Chapter 4 - THE SCHOOL NURSE HAD CALLED
Two days later, Eliza was recovering.
Walking slowly.
Eating a little.
Still exhausted.
That morning, my phone rang.
It was her school nurse, Karen Mills.
“I heard Eliza was hospitalized.”
“Yes.”
“I’m glad you finally got her evaluated.”
Finally.
The word caught me.
“What do you mean?”
Silence.
“Mrs. Carter, I called your household twice.”
My stomach dropped.
“When?”
“Three weeks ago, and again last Thursday.”
“I never got those calls.”
“I spoke with Mr. Carter.”
I stopped breathing.
Thomas.
The nurse continued carefully.
“Eliza became dizzy after gym. The second time she had to lie down because of abdominal pain.”
“What did Thomas say?”
“He told me she had already been evaluated and that it was related to normal adolescent changes.”
I gripped the phone.
“He told you she saw a doctor?”
“Yes.”
She hadn’t.
Not once.
Thomas had not merely dismissed Eliza at home.
He had told someone outside our home that the problem had already been handled.
I thanked the nurse.
Then I walked into the hospital room where Thomas was sitting beside Eliza.
“Come outside.”
He looked at my face.
“Rachel—”
May you like
“Now.”
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