Part 4: The Wrong Order

The testing service's preliminary response did not say who was responsible for the error. It confirmed that the pages Ben received did not correspond to an order involving our children. The service asked for copies of the documents and explained how it would investigate the disclosure.

Ms. Chen advised me not to send the pages through an ordinary email. She arranged a secure method and asked the service to preserve the relevant order records. Ben provided his confirmation and the package he had received. He also told his mother that the pages did not concern our babies.

Carol called me to apologize again. She said she had assumed that the printed pages could not be wrong. I told her that I was more concerned about the information being displayed and repeated before anyone checked it.

“I should have asked you,” she said.

“Yes. And I need to know who else saw them.”

She said she had shown the screenshot to one relative but had not sent the report pages. She agreed to correct what she had said and ask the relative not to repeat it. I asked her to tell me if she learned of any further sharing.

The patient advocate explained the hospital's response to my complaint. Staff had removed the papers and documented the event. The hospital would review its visitor response and could not disclose details about other patients whose information might have appeared on the pages. I appreciated the distinction. The people whose numbers appeared on the documents deserved privacy too.

At home, the three babies slept at different times. My mother joked that they had formed a committee to ensure no adult finished a cup of tea. I laughed, then handed her the baby I was holding so I could sit down. Accepting help was not an admission that I could not care for my children. It was how we made the day manageable.

Ben asked whether I would consider an independently arranged test. Ms. Chen explained the available process, including consent, identity checks, and how results would be delivered privately. I agreed to discuss it, not because an anonymous message deserved authority over me, but because I wanted any remaining questions handled through a reliable process rather than another public accusation.

The test was scheduled only after the attorneys and the authorized service clarified who could consent and how the children would be identified. The details were recorded. We were told when and how the results would be provided, and that no one should photograph or post them.

Before the appointment, Ben asked if we could speak without the attorneys. I met him in a café with Nia nearby. He said he had not understood how frightening the hospital incident was while I was recovering from surgery.

“You saw me in the bed,” I said.

“I saw that you were tired. I didn't stop to think about what you needed.”

“That was the choice.”

He nodded. “I can't undo it.”

“No. You can stop making it larger.”

We agreed on the date for the test and the next pediatric visit. When he left, Nia joined me at the table. She asked whether I wanted to talk about the marriage. I said I was not ready to decide. The question could wait until I had more than fear and exhaustion to guide me.