Chapter One
The Positive Test
“My ten-year-old daughter’s pregnancy test came back positive. When her biological father arrived at the hospital, he pointed at my husband and said, ‘Arrest him.’”
Two hours earlier, Sophie had been sitting between Daniel and me in the emergency room, swinging her sneakered feet beneath the chair.
She looked too small for the adult blood pressure cuff wrapped around her arm.
For six weeks, she had complained of headaches. At first, they came after school. Then they began waking her before dawn. That Monday morning, she vomited during math class and walked into a row of lockers on her way to the nurse’s office.
Her pediatrician told us to take her to the hospital.
“She’s also been developing early,” I told Dr. Lena Ortiz. “She needed her first training bra before most of her friends. I thought she just took after me.”
Dr. Ortiz asked Sophie several questions, then ordered bloodwork and a urine sample.
No one mentioned a pregnancy test.
Twenty minutes later, Dr. Ortiz returned without the easy smile she had worn before.
“Mrs. Morgan, may I speak with you privately?”
“You can talk in front of Daniel.”
Her gaze moved toward my husband.
“I need to examine Sophie alone first.”
Daniel immediately stood.
“Of course.”
He kissed the top of Sophie’s head, but she grabbed his hand.
“Don’t leave.”
“I’ll be right outside, bug.”
After the door closed, Dr. Ortiz pulled a chair beside Sophie’s bed.
“Sophie, I’m going to ask you some uncomfortable questions. You aren’t in trouble.”
Sophie looked at me.
“What kind of questions?”
“Has anyone ever touched you beneath your clothes?”
Her feet stopped swinging.
“No.”
“Has anyone asked you to keep a secret about touching?”
“No.”
My heart began pounding.
“Why are you asking her that?”
Dr. Ortiz turned the computer screen away from Sophie.
“Her urine pregnancy test was positive.”
For several seconds, the room made no sound except for the air conditioner.
Then I laughed.
