Heartbeats of the City

Chapter 7

As I was getting a much-needed coffee, Bree rushed over, her face a mix of concern and urgency. "Michaela! There's something going on in the lobby. Lily's parents are here, and it's... not good."I barely had time to react before Bree grabbed my arm. "You need to get down there. The chief's already there, and it's a mess."

Without a second thought, I dumped my coffee and rushed toward the elevator, Bree right behind me. My mind raced as I wondered how this confrontation would go. I knew this moment was inevitable, but it was never easy to break through denial.

The moment the elevator doors opened, we heard raised voices coming from the lobby. As we hurried through the hallway, I could see a small crowd had gathered—Lily's parents, both looking furious, the chief standing with crossed arms, and a representative from social services trying to mediate.

"She's not the mother!" Lily's mother shouted, her face red with disbelief. "There's no way. You must have her confused with someone else. Our daughter was never pregnant!"

I approached carefully, trying to diffuse the tension. "Hi, I'm Dr. Quinn," I said, stepping forward.

"Lily has been under our care since she arrived in the ER today. I understand this is a lot to take in, but I can assure you, Lily is the mother of the baby we found earlier."

Lily's father stepped forward, his voice trembling. "No. That's impossible. We would have known—she would have told us. You're making a mistake."

Bree stood beside me, quietly offering support as the tension continued to rise. I took a deep breath, knowing this wouldn't be easy.

"I understand how overwhelming this is," I said calmly. "But the reality is, Lily gave birth and is recovering right now. The baby was found outside her school, and Lily was brought to us shortly after. She needs medical care, and so does the child."

Lily's mother shook her head in disbelief, tears brimming in her eyes. "She couldn't have hidden something like this from us. We would have noticed."

The social worker stepped forward, her voice gentle but firm. "This is a difficult situation, but it's important that we focus on supporting Lily right now. She's scared, and she needs her family."I could see the turmoil in Lily's parents' faces—confusion, anger, and grief all swirling together. They couldn't wrap their heads around it. Bree gave me a slight nudge, and I took the opportunity to offer them a choice.

"I know this is hard to accept," I said softly, "but I believe Lily needs you right now more than ever. She's been through a traumatic experience, and she'll need time to heal. The best thing we can do is be there for her. We can take you to see her, explain the situation, and discuss next steps."

Her father clenched his fists, struggling to hold back tears. "We'll see her. But this isn't over. There's no way we could have missed something like this."

With a nod, I led them toward the elevator, hoping that when they saw their daughter, it would help them begin to accept the truth. Bree caught my eye, giving me a small, reassuring smile. We knew this was only the beginning.

Lily's voice, trembling but determined, broke through the silence. "It's not just about me," she whispered, her gaze fixed on the ceiling as if looking anywhere but at us. "The father... it's someone my mom knows."