Chapter 12
I thought I would feel threatened.
Instead, I felt grief.
Not mine alone.
Elena’s.
Poppy’s.
Grant’s maybe.
Even Claire’s.
A whole family had been shattered and rearranged by people who thought blood was property.
Poppy sat between me and Elena, holding both our hands.
“Do I have two moms?” she asked.
I looked at Elena.
Elena looked terrified.
I answered first.
“You have one mom who raised you.”
Poppy nodded.
“And?”
Elena whispered, “And one mom who never stopped missing you.”
Poppy thought about that.
“That’s sad.”
“Yes,” I said.
“Can we make it less sad?”
Elena cried again.
So did I.
The investigation exploded after Elena’s statement.
She had gone to Bennett Fertility for prenatal care because she had no insurance.
Dr. Voss told her the baby had severe complications.
After delivery, he said Poppy died.
No body.
No funeral.
Just a sealed envelope and a sedative.
Elena was pressured to sign papers she could not read clearly.
Then threatened with immigration consequences, even though she was legally in the country.
Margaret’s signature appeared on a “charitable placement” document.
Serena listened to Elena’s story from her hospital bed and turned gray.
“That could have been me.”
“Yes,” Lydia said.
Serena touched her belly.
“I’ll testify.”
Margaret’s lawyers tried to block every record.
Too late.
Dr. Voss was arrested attempting to board a flight to Switzerland.
In his luggage were cash, passports, and a hard drive.
On the drive were dozens of children.
May you like
Dozens of mothers.
Poppy was not the only one.
