Chapter 3 - THE HOSPITAL I spent my birthday night under fluorescent lights.
Mild hypothermia.
Aspiration of river water.
Bruising along my left hip and upper arm.
A strained shoulder from the rescue.
No major fracture.
No serious head injury.
My oxygen level improved with treatment.
Chest imaging showed no immediate catastrophe, but the doctors observed me because respiratory complications can evolve after aspiration.
A nurse asked:
“Do you know what day it is?”
“My birthday.”
She smiled sadly.
“What date?”
I told her.
“Where are you?”
“St. Catherine’s.”
“Who is the president?”
I answered.
Then:
“My daughter tried to kill me.”
The nurse stopped smiling.
Detective Cara Benton arrived shortly after midnight.
She did not begin by saying she believed me.
Nor did she say she didn’t.
She asked:
“Tell me what happened from the beginning.”
So I did.
Cake.
Sunset.
Charlotte.
Heron.
Hands.
Water.
Daniel’s words.
Charlotte watching.
“Did you see both of them touch you?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“Charlotte behind me. Daniel to my right.”
“Could one have been attempting to stop the other?”
“No.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I felt both of them push.”
“What happened immediately before?”
“Daniel pointed toward the bank.”
“What did he say?”
“There—look, a heron.”
“And Charlotte?”
“Come on, Mom… look at the water.”
Detective Benton wrote it all.
Then asked:
“Was there any conflict between you recently?”
“Yes.”
“What kind?”
“Money.”
The word looked ugly floating in the hospital room.
“What money?”
May you like
I closed my eyes.
“My money.”
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