Chapter 5 - The Battle Lines Drawn
By morning, the hospital had become our temporary home. Lily was placed in a medically induced coma to allow her brain swelling to subside. She looked so small in that massive hospital bed, surrounded by monitors and tubes, a thick bandage wrapped around her shaved head.
James and I hadn't slept. We held hands across her bed, listening to the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor.
Around 9:00 AM, my phone began to ring. It was Travis, my brother.
I stepped out of the ICU room into the quiet hallway to answer it. "What do you want, Travis?"
"Rebecca, what the hell did you do?" his voice boomed through the receiver, filled with anger. "Dad is sitting in a holding cell. Mom is hysterical, and Vanessa is terrified she’s going to get charged. Have you lost your mind? It was an accident!"
"He hit a three-year-old child with a leather belt, Travis," I said, my voice dangerously calm. "She is currently in a coma with a fractured skull and brain swelling. Do you want to repeat to me that it was an accident?"
There was a long silence on the other end. "A... a coma? She’s in a coma?"
"Yes."
"But... Dad didn't mean to—"
"I don't care what he meant to do," I snapped. "The law doesn't care either. He committed felony child abuse. If Lily doesn't wake up, or if she has permanent damage, I will make sure he spends the rest of his miserable life in a maximum-security prison. And if you attempt to defend him, or if you pressure me to drop the charges, I will bring the full weight of the District Attorney's office down on your car dealership. I know about the tax loopholes you’ve been using, Travis. Don't play with me."
"Are you threatening me?" he whispered, his voice suddenly stripped of its bravado.
"I’m promising you," I said. "Keep your distance. Tell Mom and Vanessa that if they attempt to contact me, James, or come near this hospital, I will file for an emergency restraining order immediately. The war has started, Travis. Choose your side very carefully."
I hung up before he could respond.
When I turned around, I saw a familiar face walking down the hallway. It was Marcus Vance, the District Attorney himself, and my former boss. He looked grave, holding a folder in his hand.
"Rebecca," Marcus said, offering a sympathetic shake of his hand. "I came as soon as I read the arrest report. How is Lily?"
"She's in a coma, Marcus," I said, my voice cracking slightly. "We're waiting on the next neuro-evaluation."
Marcus sighed, looking at the floor before looking back up at me. "The police seized the belt. The photos you took are incredibly clear. We’ve already processed the charges. Your father is being charged with Aggravated Injury to a Child with Serious Bodily Injury. It’s a first-degree felony. The bail is set at five hundred thousand dollars."
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"Don't let him get out on bail, Marcus," I pleaded. "He’s a danger."
"His lawyer is already arguing for a reduction," Marcus warned. "But I’m handling this case personally. I won't let him slip away, Rebecca. I promise you that."
