Chapter 6 - The Results
By eight o'clock the following morning, Nathan sat in the private office of St. Catherine Medical Center’s Chief of Medicine.
Across the mahogany desk sat Dr. Harrison, Arthur Vance, and Sarah Miller from CPS.
Arthur placed a official document stamped by the state forensic laboratory in the center of the desk.
“The expedited DNA test results are conclusive,” Arthur announced cleanly. “There is a 99.99% probability that Nathan Cole is the biological father of Eleanor, Hannah, and Sophia Dawson. The court has formally issued an updated temporary custody order naming Mr. Cole as sole legal guardian pending Claire Dawson’s recovery.”
Sarah Miller reviewed the document, then looked up at Nathan, her previous skepticism completely replaced by sympathy. “The state is satisfied, Mr. Cole. The foster placement file is officially closed. However, our agency will still require periodic home visits once the children are settled.”
“You are welcome to visit my home whenever you like, Miss Miller,” Nathan said smoothly. “My staff and I will cooperate fully.”
He turned immediately to Dr. Harrison. “How is Claire this morning?”
Dr. Harrison’s expression was cautious, but more positive than the previous day. “Her fever dropped two degrees overnight, Mr. Cole. The broad-spectrum antibiotics are beginning to clear the bacterial infection in her lower lung lobes. We’ve reduced her ventilator support settings by twenty percent, meaning her lungs are starting to do some of the work on their own.”
Nathan felt a wave of profound relief wash over him. “Can she hear me if I talk to her?”
“Hearing is often the last sense to fade in a medically induced coma,” Dr. Harrison explained. “We plan to begin weaning her off the sedation medication late this afternoon. Hearing familiar, comforting voices can assist greatly in waking her up smoothly.”
Nathan nodded once. “Thank you, Doctor.”
He walked out of the administrator's office and down the hall to the private family suite he had reserved for the girls.
When he opened the door, he found Ellie, Hannah, and Sophie sitting at a wide wooden table, dressed in fresh clothes from their apartment. A hospital nutritionist and two private nanny specialists Nathan had hired that morning were helping them paint watercolor pictures.
Sophie jumped up from her chair, holding up a paper covered in bright blue and purple streaks. “Look! I painted Mr. Buttons a sky!”
Nathan smiled, crouching down to receive her as she ran toward him. He caught her effortlessly, swinging her into his arms. “It’s a beautiful sky, Sophie.”
Hannah walked over, holding her watercolor brush carefully. “Are we going home today? Where is Mommy?”
Nathan set Sophie down and sat in one of the small chairs, pulling all three girls close to him.
“Your mommy is doing much better today,” Nathan said gently, looking into their identical blue eyes. “The doctors gave her great medicine, and she’s going to start waking up very soon. But before she wakes up, I want to show you where we are going to live while she gets completely healthy.”
Ellie looked at him with her usual serious scrutiny. “Is it your house?”
“Yes, Ellie,” Nathan said softly. “It’s a house with plenty of room for all three of you, for Mr. Buttons, and for your mother. And there are no more yellow hospital blankets.”
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“Does it have hot chocolate?” Hannah asked pragmatically.
Nathan laughed—a genuine, warm laugh that felt strange and wonderful on his lips. “It has all the hot chocolate you could ever drink, Hannah. I promise.”
