Chapter 4
My mother looked like she had seen a ghost.
Dad slowly lowered the phone.
“Denise?”
She shook her head.
“Marcus, I can explain.”
I stared at her.
“What did you do?”
She looked at me.
Then at Dad.
Finally, she whispered, “Rochelle told me it would help.”
Dad raised his voice.
“That's not what I asked!”
Dr. Bennett entered immediately.
“Mr. Carter, please.”
Dad took a deep breath.
I had never seen him so angry.
He walked toward the window.
Mom sat beside my bed.
“Malik, I never wanted to hurt you.”
I looked at her.
“Then why did you keep making me drink it?”
She began crying.
“Because I believed it would help.”
I wanted to believe her.
But something still didn't make sense.
If she believed it was healthy, why had she become so frightened when the doctor mentioned the test results?
And why had Rochelle said she knew exactly why they started?
Dad returned.
He held out his phone.
“Rochelle is coming here.”
Mom stood.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because she's going to make everything worse.”
Dad looked at her.
“It's already worse.”
Dr. Bennett explained that the hospital would continue monitoring me and that any conversation involving the suspected product needed to be documented.
He also reminded everyone that I needed rest.
Mom left the room.
Dad sat beside me.
“Do you want me to ask someone else to stay with you?”
I shook my head.
“Just you.”
He smiled sadly.
“Then just me.”
A few hours later, I fell asleep.
When I woke up, I heard voices outside the door.
Rochelle had arrived.
“You're destroying my business over a child who doesn't even understand what he's drinking!”
Dad answered.
“Keep your voice down.”
Rochelle laughed.
“Don't tell me what to do.”
I sat up.
Mom was crying.
“Rochelle, please. Just tell him the truth.”
There was a long silence.
Then Rochelle said, “I gave you the formula. I didn't force you to use it.”
Dad's voice became sharper.
“You told her it was safe.”
“It is safe when used correctly.”
“Where is the medical evidence?”
Rochelle didn't answer.
“You told my wife to give it to a twelve-year-old every morning. What exactly did you put in it?”
Rochelle sighed.
“I don't remember every ingredient.”
Dad stepped closer.
“You don't remember?”
“I have dozens of products.”
“Then why were you telling Denise to give this one to my son?”
Rochelle lowered her voice.
“Because Malik was getting heavier.”
I froze.
My mother gasped.
Dad stared at her.
“What?”
Rochelle continued.
“He was eating too much. He was getting lazy. His father lets him have whatever he wants.”
I felt my face burn.
I wasn't lazy.
I played basketball.
I rode my bike.
I helped Dad wash the car.
Sometimes I ate two sandwiches after practice because I was hungry.
Rochelle had made comments about my body before.
She called me soft.
She said boys needed discipline.
I had always thought she was joking.
Dad's voice trembled.
“You gave him something because you didn't like how he looked?”
Rochelle snapped.
“I was trying to help him!”
Mom began sobbing.
Dad looked at her.
“Is that true?”
She nodded slowly.
“Rochelle said he needed to lose weight before he became unhealthy.”
Dad closed his eyes.
I looked at my mother.
“Did you think I was fat?”
She immediately turned toward me.
“No, baby!”
“Then why?”
She couldn't answer.
Rochelle stepped into the room.
“Because somebody had to do something.”
Dad moved between her and my bed.
“Get away from him.”
Rochelle stopped.
“I am his aunt.”
“And right now, you're a person who needs to explain why you gave a child an unverified product.”
Rochelle rolled her eyes.
“It's a natural formula.”
Dr. Bennett entered with a nurse.
“Mrs. Carter, Miss Rochelle, neither of you should discuss the product as safe without verified evidence. The laboratory investigation is ongoing.”
Rochelle looked irritated.
“Doctors always make everything sound dangerous.”
Dr. Bennett remained calm.
“Medical safety isn't determined by marketing language.”
He turned toward Dad.
“We need to ask whether the product was purchased commercially or prepared from separate ingredients.”
Rochelle stiffened.
Dad noticed.
“Answer him.”
She looked toward Mom.
Then she whispered, “I prepared it myself.”
Dr. Bennett asked for the remaining containers.
Rochelle shook her head.
“I threw them away.”
“Why?”
“Because I didn't need them anymore.”
Dad stared at her.
“Where?”
She didn't answer.
A nurse called hospital security to assist with the situation.
Rochelle suddenly became defensive.
“You can't treat me like a criminal!”
Dad looked at her.
“Nobody has called you that.”
“Then let me leave.”
Dr. Bennett explained that the hospital wasn't detaining her, but they needed accurate information and cooperation with the appropriate investigation.
Rochelle grabbed her purse.
Before leaving, she turned toward my mother.
“You better not tell them anything else.”
Mom looked up.
For the first time, she didn't lower her eyes.
“You already hurt my son.”
Rochelle stared at her.
Then she walked out.
I looked at Mom.
“Why are you scared of Aunt Rochelle?”
She sat down.
Her face crumpled.
May you like
Then she whispered something that made Dad turn toward her.
“Because she told me if I stopped giving him the drink, she would tell Marcus what I did before Malik got sick.”
