Chapter 7 - The List
Jennifer recovered quickly.
“Ines, we were making notes for the doctor. Nobody accused you of anything.”
“You wrote down a fall that never happened.”
Stuart turned to her. “You said she fell on the steps.”
“She told me she did.”
“I didn’t,” I said.
Jennifer folded her arms. “This is exactly what I mean. She doesn’t remember.”
Max stood beside the open door, listening. His school bag slipped from his shoulder.
I wanted to spare him the rest. I had spent years trying to spare Stuart discomfort too, and it had taught him that someone else would always clean up after him.
“I remember signing a medical consent form,” I said. “The real one, years ago. I remember seeing a copy last week with my signature forged on it.”
Stuart stared at Jennifer.
She said, “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Helen has the original.”
I didn’t know if Helen had received it yet. Jennifer didn’t know that either.
She left first. Stuart followed after telling Max to get into the car.
Before Max went, he turned to me.
“Grandma, are you going away?”
“I’m moving. You can still call me whenever you want.”
He nodded without looking convinced.
The next day, Helen obtained the original consent form. Jennifer had signed it in blue ink. The false incidents were attached on a separate sheet, along with a request that Dr. Campbell assess my ability to live independently.
Helen laid the papers beside Lily’s photograph.
“You have strong evidence,” she said. “We can address this directly and decide what further action you want to take.”
“Has Dr. Campbell seen it?”
“His office received it. He has not evaluated you.”
I went to the appointment myself, with Denise beside me. I asked the doctor to record in my chart that I was there voluntarily, understood my affairs, and disputed the false history sent to his office.
May you like
When I came home, Stuart’s car was in my driveway.
The front door stood open.
