Chapter 18 - The Longest Night
The hospital corridor felt endless.
Jason walked beside Rachel's bed while nurses rolled her toward labor and delivery.
"I'm right here," he kept saying.
Rachel gripped his hand. "If you say that one more time, I may break your fingers."
He laughed because she did.
Then another contraction hit and nobody laughed.
Dr. Patel met them inside the room.
"Baby looks good. You're a little early, but we're going to take this one step at a time."
Rachel nodded, breathing hard.
Mia arrived twenty minutes later carrying David's letter and crying before she even reached the door.
"Mom's in custody," she told Jason. "Castillo says the recording is clean. Grant is cooperating. Gwen too."
Jason looked toward Rachel.
"Not now."
Rachel heard him anyway.
"No," she said. "Tell me."
Mia stepped closer.
"The emergency guardianship filing is being withdrawn. The court has the forged chart evidence."
Rachel closed her eyes.
One piece of fear finally loosened.
Hours passed.
The city turned dark outside the window.
Jason held ice chips, counted breaths badly, apologized for counting badly, and let Rachel curse him for not being the one in labor.
Near midnight, Dr. Patel's expression sharpened.
"Rachel, we're close."
Jason bent over her.
"You hear that?"
"Yes, Jason. I'm in the room."
He laughed through tears.
Then a nurse entered with a strange look.
"Doctor, can I speak to you?"
Dr. Patel stepped aside.
Rachel watched their faces.
"What?"
The nurse hesitated.
"Someone called the floor claiming to be your physician. They requested an immediate transfer to another facility."
Jason's entire body stiffened.
"Who?"
"The call was fake. We caught it."
Rachel gripped the rail.
"Vanessa is in custody."
Mia looked at Jason.
"Then someone is still helping her."
The nurse handed Dr. Patel a printed call record.
The callback number belonged to Hawthorne Holdings.
May you like
Jason stared at it.
"The board."
