been told not to contact Lena while the initial child-safety assessment continued.
Julian felt relieved, then ashamed that a visit to his own home required precautions.
Lena pointed to the rabbit's longer ear.
"Under the stitch I fixed with purple thread."
Mae carefully opened the loose seam.
Inside was a folded letter dated eleven months earlier.
Julian recognized the children's clinic letterhead.
Dr. Patel had written that Lena's persistent daytime fatigue and changes in breathing warranted repeat overnight carbon-dioxide monitoring, an equipment review, and a second specialist opinion.
The letter also warned that ordinary oxygen readings could not, by themselves, determine whether Lena was breathing effectively during sleep.
At the bottom was a handwritten line: PLEASE DISCUSS THIS WITH BOTH PARENTS OR GUARDIANS RESPONSIBLE FOR CARE.
"I never saw this," Julian said.
Mae looked at him.
"Were you at the appointments?"
"Some. Meredith handled the others."
"And when you weren't there?"
"She said Lena was stable."
Julian contacted the clinic with Lena's permission and asked the staff to verify the letter.
Dr. Patel called back an hour later.
"It's genuine," she said.
"We sent it after two missed follow-ups. I also tried to reach you directly."
"Nobody called me."
"The contact number on the portal was changed last winter."
Julian stared at the number displayed on the screen.
It belonged to Meredith.
"There's more," Dr. Patel said carefully.
"The second-opinion appointment was canceled through your family account. The cancellation note says you personally declined further review."
Julian gripped the phone.
"I was in Cleveland on a work site that day."
May you like
A long silence followed.
"Then," the doctor said, "we need to find out who sent that message."
