Eleanor asked to speak privately with Lila, and Marissa, though uneasy, agreed.
Inside the child’s room, paper stars hung from the ceiling, and the bedspread was patterned with faded cartoon characters. Lila sat cross-legged, Clover resting in her lap like a shield.
“You did a beautiful job decorating in here,” Eleanor began warmly.
Lila nodded faintly.
“Can you tell me about your medicine?”
The girl looked toward the doorway before answering. “Mr. Nathan says it makes me strong.”
“Does it always feel okay?”
She hesitated. “It only hurts the first time.”
Eleanor noticed the faint discoloration near the bandaged area, subtle but concerning, and she returned to the kitchen with a careful neutrality in her expression.
The Turning Point
While Eleanor spoke quietly with Marissa about arranging a full medical evaluation at the nearest hospital, Lila stepped into the kitchen doorway, swaying slightly.
“Mommy, I don’t feel good,” she murmured.
Marissa touched her forehead and gasped softly. “She’s burning up.”
Nathan reached for his case. “I have something that will lower it quickly. We’ve handled this before.”
Thomas stepped forward, positioning himself calmly but firmly between Nathan and the child. “Sir, I think the safest choice right now is a hospital visit.”
Nathan’s expression tightened, though his voice remained controlled. “That’s unnecessary. Conventional facilities won’t understand her treatment plan.”
Eleanor’s tone shifted, no longer merely kind but resolute. “Marissa, your daughter needs licensed physicians right now. We’ll stay with you through the process.”
Tears filled Marissa’s eyes as the weight of competing advice pressed upon her, yet when Lila clutched her shirt and whispered, “Mommy, please,” something in her resolve crystallized.
“We’re going,” she said, voice shaking but firm.
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