“Are you mad, Daddy?” Madison asks in an angelic voice. I look at her long black silky hair, dark eyes and beautiful smile and my anger is replaced with love. She is wearing a floral dress with black patent leather shoes and ruffled white socks. Ever since we received the news the Madison was switched at birth, our lives have been turned upside down.
“No Madison, Daddy’s not mad.” I watch as Madison slowly walks further into my office. “Is Mommy and Caden ready?”
“Yes, Daddy. Momma wanted me to come get you. Grandpa’s here to watch Caden.”
I stand up and button my suit jacket. “Come on. Madison, we shouldn’t keep your momma waiting.” I take her small hand in mine and walk out of my office. My three-year-old son, Caden, and my wife, Chelsea, are standing at the front door waiting for us. My son is dressed in shorts and a Spiderman t-shirt. My wife is dressed in a flowery dress, almost identical to Madison’s.
“Are we ready?” I ask my wife. She is holding an envelope and a gift for… I can’t even say it. The other child may be my biological daughter, but I don’t feel a connection to her. Madison, on the other hand, is my pride and joy. I’ll never let her go.
“We are, your dad is here to watch Caden.” My mom died of bone cancer a few years ago and my father never remarried. He is very active in his grandchildren’s lives.
“Let’s not keep the good people of Manatee County waiting,” I say, sarcastically.
“Be nice, Drake,” Chelsea says as she loops her arm through mine.
“Always.” We were informed by my high-priced attorney we should cooperate with the hospital and listen to how they plan to correct this. We were also advised to meet with the other family and possibly we all can agree to the same conclusion and end this civilly. You keep your child and we’ll keep Madison. Case closed! After the first certified letter we received from the hospital revealing the baby swap, I haven’t signed for another certified letter from the hospital, since. There has only been one that I am aware of. Whatever they have to say to me, they can say it to my face.
We walk through the house and I pass my dad in the family room. He is setting up a board game for him and Caden to play.
“Dad, do you need anything before leave?” I ask my father as he shuffles the cards to Candy Land.
“No, Drake. Caden and I have everything we need while you guys are gone.” He walks towards me and smiles when Madison walks around the corner. “Well, Madison, don’t you look like a princess.”
“Thank you, Grandpa,” she says with an angelic voice.
“Oh, if Grandma could see you now.” He picks up Madison and hugs her. “Grandma loved you so much.”
“I miss her.”
“Well Madison, you know she is looking down on you from heaven, right now.”
“I know Grandpa, I still miss her.”
“I do, too, Madison.”
“We’ll be late if we don’t leave now,” Chelsea says.
“I know, I’m sorry. I’m prolonging the inevitable, aren’t I?” He kisses Madison again and lowers her to the floor.
“I know, Dad. This is something none of us wants to do, but we have to,” Chelsea says. Chelsea called my parents Mom and Dad very early in our marriage. My mom insisted.
“Well, you best be going. Take plenty of pictures. I want to see what the new addition to our family looks like.”
“Dad?”
“Oh, relax, Drake. You can’t change it, so you might as well accept it. Madison will have a sister.”
Leah
Mom and Dad and Robert’s Mom and Dad show up at the house bearing gifts. Everything is wrapped beautifully. They must have known that I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on wrapping gifts this morning. I can barely hold it together. I’m trying, but it’s not working. Robert was working out when I woke up this morning and he spent most of the morning in the basement. He’s barely holding it together, too.
“The gifts look beautiful.”
“Thank you, Leah. We each bought her toy, but we got her a book from you and Robert. We thought it was fitting,” Margie says.
“A book, that’s perfect. Thank you.”
“You look beautiful,” my Mom says.
“Thank you. I’m a bundle of nerves. I have a bad feeling about this.”
“I imagine you do. Do you want us to go with you?” Mom asks.
“No, I want you all here waiting for us. I have no idea how this will work out.”
Margie says, “It’ll be okay. Do you have the pictures of Jamie?”
“I do, they’re in my purse. I also included some newspaper articles of the accident and the obituary.” I put my hand on my stomach to calm the kicking. “I think the baby’s upset.”
“Where’s Robert? You need to probably get going.”
“I’m here,” he says, straightening his black tie.
I hear a car door shut and look out the kitchen window. Bruce is also straightening his tie as he walks up to the door.
“Good morning, Bruce,” Robert says, as he opens the door.
“Good morning. How are you both holding up?” He asks as he walks into the house. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you have company.”
“Oh, Bruce, please come in.” I introduce him to our parents before we leave. On the drive to the hospital, Robert and I sit in the back of his Mercedes. Taking deep breaths to try to calm my nerves, I decide it’s useless. I hold the stack of gifts and drum my fingers repeatedly on the top gift.
On the drive there Bruce tells us who all will be in this meeting. The other family and the girl involved in the baby swap, their attorney, the CEO, president, and the hospital attorney, and us. I remove the pictures and articles from my purse and hand them to Bruce. “When you feel the time is right, give these to the family.”
He takes them and smiles sadly. “I will.” I watch as he carefully places them in his inside suit pocket.
We stop by the florist first, and Robert and I get our flowers for Jamie. We visit with her as Bruce waits in the car. He constantly looks around and I wonder who he is looking for. There were no news reporters at the gate when we came in, or at Jamie’s cemetery plot. Bruce said he called the Chief of Police at the Police Department and asked them for security around the cemetery today. I guess being a judge has its perks.
We kneel down on her grave and I cry. I pray to God and talk to Jamie. I pray for strength and I tell Jamie how much I will always love her. I tell her she is my forever, no matter what. Robert wipes down her granite tombstone and I pick away the leaves and weeds. Robert says, “We love you, Jamie,” before we leave.
Robert holds my hand and stares out the window. He says nothing on the way there.
“They instructed us to park in the employee lot,” Bruce says.
I open my eyes and take notice that we are already here. My heart beats a little faster and the baby kicks a little harder. Robert places his hand on the spot the baby is kicking. “His movementsl are strong,” he whispers, “I can see them through your clothing.”
“Yes, they are.” I look down and my sundress moves with every kick. “They are starting to become painful.”
Bruce parks the car and I scoot out of the car on Robert’s side. I hand Robert the gifts, and take some deep breaths, as Robert holds my hand tightly.
“Are you all right?” Robert asks. Bruce stops are looks at me.
“I'm all right.” I try to assure them both.
“Leah, if this is too much for you, say something,” Bruce insists.
“I’m fine.” I plaster on a fake toothy smile and everyone laughs.
“Well, if it becomes too much…”
“I will, Bruce, thank you.”
We walk into the hospital and are met by what looks like hospital security.
“Robert and Leah Grether?”
“Yes,” Bruce replies.
One of them asks, “And you are?”
“Their attorney, Bruce Myles.”
“Judge Myles?”
&
nbsp; “Yes.”
“Follow us.”
We follow behind them down the hallway before we enter into a small conference room. I quickly look around the room for a little girl. Three men dressed in suits are sitting at the large oval table. They stand immediately when we enter. My heart beat quickens and I can feel my blood rushing through my veins in my neck. I hear my heart pulsating in my ears. I can’t understand what is being said. I smile, shake their hands and nod while I hold onto the chair for support. Robert wraps his arms around me and pulls out the nearest chair for me to sit on.
“Are you all right?” Robert leans in and whispers into my ear.
I nod. “I need some water.” I rest my hand on my belly to calm the baby.
“Leah needs some water, please.”
I drink the water that someone hands to me and it helps.
A man in a gray suit stands up and says, “We’re still waiting for the other family.”
Robert sits on one side while Bruce takes the seat on the other side of me. I drink some more water, hoping it’ll calm my racing heart. I sit and listen while Bruce and Robert talk to the men at the table. I don’t say anything, I can’t speak. I holding onto the bottle of water and pick at the label. I’m afraid they’ll ask me some questions and I won’t be able to talk.
The door opens and the room goes quiet. Robert immediately holds my hand. I want to look, but I can’t. My mouth goes dry and I lick my lips. The sound of blood swooshing in my ears is the only thing I can hear. Robert stands and urges me to do the same. I stand on wobbly legs and pray they can support my weight. I haven’t looked towards the doorway. I’m scared, frightened, and excited, all at once. My daughter is here and that gives me instant courage. My daughter.
An older man walks in first and is followed by a tall, dark-haired younger man. The younger man is in protector mode. I have seen this stance and look many times on Robert. His wife and daughter are behind him, although I can’t see either of them. He stops and his wife stands to his side. I recognize her from the bookstore. They look around the room and I know they are looking for their daughter, our Jamie. My stomach does another flip at the thought. Surely the hospital would have informed them of Jamie’s death. She is holding a gift in her hands. A little girl with hair, black as night, peers around from behind the man. She is holding his hand with both of hers. Robert squeezes my hand and I know he is looking at her, too. She is the same little girl who was in the bookstore a few weeks ago. I didn’t notice it then, but I see it now. She looks like Robert and me. She has olive-color skin, deep-set dark eyes, and black hair. She looks frightened as she looks around the room. Her eyes lock on mine and she give me a slight smile and small wave. She remembers me from the bookstore. I smile slightly and wave back cautiously.
Robert leans into me and asks, “Do you know her?”
“No, but they frequent the shop,” I whisper. “One book they bought was The Animal Family by Randall Jarrell with illustrations by Maurice Sendak. One of its themes is that you don’t need to be biologically related to be family; you can make your own family out of the people — and animals, and in the book, a mermaid — around you.”
“You can remember the book they bought?”
“It’s a gift I have; I remember which books people buy or look at,” I say, without taking my eyes off of the little girl.
Robert
I stare at the little girl and I am amazed that she looks so much like me and Leah. Someone instructs all of us to sit down at the table and we do.
We are introduced to Drake and Chelsea Sinclair and their daughter, Madison. Leah keeps one of her hands placed on her belly and holds my hand with her other one.
“We understood that both girls would be present here today,” Drake says.
“We sent you several certified letters explaining and they were all returned,” an older man says as he holds up several manila envelopes.
“Explaining what?” Chelsea asks.
I watch as the guys at the table look at each other. Leah speaks up softly and says, “I’m sorry, but there was an accident….”
“Oh, God, no,” Chelsea cries.
I wrap my arms securely around Leah’s shoulder and tuck her firmly to me. I’m anticipating harsh words and anger coming from Drake. I can see a twitch in his jaw, a sure sign that a man is upset. I watch as Drake tries to console his wife, but it doesn’t work. The attorney for the Sinclairs says, “We spoke about this meeting and not ONE person said ANYTHING about a DECEASED CHILD!”
Leah jumps at his raised tone, as do Chelsea and Madison. Drake scoots closer to Madison and places his arm securely over her chair. Chelsea wipes away her tears with a monogrammed Kleenex she retrieved from her purse. I look at the three men in suits as they search through some papers, which are now scattered across the table.
Finally, one of the men clears his throat and says, “It looks like this was an oversight on our part. Please accept our apologies.”
“AN OVERSIGHT! NOT TELLING US THAT OUR DAUGHTER IS DEAD WAS AN OVERSIGHT!” Drake yells. He slams his fist on the table and the table rattles. Leah jumps again, as do Madison and Chelsea. His temper is pissing me off and I hate to see my daughter sitting at his side — she jumps from fear.
I lean forward to say something to him when Leah grabs my arm. I look back at her and she looks scared. “Are you all right, Sweets?” She shakes her head no. “What is it?”
“My water…,” she begins to say and then stops. I hand her the bottle of water sitting on the table and she doesn’t take it. I can hear some arguing going on at the table, but my focus and attention is now on Leah. “My water broke,” she whispers.
I look over at Bruce and he says, “We are already at a hospital, but do you need an ambulance to take her to a different one?”
“I don’t want her to deliver here,” I say. This is where this nightmare began. I don’t wish to worry about a baby swap happening again.
Leah squeezes my hand until her knuckles turn white. She still doesn’t say anything. “We may not have a choice,” Bruce says. “Can we get a wheelchair brought in?” Bruce asks as he stands up from his chair. “Leah’s in pre-term labor.”
The room quiets and I can hear movement. “Leah, are you all right?” I ask, hoping she can answer me.
“The contraction is over,” she whispers. She lessens her hold on me and I continue to hold her hand. “It’s too early for the baby to come,” she cries. She stiffens as another contraction begins.
“Don’t cry, Leah.”
Bruce bends down and says, “They are bringing in a gurney for you. How are your contractions?”
“They hurt,” Leah says through gritted teeth.
I look around the room for the gurney, a wheelchair, or something, and I don’t see anything. Leah squeezes my hand and I know she is in pain. “Hold on, Leah.” It’s the only thing I can think of to say.
A soft voice says, “May I help?” I look over and Chelsea is standing there. I move over and make room for her so she can be closer to Leah.
“Hi, Leah,” she smiles and takes Leah’s other hand in hers. “Close your eyes and take some deep breaths.”
I watch as Leah does what is asked of her. I should have remembered that from when Jamie was born. I kick myself for not remembering. Leah seems to calm as she continues to take deep cleansing breaths.
“Good, you are doing great,” Chelsea says in a calming voice. Although I just met her, she seems to be the total opposite of her irate husband. “How far along are you?”
“She’s just at 27 weeks,” I say. Chelsea nods. I hear the commotion and I know the medical staff is here. Thank, God.
I kiss Leah and whisper to her that I love her before I stand and make room for the gurney. I try to focus on Leah, but the conversation going on at the table now has my full attention.
“I would hope that if Leah delivers in this hospital that the same mistakes won’t happen again,” Bruce says sternly.
Shit, I don’t thin
k I could live through another baby swap. I see a marker and some pens laying in the middle of the table and I remember my plan to mark my baby with a permanent marker. I want it to be nearly impossible to mix him or her up with another baby. I lean forward and take the black permanent marker from the table. I plan on explaining my actions but then I realize no one is watching me.
“We have terminated the person responsible for the baby mix up and have recently defined our hiring process.”
“You mean to tell me this MIX-UP wasn’t just a mistake, it was intentional?” Drake yells. I swear he took the words right out of my mouth, although his tone is a little harsher than I would use, at least I think so.
Leah lets out a cry and I am reminded of what is more important. I would love to stay and have this conversation with them, but I have a wife and child who needs me. I hold Leah’s hand as they place her on the gurney. I can see the blood and water on the seat of the chair and on her clothing.
“Stay here and finish this conversation while I go with Leah,” I whisper to Bruce, who seems to be into a heated discussion.
He nods as he continues his conversation with them. I walk out beside the gurney as I hold Leah’s hand. The only thing I hear before leaving the room is someone saying, “A psychotic nurse,” before the door closes behind us. I hold tighter to the permanent magic marker in my hands.
Bruce Myles
I stay behind while Bobby tends to Leah. A nurse suffering from a psychiatric episode is responsible for the baby swap. This is all news to me and to my clients. “If Leah delivers here, in this hospital, and this happens again, I will sue this hospital and each of you, personally. Do you understand?”
“Yes, we do. I assure you this hospital had taken every safety measure possible to assure that this never happens again,” Mr. Morrow says as he stands to look me in my eyes. I am reminded that I am still standing. I sit back down and notice the chair Leah was sitting in has been removed from the table. “Should we reschedule this meeting?” he asks me.
Against the Odds Page 4