Page 40 of Cash
“Ms.Jans?”Dr.Brennan prompted.“Are you following me?”
I nodded, swallowing hard against the lump in my throat.“As much as I can.”I gave her a small smile though I kind of felt like I might pass out.“Please continue.”
Relief and vindication battled with a new grief blooming in my chest.Relief someone finally believed me, we had a diagnosis, and a path forward.Vindication my maternal instincts had been right all along.But grief, too, sharp and unexpected, for the permanent nature of what Lily faced.
“There is no cure for OI,” Dr.Brennan said, as if reading my thoughts.“But with proper management, we can reduce fractures and improve her quality of life.There are medications and therapy showing promising results in children at strengthening bones and reducing pain.”
I thought of Lily at Haven, safe with Lavender and the girls for the afternoon.Lily, who had returned from her very few hours in foster care more clingy and fearful than before.Lily, who now asked every night if she would wake up in her own bed.
“Will she always break so easily?”I asked, my voice sounding distant to my own ears.
Dr.Brennan’s expression softened slightly.“The fracture rate often decreases after puberty, but she will always need to be cautious.Physical therapy will help strengthen her muscles to better support her bones.We’ll want to limit high-impact activities.Swimming is excellent exercise.”Dr.Brennan leaned forward slightly.“Ms.Jans, I want you to understand this diagnosis is actually good news in many ways.We now have a clear treatment path.And most importantly, this definitively rules out any concerns about non-accidental trauma.”
I closed my eyes briefly as tears threatened.When I opened them, Dr.Brennan was watching me with quiet understanding.“I have already sent my findings to the Department of Children’s Services,” she said.“I made it explicitly clear Lily’s fracture history is entirely consistent with her diagnosis and inconsistent with typical abuse patterns.”
“Will that be enough?”The question slipped out before I could stop it, my voice cracking with the weight of uncertainty.“To keep her with me?”
“The medical evidence is conclusive,” Dr.Brennan assured me.“And I understand Judge Whitmore has already issued a temporary order returning Lily to your custody while reviewing the case?”
I nodded, remembering the moment Lily had been returned to me, her small body launching into my arms.“Yes.Three days ago.But the same thing happened before and Ms.Winters came back…”
“Then this report should close the investigation completely.”Dr.Brennan shuffled through papers on her desk, pulling out several glossy pamphlets and a prescription pad.“Now, let’s discuss Lily’s treatment plan.”
For the next twenty minutes, Dr.Brennan outlined what our new normal would look like.Quarterly bone density scans.Bisphosphonate infusions every few months.Regular physical therapy.Vitamin D supplements.Careful monitoring of her growth and development.A medical alert bracelet.Education for her school about activity restrictions.
My mind raced ahead to practical concerns.Would my old apartment be safe for her?Would I need to find a new place with fewer stairs?I wouldn’t need the same support system once Ms.Winters backed off… and what about Cash?His presence in our lives had been used against me, but I couldn’t imagine living without his support.
“Ms.Jans,” Dr.Brennan said, pulling me back to the present.“Do you have any questions?”
A thousand questions swirled in my mind, but only one made it past my lips.“How do I keep her safe?”My voice broke on the final word, the enormity of our situation crashing down around me.
Dr.Brennan’s expression softened.“Children with OI are resilient, Ms.Jans.You’ll find a balance between protection and allowing her to live fully.The resources I gave you should help.”She sat back in her chair.“There is no one perfect way to do this.It’s like with any other thing with children.You work until you find a happy medium between keeping her safe and letting her be a happy six-year-old.”
“Thank you,” I said, surprised by the steadiness in my voice.“For believing me when no one else would.”
Dr.Brennan nodded, her professional demeanor softening just slightly.“You knew something was wrong, and you fought for answers.Lily is fortunate to have you as her advocate.”
As I stood to leave, clutching our new life plan in my arms, all the fear and uncertainty began to transform into something determined.For the first time since this nightmare began, I knew exactly what my daughter needed and how to help her.
When I got back to our suite at Haven, I spread the medical pamphlets across the coffee table, creating a makeshift roadmap for our future.My coffee had gone cold hours ago, but I couldn’t bring myself to move, to break the spell of finally having answers after so many years.Lily played quietly in our bedroom, her soft humming a comforting soundtrack to my research.The apartment at Haven felt like a sanctuary tonight, a place where we could begin to build our new normal without judgment or suspicion.When the gentle knock came at the door, I knew it would be Ash even before I opened it.Something about the hesitant pattern of his knuckles against wood betrayed his lingering uncertainty about his place in our lives.
I pulled the door open to find him standing awkwardly in the hallway, his thin frame diminished by his obvious nervousness.In his hands, he clutched a small stuffed giraffe.I looked past him to Hannah, who’d escorted him to my door, and nodded at the other woman.She gave me an encouraging smile before leaving.
“I thought Lily might like another friend for Mr.Flopsy,” he said by way of greeting.“The lady at the store said giraffes are popular this year.”The careful neutrality in his voice matched my own guarded posture.
“She loves giraffes,” I replied, stepping aside to let him enter.“She’ll be happy to see you.”
Ash nodded, moving past me into the apartment.He’d come by once an evening since Lily returned home.I’d given Hannah permission to bring him in once a day and to let him inside the courtyard any time we were outside.
“How did it go with the doctor?”he asked, his eyes finding the scattered pamphlets on the coffee table.
“She confirmed the diagnosis as Osteogenesis Imperfecta, Type I.”I watched his face for an indication of his thoughts.I’d texted him about the appointment but hadn’t shared details yet.“It’s the mildest form and there are treatments, but not a cure.Dr.Brennan said she’d stabilize somewhat after puberty.There’s still a lot for me to go through.”I sounded as tired as I felt.The stack of papers could have been bigger, I supposed, but trying to filter out the medical jargon enough to actually understand what the doctor’s office considered “simple instructions” made understanding it all difficult.It didn’t help I felt mentally and physically exhausted.
Ash nodded slowly, absorbing the information.“But now we know, and we can help her.”
The “we” caught me by surprise, though it shouldn’t have.Whatever our past, Ash had made it clear he wanted the chance to be part of Lily’s future.
“Daddy?”Lily’s voice came from the hallway, her face lighting up when she spotted Ash.She moved toward him carefully, still not feeling safe, even with me nearby.I didn’t blame her.
