Epilogue - Two and a half years later
"Well, I am happy to report Duwayne looks like a perfectly normal, very healthy little boy," I told his relieved mother, squeezing her hand supportively. Born in the infirmary at the women's correctional center, six-week-old Duwayne could live in a supported unit with his mother for as long as she was breastfeeding. His mother hoping to spare him going into foster care, with only eight months of her sentence left to serve, the priority was keeping Duwayne happy, healthy, and of course, breastfed.
Seeing Duwayne made me think of my own grandchild. Elliot had surprised us when, out of the blue, he'd asked for Grandma Violet's ring. Unbeknownst to all of us, he'd secretly been seeing none other than Katherine Kavanaugh for months! When they made their happy announcement, Elliot wasn't backward coming forwards telling us it had started with a drunken interlude at last year's Coping Together ball. After that, they continued to see one another for several months in private, resulting in an unexpected but not unwelcome pregnancy.
I wasn't certain Kate was the best match for Elliot, yet she'd made him do what no other woman had—he'd kept his pecker in his pants and had stepped up to the plate, becoming the man and father-to-be Kate and their baby needed. Married in a quickly arranged society wedding, before Kate started showing, they were now living in Elliot's bachelor apartment while Grey Constructions finished building a family home not too far from us in Bellevue. They'd recently found out the baby Kate carried was a little girl, and Cary and I were delighted at the prospect of our first grandbaby!
The last few years had also been good to our youngest, Mia. Rehab turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to her. Through individual and family therapy, we realized we'd all played a part in Mia's lack of direction and subsequent alcoholism. When she'd left the hospital, clean and sober, she'd worked for Elliot at Grey Constructions for six months, serving as an administrative assistant and general dog's body. Taking time to decide where her passions lay, she'd eventually asked Christian for the opportunity to work in his events department at GEH. Always willing to assist me with the various functions I organized for Coping Together, Mia wanted to see if she could turn that interest into a career.
She took to it like a duck to water. With inherent good taste, knowing where to spend and how to save, along with strong organizational skills, Mia was soon organizing most GEH events. Christian had suggested she branch out into her own business, however, while she had a guaranteed job at GEH Mia was taking the opportunity to further her studies. These days, she worked three days a week alongside completing a degree in the field. Since most of her work was in the CBD at GEH, she lived in a two-bedroom apartment in Escala. Owned by Christian, the rent was heavily subsidized, however, we were all ok with that given she was working, studying, sober, and paying at least some rent. As Christian pointed out, it cost him less leasing Mia an apartment at below market value than paying for security at a less secure residence.
But as much as things had changed for my eldest and youngest, it was with my middle child where I'd seen the most change. Thanks to Ana, Christian was a different man. It was only a few weeks after Elliot proposed to Kate when Christian asked Anastasia to marry him. We'd all known it was just a matter of time, yet were still delighted when the much-anticipated event occurred. I'd expected an over-the-top public declaration of love, but the actuality was different. On the third day of the annual visit to my parents' ranch in Montana, Christian and Ana slipped away early one morning to hike a nearby ravine. Being so isolated, they didn't take security so, for once, were totally alone. Taking a picnic lunch (and Christian a diamond ring worth several million) apparently my dear boy had waited until they'd reached the zenith, and eaten lunch before he popped the question. Happy to wait for Elliot and Kate to have their big day first, Ana and Christian would marry next week in a very quiet ceremony with only immediate family and friends.
"Do you think we'll be able to make it?" Duwayne's mother asked, pulling me back into the moment. I switched back into Pediatrician mode, discussing when and how to introduce solids, suggesting maintaining morning, midday, and evening breastfeeds. "In many other cultures, breastfeeding occurs alongside solids until twelve or eighteen months. Sometimes beyond. The best thing you can do is keep up your water consumption, eat a large variety of healthy foods including fruits and leafy greens, and establish a routine to have Duwayne at the breast at least three times a day, even if it is only comfort suckling."
"Thank you. You can't imagine how much this means to me."
"I can see how much you love your little man. If you need me, get them to contact me."
The work at the women's prison was rewarding. While other pediatricians were reluctant to sign up for the lowly paid monthly appointments, citing fears for their safety, I'd felt nothing other than welcomed during my visits. These women—mothers—wanted the best for their babies. It gave me pleasure to ensure each child born within the prison walls received the best postnatal care possible. But I'd be lying if that was my only interest. A year since I'd initially signed up, today I hoped to achieve my goal.
"I'd like to meet with Mama if I could," I said, eyeing the young woman in front of me nervously. I saw her tense before she gave me an almost imperceptible nod. Passing me Duwayne, she moved to the edge of the treatment room where we met, approaching the female guard at the door. I was too far away to hear what they said, but five minutes later a large woman in her thirties was shown into the room. I passed Duwayne to his mother, and she quickly departed, closing the door behind her. Knowing, for privacy reasons, the patient treatment rooms had no recording devices and were not overlooked, I was confident our conversation would be private.
"You're a doctor, right?" Mama said almost arrogantly, not even trying to disguise her assessment of me. Already stripped of earrings, rings, and anything else of value, I was dressed in a simple shift dress and a pair of flats.
"That's right. I'm here to take care of the babies, so little guys like Duwayne have a chance of going home with their Mom."
"Yet you've asked to see me?" With no words, she knew I had an agenda. With so many years owing, she'd probably never see life outside prison.
"I did. My understanding is you rule the roost here. As a children's doctor, and a mother, I need to let you know something."
Mama didn't reply, although her nod was enough for me to continue.
"I couldn't have kids of my own. It broke my heart, but in time we adopted. I have three—Elliot, Christian, and Mia."
"You must be so proud," Mama growled, and I could feel I was losing her.
"Very much. But it wasn't easy. Our middle child had a horrific early childhood before he came to us. Abused, he was alone with his birth mother's dead body for three days before they were discovered. Even once he came to live with us, he didn't speak for two years, and to this day he endures nightmares about the abuse he suffered."
"And…?" Mama drawled. I could tell she was interested, despite herself.
"Well, sadly, the worst of his abuse didn't end when he joined our family. Unbeknownst to us, a family friend seduced him when he was fifteen. He was still a child, and she molested him and indoctrinated him into a sexual fetish lifestyle. For years he was her sexual plaything. It was many years before he dared to tell us what occurred, and what she'd done to him. She'd raped him for years and told him he couldn't love. That he didn't deserve to be loved!" I was openly weeping, now. Spelling it out to a stranger brought it all back front and center. I would hate Elena Lincoln until my—or her—dying breath.
"And you're telling me this, why?" Mama asked.
"The woman in question is an inmate in this prison. My son was also a silent partner in her beauty salon business. Turns out as well as taking his innocence, she stole money from him. He didn't even know until the FBI informed him. It was problematic to prosecute the abuse, so instead, he let her go down for fraud. Even now, no one knows what she did to my son and two other underage boys."
"Lincoln," Mama said, immediately joining the dots. "She's a pedophile?"
"Yes. I know you have power here. Keep her away from the babies and make sure she doesn't befriend any mothers with young kids. They sentenced her to seven years. She'll be out soon enough and has a few million stuffed away in an offshore account the FBI never recovered. It churns my stomach thinking she might groom a mother with young kids to find new victims."
Mama considered my words. "Do you want to see her?"
"I'd love to," I said. I hadn't expected to get the opportunity, but if there were a chance to say my piece, I'd take it.
Standing and walking to the door, Mama knocked twice, and a guard appeared. A brief conversation ensued, and less than five minutes later Elena was led into the room, ankles, and wrists bound. Mama must have more clout here than I thought as the guard left Elena with us, closing the door to ensure our privacy.
With her hair more gray than blonde, and the puffiness that came from low-quality food and a lack of exercise, Elena Lincoln looked every one of her years plus some. Dressed in the ubiquitous track pants and loose shirt all the inmates wore, prison had not been kind to my former friend.
"Christian is to be married this weekend," I said almost conversationally as Elena seated herself at the table. "Just closest friends and family… I'm sure you can appreciate why there was no invitation."
"Anastasia?" my former best friend asked.
"Of course. She is the love of his life."
"She'll ruin him."
"She's the best thing to ever happen to him…"
"Whatever. Why are you here? Christian promised that if I pled guilty, I could serve out my sentence, then go my own way."
I grinned. "As a man of honor, my son will abide by his word. Despite every horrible, despicable thing you did to him, Christian is a man of truth. If he gave you his promise, then he won't go after you, irrespective of what you did to him. No matter how awful your actions, he'll let it go. He won't punish you—he doesn't choose to even remember you!"
"If that's the case, then why are you here?" Elena snapped.
"I made no such vow. You seduced my darling boy. Everything I confided in you, all my worries about his challenges, you used to hurt him. You indoctrinated, manipulated, and raped him for years. Because of you, he didn't believe his family loved him. He didn't think he could love. Christian might be able to move on from that, but I can't."
"I'm in prison. You can't reach me here."
"Yet here I am…" I didn't need to say anything further. Standing up and smoothing my simple shift dress, I turned to Mama. "I believe your son is about to graduate high school?"
Mama was unsurprised I knew her business.
"He is. Been a long time since I saw him, but my sister says he's doing well. Studying hard, and on the football team." There was no doubting her look of pride.
"You must be so pleased," I said with a smile, remembering the high school years with my own kids.
"I am. I told my sister to stop bringing him up to visit. He don't have no use for a Mom in prison, but she still sends me a letter every week telling me how he's going."
"Tell your sister not to worry about college for him. It's going to be taken care of."
Mama didn't need me to spell it out. I'd give her child a better future if she avenged my son's past. GEH offered college tuition scholarships for disadvantaged kids. One call, and when the time was right, Mama's boy would be set.
"Enjoy the rest of your prison stay, Elena," I said, looking at the woman I'd known for so many years. "I don't think we'll see each other again."
As I donned my earrings, rings, and necklace in the departure room before leaving the prison, I couldn't help my smile. I'd contact the team at Coping Together to ensure Duwayne and his mother would have the support they needed once they exited the system.
I didn't feel the need to tell Christian, or Ana, I'd met with Elena. For them, she was a part of the past. Knowing how child sex offenders were treated in jail, alongside planting the seed of potentially hidden funds, I doubted Elena would see the outside of prison again—at least not without being hideously disfigured.
In the end, I was half right. Two weeks later, while my darling boy was showing his bride around Europe on their honeymoon, Elena Lincoln was admitted to the Seattle Grace. Slashed multiple times across the face, down to the bone in some places, she'd also been shanked in the midriff, lungs, and next to her heart. She'd lived long enough to be transported to the hospital, but there was no chance anyone could save her. As she lay on a gurney in emergency, I stood on the other side of the department, silently watching and listening as Elena's agonized cries of pain spewed out her last breaths.
Good riddance to bad rubbish. Thinking of my younger son, I made him a silent vow. "I love you, darling boy. I'll never stop protecting you."
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