Chapter 4 - Carmen Arrives
Carmen arrived in the emergency room like she was entering a restaurant that had lost her reservation.
Her cream suit was spotless. Her polished hair did not move. Her designer purse hung from one arm while her eyes searched the room, not for Camila, but for the twins.
“There they are,” she said sharply. “Give me those babies.”
Camila flinched and pressed herself behind Nurse Margaret’s blue scrubs.
Nurse Margaret moved one calm step between Carmen and the bassinets.
“No child is leaving this room.”
Carmen laughed once. “Do you know who I am?”
Laura closed her folder.
“I know you were the first adult Camila asked for help.”
Carmen’s expression hardened.
“Children misunderstand things.”
Camila peeked around Margaret’s side. Her face was pale, but her voice came out small and clear.
“You wouldn’t open the door.”
For the first time, Carmen’s confidence flickered.
Only for a second.
Then she recovered.
“My daughter-in-law has spent years teaching that child to lie about me.” She pointed toward the bassinets. “Anna is unstable. Everyone knows it. She nearly killed those babies with neglect.”
“Anna is currently missing from the home,” Laura said.
“She’s probably hiding because she knows what she’s done.”
Camila’s fingers tightened in Margaret’s sleeve.
“My mommy was sick,” she whispered. “You were awake.”
Carmen turned toward her.
“That girl should never have been trusted with babies.”
Something changed in Nurse Margaret’s face.
Not anger exactly.
A door closing.
“Step back,” Margaret said.
Carmen reached for Camila’s arm.
Security moved forward.
Before anyone spoke again, Laura’s phone vibrated. She looked at the screen, answered, and listened.
Her face shifted from concern to certainty.
Then she placed the phone on speaker.
A deputy’s voice filled the room.
“Ms. Bennett, we found Anna Rivera alive but unconscious in the bedroom. Ambulance is en route. And we found her phone beside her.”
Carmen went still.
The deputy continued.
“You need to hear the voicemail. Mrs. Carmen Vance has already heard it once.”
Every face turned toward Carmen.
Then Anna’s weak voice began to play.
May you like
“Mom… please…”
Carmen’s mouth opened, but nothing came out.
