*
December 23 rolled around. Charlie had received a huge parcel from Lizzie and placed it beside the Christmas tree since it was too big to fit underneath. She’d mostly recovered from her flu, though by the time she got home at night she was exhausted. Honestly, she was looking forward to having the two extra days off for the Christmas holiday. With nothing planned, she’d eat her takeout, talk to Lizzie, watch a few movies, and drink hot cocoa. To her surprise, several other packages made an appearance. Not so much for her, but for Daniel. There was something from Meggie, which wasn’t a huge surprise, but also packages from Josh’s sisters with Daniel’s name on them. Robin gave her a care package for pampering herself and there was a little gift bag with something for Daniel. She sat in front of the tree with him, watching the curiosity in his eyes as the colorful lights lit up the room, and kissed his soft, downy head. She wasn’t alone. And maybe he wouldn’t understand what was going on or remember a thing, but she was determined to have a real Christmas for his sake.
Even though the outbreak was winding down, the clinic was still busy. Between regular appointments and walkins, both Josh and Charlie were run off their feet. It was midafternoon when Charlie stepped into the exam room to meet a new patient. The chart said she was a walk-in and her name was Michelle Green.
“Hi, Michelle.” She smiled at the young girl sitting next to the bed. “I’m Dr. Yang. What can I help you with today?”
The girl didn’t look particularly sick, though her color was a bit pale and her hair was limp. Mostly she looked tired. No, not tired. Worn. Charlie smiled reassuringly.
“I, uh…” The girl suddenly looked down. Lifted her hand and started chewing on a fingernail.
Charlie’s heart softened. She couldn’t be more than eighteen, maybe nineteen, and something was clearly bothering her. Charlie sat on her rolling stool and edged her way closer to Michelle, so they were sitting facing each other at equal heights.
“Are you ill? Or is there a problem I can help you with?” Charlie touched Michelle’s knee lightly. “I’m here to help. Everything is confidential.”
Michelle looked up, her blue eyes swimming with tears. “Are you the Dr. Yang who found that baby a few weeks ago?”
It was a strange question to ask, and Charlie’s heart started beating faster. Oh my. She was going to have to tread very, very carefully. Could this be Daniel’s mother?
“I am.”
Michelle looked down again and Charlie saw a tear streak down the girl’s cheek. “Is he okay?” she whispered.
Charlie nodded, a lump in her throat. She was sure now. No one else would come into her office, asking these questions, their emotions so raw. “He’s doing just fine.”
She nodded again. “Okay. Thanks. I should go…” Awkwardly, the girl got up and reached for an old winter jacket hanging on the back of her chair.
“Don’t go yet,” Charlie said, alarmed but trying to adopt a soothing tone. “Michelle, have you seen a doctor since you delivered? You’re a little pale. It wouldn’t hurt to have a checkup, make sure everything’s okay.”
“I don’t know what you mean.” She gripped the jacket tightly, and her face took on a belligerent expression. But Charlie could see beyond it to the fear. This poor kid.
Charlie reached out and rubbed Michelle’s arm reassuringly. “It’s okay. I promise you it’ll be okay.”
“I just … Oh God.” She sank back down into the chair and covered her face with her hands.
Charlie kept her voice soft. “You put him in the manger on purpose, didn’t you?”
Michelle nodded, moved her hands so they were in her lap, twisting together nervously. “I knew everyone would be at the tree lighting and I saw you and your husband walking by. I waited to make sure…”
At that point she dissolved into tears. Charlie squatted in front of her and held her hands. “You waited to make sure…”
Michelle hiccupped. “That you noticed. I wouldn’t have left him there alone. If no one had come, I would have gone back for him. I wouldn’t have let him die.” She sobbed again. “I wouldn’t have done that. I just didn’t know what else to do. I couldn’t look after him … I didn’t want anyone to know…”
“Of course. It’s all right. We’re going to make everything all right, okay?”
“I just wanted to know he was okay.”
“And he is. Michelle, can you tell me where and when you had your baby? Were you in a hospital?”
She nodded. “Yes, in Dover, on November nineteenth.”
Across the state line in New Hampshire. Which was why nothing had turned up when they checked Maine hospitals.
“And everything went all right?”
She nodded again. “I was discharged the next morning. A friend came to pick me up and take me … home.”
“No complications since?”
The pale pallor of her skin made way for a slight blush. “Um, I bled a lot.”