Chapter 6 - The Family Split Down the Middle
Walter’s physician agreed to perform an independent medication review.
The appointment produced no dramatic diagnosis.
It produced something more useful.
Walter’s chart showed one medication had been prescribed months earlier for short-term use after severe nighttime agitation following his wife’s death.
The physician had discontinued it.
Yet pharmacy records showed repeated refills requested through Walter’s patient portal.
“I didn’t request those,” Walter said.
His doctor turned toward Daniel.
“Who has access to the portal?”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“Amber.”
The pharmacy agreed to preserve the refill records for investigators.
Meanwhile, Daniel’s loyalty began to fracture.
He stopped defending Amber.
But he also resisted Sarah’s insistence that Walter move temporarily into their home.
“We barely have space.”
“He isn’t safe alone.”
“Then Paul can take him.”
“Paul lives in Denver.”
“We can hire someone.”
“With what money? The money Amber transferred?”
Daniel snapped, “I already said I was wrong.”
Sarah stared at him.
“No. You said you were fooled. Those are different things.”
The argument ended with Daniel sleeping in the guest room.
The next morning, Walter moved in anyway.
Caleb was discharged with no lasting physical injury expected, but he remained frightened of drinks he had not opened himself.
Sarah began packing sealed juice boxes in his school lunch.
Walter noticed.
“He shouldn’t have to live like that.”
“Neither should you.”
Walter looked down.
“I knew something was wrong.”
Sarah waited.
“Sometimes I’d wake after Amber visited and realize hours were gone. I thought I was getting old.”
“Why didn’t you tell us?”
“I did.”
“When?”
“I told Daniel.”
Sarah turned toward her husband.
Daniel stood in the kitchen doorway.
“Dad said he felt foggy after his pills,” he admitted. “I thought that proved Amber was right about the dementia.”
Walter laughed bitterly.
“She gave you the explanation before I gave you the symptom.”
That sentence changed Daniel more than Sarah’s anger had.
He sat beside his father.
For the first time, he said, “I’m sorry,” without adding anything afterward.
Then Walter told them there was one person Amber always called after making him sign papers.
Mark.
May you like
Lily’s father.
The man everyone had assumed hated Amber.
