Chapter 2 - The Hospital War Room
The ICU floor of Columbus General Hospital was locked down tight. Four private security guards in dark grey suits stood at the elevator bank, turning away reporters, camera crews, and curious hospital staff.
Inside Room 412, the only sound was the steady, rhythmic beep of the cardiac monitor. Ethan Caldwell lay prop up against three pillows, an IV drip running into his left hand, his color slowly returning from grey to a pale olive.
In the corner of the room, sitting side by side on a plush leather sofa meant for visitors, were Lily and Emma. They had been bathed by a kind pediatric nurse, their dirty rags replaced with oversized, soft hospital scrubs rolled up at the sleeves and ankles. In front of them on a rolling table sat three plates of untouched warm food—roast chicken, mashed potatoes, and fresh fruit.
They hadn't eaten a bite. They sat frozen, staring at the floorboards, as if waiting for someone to enter the room and accuse them of a new crime.
The door swished open. Marissa walked in, followed by Julian Vance, the chief legal counsel for Caldwell Enterprises. Vance was fifty-five, sharp-featured, wearing a five-thousand-dollar pinstripe suit, carrying a sleek leather briefcase.
"Ethan," Vance said softly, stepping up to the bed. "The preliminary injunctions have been filed. We’ve issued cease-and-desist orders to nine major social media networks to pull down the cropped viral clip. However..." Vance paused, glancing toward the corner where the girls sat. "...the narrative has already taken on a life of its own on local news outlets. Channel 6 is running a segment right now titled 'The Linden Park Robbery Scandal.'"
Ethan turned his head slowly toward the television mounted on the wall. He picked up the remote and clicked the screen on.
A local news anchor was speaking over a looped, grainy video—the exact cropped frame of Lily’s hand inside Ethan’s jacket.
"...police have yet to confirm the identity of the two juveniles seen in this shocking footage. Local business owners in the Linden Park area claim the pair have been sleeping rough for months, frequently spotted near dumpsters and convenience stores. Questions remain regarding whether charges will be pressed by the Caldwell family..."
"Turn it off," Ethan said softly.
Vance clicked the screen off.
Ethan swung his legs over the side of the hospital bed. The cardiac monitor beeped a little faster, but he ignored the warning tone. He walked slowly, unsteadily, dragging his IV pole behind him, until he reached the sofa where the twins sat.
He didn't stand over them. He lowered his six-foot-two frame onto his knees right on the cold linoleum floor in front of them, bringing his eyes level with theirs.
Lily looked up, her lower lip trembling slightly. "Are we going to jail, mister?"
Ethan felt a sharp, agonizing twist in his chest that had nothing to do with his heart condition. "No," he said, his voice deep, raspy, and absolute. "You are never going to jail. And nobody is ever going to call you a thief again."
Emma looked at the plate of food, then at Ethan. "We didn't take your watch. We know it costs a lot. A man at the shelter told us watches like that can buy a whole house. But Lily said your heart was stopping..."
"I know," Ethan whispered. He reached out, his big, weathered hand gently hovering over Lily’s small shoulder until she leaned into his touch. "That watch didn't save my life. You did. Both of you."
He turned his head toward Vance, his eyes turning into two points of solid ice. "Julian."
"Yes, Ethan?"
"I want a live press conference arranged in the hospital lobby in two hours," Ethan commanded. "Invite every local station. Invite the national networks. Invite the idiot who anchored that Channel 6 report."
"Ethan, your heart status is still unstable," Vance warned gently. "The doctor wants you in bed for forty-eight hours."
"My heart is fine," Ethan snapped, grabbing the edge of the sofa to pull himself up. "My reputation doesn't matter, Julian. But these two girls were destroyed by millions of people online while I was lying unconscious on the ground. I am going down to that lobby, and I am going to set the record straight."
Marissa stepped forward, hand on her hip. "And what about their living situation? I had my assistant run a background check. Their mother, Sarah Miller, passed away six months ago from untreated pneumonia in a public shelter. They’ve been slipping through the cracks of Child Protective Services ever since, hiding in abandoned buildings near the park."
Ethan looked down at the two tiny girls sitting in oversized scrubs.
"Call CPS," Ethan ordered Vance.
May you like
Lily gasped, her face draining of color, grabbing Emma’s hand. "No! Please! They’ll separate us! They told us at the shelter if CPS finds us, they’ll put us in different homes!"
"They won't separate you," Ethan said, kneeling back down and taking both of their small, cold hands into his own. "Because I’m filing for immediate emergency temporary guardianship today. You are coming home with me."
