“That’s not exactly what happened.”
He exhaled slowly. “Grace was in critical condition, yes. There were neurological concerns. But she was never legally declared brain-dead. There were signs of a response. Small ones at first, but they were there.”
I gripped the edge of the chair. “Response?”
“Reflex improvement. Brain activity that suggested possible recovery. It wasn’t guaranteed, but it wasn’t hopeless either.”
“Then why did Neil tell me she died?”
Dr. Peterson hesitated. “I don’t know, Mary. He said you were too distraught to handle fluctuations in her condition and asked to be the primary decision-maker.”
My ears rang.
“There were signs of a response.”
“He moved her,” the doctor continued. “He arranged a transfer to a private care facility outside the city. He told me he’d inform you once she stabilized.”
I stared at him.
“Legally, he had authority as her father. I assumed you were aware.”
“Well, she recovered all right,” I whispered. “She called me from her school.”
The doctor blinked. “She what?”
“Yes. Do you know anything else?”
“No, unfortunately not. I wasn’t involved in her care after she left the hospital. But I can give you copies of what I have,” he explained.
“Okay, thanks for your time,” I said.
“I assumed you were aware.”
I walked out of that office knowing one thing for certain.
I didn’t go back to Melissa’s right away. I needed to hear from him. Before leaving, I called Neil and demanded that he meet me at our house. I didn’t wait for his response.
***
When I walked into the house, Neil was pacing the living room. “Where is she?”
“Safe.”
He ran a hand through his hair.
I didn’t wait for his response.
“So why is our daughter alive when she’s supposed to be dead?” I asked calmly. “Don’t lie to me. I already spoke to Dr. Peterson.”
Neil stopped pacing. “You shouldn’t have done that.”
“You shouldn’t have lied.”
He didn’t respond.
I stepped closer. “Start speaking, or I’m going straight to the police.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
He looked exhausted suddenly. “Look, she wasn’t the same.”
“What does that mean?”
“After the infection, there was damage. Cognitive delays. Behavioral issues. The doctors said she might never function at her previous level.”
“So?” I demanded. “She was alive.”
He shook his head. “You didn’t see her during recovery. She couldn’t speak clearly and needed therapy, specialists, and special schooling. It was going to cost thousands.”
“Look, she wasn’t the same.”
My voice rose. “So you decided she was better off dead?”
“I didn’t kill her!” he snapped. “I found a family.”
“A family?”
“A couple who already adopted before. They agreed to take her.”
“You gave her away?”
Neil looked at me as if he expected understanding. “I thought I was protecting you. You were barely functioning. I thought this was a way for us to move forward.”
“I found a family.”
“By pretending she was dead?”
He exhaled sharply. “She wasn’t the same, Mary. She was slower. Different. I just couldn’t…”
“We are done,” I said with such finality that it shocked me.
“No, Mary, we can still fix this. I’ll talk to the adoptive parents. We can undo the chaos. She belongs with them now.”
