The Congressman's Wife
Chapter 5
Tuesday, June 1, 2021
5:00 pm
Christian Marquart walked into the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office with Trent Mawbry.
Trent motioned for the Congressman to wait while he walked up to the reception desk where a young receptionist inquired as to his needs at the office. She picked up the phone and called down to Dr. Morales' office.
When the person came up to get him, it was a tall African American woman in a white lab jacket. She introduced herself as Dr. Morales' assistant without giving her name. She directed the congressman and Trent to the viewing area. "Congressman, how are you? I am sorry that we are meeting under these circumstances. I need to have you sign a couple of things before you view the body." She said while pushing a clipboard towards the clearly grieving man. Christian signed the papers as requested without going into what forms he was signing. Trent went to stop him to encourage him to read them first, but quickly felt it was not his place and closed his mouth. As soon as he finished signing, the assistant stepped back through the doorway and into the morgue.
Within minutes, Dr. Morales stepped in with his assistant who hung back in a corner of the room unlike before. "Congressman, my name is Dr. Morales and I am a county coroner. We are going to be opening up this white drape. Behind it will be a body on a gurney that is covered with a white sheet. We will pull back the sheet to uncover only the head of the victim. We will ask you to take a look at her and tell us if it is your wife or not. Do you have any questions?" Morales asked.
"Where are the police detectives who were at my house? I thought they would be here." Christian asked.
"I'm not sure sir, but victim identification doesn't require police to be here. I will inform them whether their victim is Fiona Marquart or not." Morales answered him. "Are you ready?"
Christian Marquart took in a deep breath and exhaled just as loudly. He looked at Morales and Trent then shook his head yes.
Morales lightly rapped on the window. The curtain was slowly pulled back and just as Morales had described, there was a long white sheet that clearly had a body under it on a gurney. Christian could feel his knees start to buckle. To prevent it, he looked at the two morgue attendants near the gurney. One, a short woman with long flowing beautiful brown hair. She had the face of an angel. Before Fiona came into his life, Christian could see himself hitting on this woman at a college party. In fact, she kind of reminded him of Fiona. The other attendant was a tall male with dark brown hair. When he looked his way, the man failed to change his facial expression so he turned it back to the woman, who gave him a light smile.
The man started to move the sheet away from the head of the victim lying on the gurney. When it got to her eyes, Christian knew it was Fiona and started to break down crying uncontrollably. "Why didn't I take her to her meeting? Trent, why didn't I call you? Why? What am I going to tell the kids?" Christian asked speaking to no one in particular.
"Sir, I need you to take a look at the victim's face. Is this your wife, Fiona Marquart?" Morales asked again.
Christian looked again at his wife laying peacefully on the gurney. Her hair was wet and there was a bluish tone to her skin, but it was definitely Fiona. "Yes, it is my wife." He responded softly through his tears.
Christian turned and sat on the bench that was at the back of the room. "Somebody please tell me how I tell my children their mother is gone." He asked again this time hoping someone answered him. All of a sudden, a small voice came from the woman who had him sign the forms. "I've helped parents talk with kids about death before." When he looked up at the window to the autopsy room, the curtain was closed again.
"I'm sorry. I didn't hear you. What?" Christian asked.
"I have sat in with parents as they have had to tell them their other parent has died. If you'd like, I can help you." She said a bit more forcefully.
"That would be great. I could really use your help. I never thought I'd be faced with this." Christian started. "I'm sorry, I didn't get your name."
"That's ok. I think I forgot to give it. My name is Amy." The woman responded. "Would you like to bring them here or I can go to your house if you'd prefer. I think that would be better for them." Amy continued.
"You'd really come to my house? That would be great." Christian answered. Christian gave her his address and she said she would be there within the hour provided traffic wasn't so horrible.
Trent continued to look on the scene with some skepticism, but kept his mouth closed. After all, this isn't what he was being paid for.
Amy and Christian finalized plans and all went their separate ways.