Chapter 8 - TWO DUE DATES
Dr. Miriam Holloway founded Northbridge Fertility twenty-one years earlier.
She had appeared in magazines, medical panels, and charity events. Her clinic’s lobby displayed photographs of thousands of babies.
Rebecca’s picture was scheduled to join them.
Mine too.
Susan Bell claimed Dr. Holloway learned of a serious identification concern after both pregnancies had advanced beyond twenty weeks.
Northbridge expected one pregnancy to fail because of earlier complications.
Both continued.
When our due dates fell within the same week, Luke began attending confidential meetings at the clinic.
“What identification concern?” Detective Cole asked.
Susan refused to answer without a formal agreement.
She admitted helping Luke enter the postpartum floor.
She admitted disabling the alarms.
She said she believed Luke was “correcting custody before discharge.”
She denied preparing the plan.
“Who did?”
“Luke and Dr. Holloway.”
Northbridge called her a disgruntled former employee.
Dr. Holloway denied meeting Luke privately.
Calendar records showed six appointments under initials rather than names.
L.M. attended all six.
A seventh appointment was titled:
DUAL DELIVERY CONTINGENCY.
My incision became infected during the second week.
Fever sent me back to the hospital, where I spent two nights receiving antibiotics.
Leaving June even with Rebecca felt impossible.
Rachel arranged for a vetted postpartum nurse to stay in the apartment.
I still cried when the elevator doors closed.
At the hospital, Luke appeared outside my room with two officers.
He had been arrested for custodial interference, tampering with infant identification, conspiracy, and obstruction-related conduct. He was released on bond after surrendering his passport and agreeing to electronic monitoring.
The court allowed him to speak to me only through counsel.
He used the arraignment hallway.
“I did not know Susan would leave June alone.”
“You moved her.”
“I was coming back.”
“You decided which baby I should love.”
His face tightened.
“I decided which child was ours.”
The wording pierced me.
June was in my body when she developed fingers.
I felt her hiccups.
I labored for nine hours before surgery.
Whatever Luke knew, his sentence made me want to close every door.
Then he said, “Ask Rebecca why Northbridge selected her donor.”
Rebecca had told me she chose a donor herself.
When I returned to the apartment, I asked.
She looked confused.
“I selected profile 614.”
Rachel examined the clinic file.
Rebecca’s consent form listed donor 614.
The embryology sheet listed donor 641.
One digit had changed.
Donor 641’s genetic profile shared a rare marker with Luke.
May you like
Not enough to prove parentage.
Enough to create another connection no one could explain.
