Chapter 4: The Man Who Changed My Mother's Medicine
Grandpa's phone slipped from his hand.
It struck the wooden floor with a sharp crack.
For several seconds, he didn't move.
I sat on the sofa, holding my mother's bell, watching his face.
"Grandpa?""
He looked at me.
His expression frightened me more than Vanessa's shouting ever had.
"Sweetheart, I need you to stay here for a moment.""
"Where are you going?""
"Just over there.""
He picked up the phone.
"Dr. Morris, are you absolutely certain?""
The woman on the other end was crying.
"I've kept quiet for seven years, Richard. I've hated myself every single day.""
"Did you actually see David?""
"Yes.""
"Then why didn't you report it?""
"I tried. But the hospital's records disappeared, and someone threatened my family.""
Grandpa closed his eyes.
"Who threatened you?""
There was a pause.
"Vanessa.""
I looked down at my bell.
Daddy had changed Mommy's medicine?
The thought wouldn't fit inside my head.
Daddy was the person who kissed my forehead every morning.
He was the person who bought me Christmas dresses.
He was the person who promised to come home before dinner.
He couldn't have hurt Mommy.
He couldn't.
Grandpa returned to the sofa.
"Lily?""
I looked up.
"Is Daddy bad?""
His face softened.
"No, sweetheart. We don't know what happened yet.""
"But the doctor said—"
"I know what she said.""
He sat beside me.
"And we're going to find out the truth.""
Dr. Helen Morris arrived forty minutes later.
She was a small woman with short gray hair, a navy coat, and a leather handbag that looked older than me.
Two police officers accompanied her.
Grandpa welcomed her into the study.
I wasn't supposed to listen.
But nobody remembered to close the door.
"Thank you for coming," Grandpa said.
Helen placed her handbag on the desk.
"I should have come years ago.""
"Why didn't you?""
She looked down.
"Because I was afraid.""
Grandpa folded his arms.
"Afraid of David?""
"Not initially.""
"Then who?""
Helen hesitated.
"Vanessa.""
Grandpa's expression darkened.
"Explain.""
Helen opened her handbag and removed a small notebook.
It was wrapped in a plastic sleeve.
"On the night Eleanor died, I was working the evening shift. She had been admitted because of complications related to her treatment.""
Grandpa nodded.
"I remember.""
"She was conscious when I last checked on her. She was frightened, but stable.""
Helen turned a page.
"At approximately 9:15 p.m., David arrived.""
My stomach tightened.
"He asked to see her alone.""
Grandpa leaned forward.
"Was Vanessa with him?""
"No. She arrived later.""
Helen looked at the notebook.
"At 9:40, David came out of the room and asked me to prepare Eleanor's next medication.""
"Did you?""
"I prepared what was listed on her chart.""
"Then what happened?""
Helen's fingers trembled.
"He told me I had made a mistake. He said Eleanor's dosage had been changed by her specialist.""
Grandpa stared at her.
"Did you verify that?""
"No. He showed me a printed prescription.""
"With the doctor's signature?""
"Yes.""
"Was it genuine?""
Helen shook her head.
"We discovered later that it wasn't.""
Grandpa stood.
"Why didn't you stop him?""
Helen began crying.
"Because I didn't know.""
She opened another section of the notebook.
"I administered the medication. Twenty minutes later, Eleanor began experiencing severe complications.""
Grandpa gripped the edge of the desk.
"And David?""
"He left the room.""
"Where did he go?""
Helen looked toward the door.
"To make a telephone call.""
"To whom?""
"I couldn't hear the entire conversation. But I heard him say, 'It's done.''"
The room went silent.
I held the bell so tightly that its edge pressed into my palm.
Helen continued.
"After Eleanor was transferred for emergency treatment, Vanessa arrived. She was carrying a folder.""
"What folder?""
"Medical paperwork.""
Grandpa's voice became almost inaudible.
"What did she do?""
"She asked me to sign a document confirming that Eleanor had received the correct medication.""
"Did you sign?""
Helen looked ashamed.
"Yes.""
Grandpa stepped backward.
"Why?""
"She told me the hospital would blame me if anything happened. She said David had already spoken to the administration.""
"That doesn't explain why you signed.""
Helen wiped her eyes.
"She told me my daughter would lose her scholarship. She knew where my family lived.""
Grandpa sat down.
"And you remained silent.""
Helen nodded.
"Until now.""
The police officer entered the study.
"Dr. Morris, we need to ask you a few questions about your statement.""
Helen nodded.
Then she turned toward me.
I had quietly stepped into the doorway.
She knelt.
"You're Lily, aren't you?""
I nodded.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart.""
I looked at her.
"Did you know my mommy?""
Helen smiled sadly.
"Yes. She was very kind.""
"Did she hurt?""
Helen's face crumpled.
"She was frightened.""
I looked down.
"Was Daddy with her?""
"Yes.""
"Did he hold her hand?""
Helen didn't answer immediately.
Then she nodded.
"He did.""
I swallowed.
"Did Mommy ask for me?""
Helen began crying again.
"She did.""
I couldn't breathe properly.
"What did she say?""
Helen looked at Grandpa.
He gave a small nod.
"She kept asking whether you were safe. She wanted to know if your father had brought you home.""
I hugged the bell against my chest.
"Did she say she loved me?""
Helen closed her eyes.
"Over and over again.""
I turned away.
Grandpa caught me before I reached the stairs.
"Sweetheart.""
I buried my face in his coat.
"Why didn't Daddy tell me?""
He held me tightly.
"I don't know.""
At midnight, Daddy returned from the police station.
He had been interviewed for almost three hours.
When he walked into the living room, he looked exhausted.
His tie was loose.
His eyes were red.
"Lily?""
I stood beside Grandpa.
Daddy smiled weakly.
"There you are.""
He opened his arms.
Usually, I would have run straight into them.
This time, I didn't move.
He noticed.
"What's wrong?""
Grandpa stood.
"David, we need to talk.""
Daddy looked at him.
"About what?""
"Dr. Morris.""
His face changed.
"What about her?""
"She came here tonight.""
Daddy glanced toward the study.
Then he looked at me.
"What did she tell you?""
Grandpa stepped forward.
"She told us about the medication.""
Daddy rubbed his forehead.
"Richard, this is complicated.""
"Then explain it.""
"Not in front of Lily.""
Grandpa's voice sharpened.
"Why? Because she's too young to know what happened to her mother?""
Daddy looked at me.
"Sweetheart, go upstairs.""
I shook my head.
"I want to stay.""
He looked startled.
Grandpa placed a hand on my shoulder.
"She has a right to hear the truth.""
Daddy's jaw tightened.
Then he sat down.
"All right.""
He looked at the floor.
"I didn't change Eleanor's prescription.""
Grandpa said nothing.
"I took the paperwork to the hospital because Vanessa told me the specialist had approved a new dosage.""
"Did you verify it?""
Daddy rubbed his face.
"No.""
"Why not?""
"Because Eleanor was getting worse. Vanessa said she had spoken to the doctor.""
Grandpa's eyes narrowed.
"And you believed her?""
Daddy looked up.
"Yes.""
"Did you administer the medication?""
"No. Helen did.""
"Did you know the dosage was incorrect?""
Daddy shook his head.
"No.""
Grandpa placed the printed email on the table.
"Then explain this.""
Daddy read the highlighted sentence.
His expression became confused.
"What's this?""
"An email from Vanessa to the nurse.""
Daddy looked up.
"I've never seen this.""
Grandpa studied him.
"Did you make the phone call Helen heard?""
Daddy became very still.
"What phone call?""
"The one where you said, 'It's done.''"
Daddy stood abruptly.
"I was calling the insurance company!""
"At nine-forty?""
"Yes!""
"About what?""
Daddy looked toward me.
Then he turned away.
"About Eleanor's life insurance.""
Grandpa's face hardened.
"What?""
Daddy took a breath.
"Vanessa told me the policy was going to expire. She said I needed to submit some paperwork.""
Grandpa stared at him.
"And what was the paperwork?""
Daddy didn't answer.
"David.""
"It was a beneficiary change.""
The silence was unbearable.
Grandpa slowly sat down.
"Who was the new beneficiary?""
Daddy looked toward the fireplace.
"Vanessa.""
I didn't understand insurance.
But I understood that Daddy had changed something that belonged to Mommy.
"Why?"" I whispered.
Daddy turned toward me.
"Lily, sweetheart—"
"Did you want Mommy's money?""
His face crumpled.
"No.""
"Then why did you give it to Vanessa?""
He knelt.
"Because I trusted her.""
I looked at him.
"More than Mommy?""
He didn't answer.
That was when I noticed something in his coat pocket.
A corner of white paper.
It had the same blue handwriting as the letter Grandpa had shown us.
I pointed.
"Daddy, what's that?""
He quickly pushed it deeper into his pocket.
"Nothing.""
Grandpa saw it.
"David. Take it out.""
Daddy hesitated.
Then he slowly removed a folded sheet of paper.
Grandpa took it.
His eyes moved across the first few lines.
And his expression changed completely.
"Where did you get this?""
Daddy swallowed.
"Vanessa gave it to me.""
Grandpa looked at the paper again.
It was a handwritten statement.
And beneath the title were six words.
*Eleanor's Final Confession and Admission.*
Grandpa looked at Daddy.
"Do you realize what you've been carrying?""
Daddy nodded weakly.
"I thought it was something she wrote before she died.""
Grandpa's voice dropped.
"David, this isn't Eleanor's handwriting.""
Then he turned the paper over.
On the back was a date.
May you like
Seven days before my mother died.
And beneath it was Vanessa's signature.
