When Adam arrived, Sophie was alone in the corner of their
section of the pod. With her head down and her arms
wrapped around herself, she was rocking back and forth. Adam
went to her and put his arms around her. She clung to him. She
told him about the delay in Danny’s discharge and the investiga
tion of them by the Department of Social Services.
“I can’t do this anymore. I hate this place. I miss Kim, I
miss Rihanna. I am so pissed at Mitchell Wagner I can’t stand
it. Danny is doing great right now, but what if something goes
wrong and sets him back again? Discharge is set for next week,
and now he’s pulling the rug out from under us. It’s unbelievable.”
Tears rolled down her cheeks. She sniffled to keep her runny nose
from dripping onto Danny, who was busy making funny faces.
Probably gas, thought Sophie, which caused her to smile at her
little wonder. She looked up at Adam and, in a soft whisper filled
with vengeance, said, “Fuck Mitchell Wagner. I refuse to let him
win. I’ll show him what happens when he tries to screw with this
family.”
“Hey, what’s going on?” Dr. Sheldon came around the corner
and into their pod. “You guys should be packing up and getting
ready to get out of here.”
“Discharge has been put on hold while DSS investigates us,”
a disgusted Adam explained.
“What are you talking about?”
“It seems as though Dr. Wagner has ordered Danny’s discharge
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JULIE HATCH
to be put on hold.” Sophie added in a snarky tone, “Like he can
order around everyone in the world.”
Adam explained, “The Department of Social Services needs
to do an investigation on us, on Dr. Wagner’s accusation that I
have a drinking problem.”
Dr. Sheldon pulled out his cell phone and hit speed dial.
“Mitch, man, what are you doing? Why on earth did you get
DSS involved with the Youngs?” He paused, listening. “No way.
For one thing, he’s my patient, not yours. And I don’t know what
side of the bed you woke up on today, but you’ve got it wrong. I
have no reservations about sending Danny home.”
Dr. Sheldon held the phone away from his ear, rolled his eyes,
then winked at Sophie and Adam. “Yes, Mitch. I know where
you’re coming from. I understand what you’re saying, but you’re
wrong.” He paused, listening to Mitch. “Yes, you are. You’re
wrong to be doing this. Wrong to get DSS involved. And I’m
canceling your order for their investigation, if it’s not too late,
which it probably is. Thanks a lot, Mitch. You’ve really screwed
up again.” He punched the button to hang up and jammed his
phone in his pocket.
“Hey, I’ll do what I can,” Dr. Sheldon said to Sophie and
Adam, “but now that DSS has been contacted, they can’t just
drop it. With a doctor’s order, they have no choice but to get
involved. It’s their legal responsibility to follow through on all
accusations, suspicions, and certainly, physician requests. Sorry.”
Dr. Sheldon thought for a moment, then said, “Don’t worry,
you guys, I have an idea.”
He stepped away from Sophie and Adam and got on his
phone. He spoke briefly. All Sophie heard before he hung up was
“Thanks, man, I owe you one.
