Chapter 2 - The Woman Before Margaret
The paramedics arrived before Ryan could ask another question.
They moved fast.
One checked my blood pressure while another sealed the black jar inside an evidence bag.
"How much did you swallow?"
"I don't know. A mouthful. Maybe less."
"Any idea what's in it?"
I looked at Margaret.
She said nothing.
Jessica did.
"Herbs. Sedatives. Maybe something else. That's what was in it years ago."
Margaret snapped, "You don't know what you're talking about."
Jessica's eyes filled. "I found the old medical notes."
Ryan turned on her. "What old medical notes?"
But the paramedic interrupted. "We need to move now."
At the hospital, contractions came every six minutes.
The baby was still moving. That was the only sentence I could hold onto.
Ryan stood beside my bed, one hand around mine, the other shaking.
"Why would Jessica say that?"
"Ask her."
He looked toward the hallway.
Jessica was outside speaking to a police officer. Margaret had been separated from us downstairs.
When Jessica finally came in, Ryan closed the door.
"Start talking."
She sat down slowly.
"Margaret isn't your biological mother."
Ryan laughed once, but there was no humor in it.
"I know I was adopted by Dad after they married."
Jessica shook her head.
"No. Dad is your biological father. Margaret is the lie."
Ryan's grip tightened around the rail of my bed.
Jessica continued.
"Your mother's name was Anna Mercer. She was pregnant with you when Margaret started working for your father."
"Working as what?"
"A private nurse."
The room seemed to shrink.
Jessica took a folded photocopy from her purse.
"Twenty-six years ago, Anna was admitted after drinking a dark herbal mixture. She went into labor early. She survived. So did you."
Ryan stared at the paper.
"Mom told me my birth mother died."
Jessica's face crumpled.
"That's what she wanted everyone to believe."
A monitor beside me beeped faster.
I looked at Jessica.
"If Anna didn't die... where is she?"
Jessica hesitated.
Then she slid a second page across the blanket.
May you like
At the bottom was the name of a private psychiatric facility.
And a discharge date from only three months ago.
