Chapter 7 - A Bed That Didn't Exist
Naomi spread the payment request across her conference table. “This could be a clerical error,” she said. “Or somebody billed for a service a child never received. Either way, the county needs to examine it.”
We sent the document to Amanda and a county oversight officer. I wanted to drive to Horizon's offices and demand answers. Naomi told me doing that could put Eli in the middle of another fight he hadn't chosen.
Eli agreed to a supervised meeting at the family services center. I barely slept the night before.
He sat across from me wearing a clean red sweatshirt someone had given him. There was a sandwich in front of him. He ate half before looking up.
“Did you know June?” he asked.
“Not personally. I've seen her picture. She looked kind.”
“She was.” His voice sharpened. “Don't say bad stuff about her.”
“I won't.”
He touched the blue band tied to his wrist. “She said this was from the hospital where I was born. It was mine before she met me. She kept it in a little box until she got sick.”
“Why do you wear it?”
“Because I don't want to forget either mom.”
I nearly broke. Instead I asked if he'd like me to tell him about the day he was born. He thought for a long time, then nodded.
“Rain,” I said. “There was so much rain. You had this little wrinkle between your eyebrows, like you were already trying to figure out the whole world.”
He didn't smile. “Why did you leave?”
I answered without blaming anyone else. “I was scared. I thought you'd have a safer life with another family. I signed papers, and I left. I am sorry.”
Eli looked at the sandwich. “June would've told me the truth like that.”
May you like
As the visit ended, he pulled a folded piece of notebook paper from his pocket.
“June told me to give this to you,” he said. “If I ever found you.”
