How It Happened Chapter 5

"I'm looking for a Dr. Trevelyan?" I hear an unfamiliar voice calling my name. When I turn, I see a young female police officer at the nurse's station with a large manila envelope in her hands. I haven't been summoned to the E.R. so was surprised to see her here. The police are not normally up on the Pediatric floor without our prior knowledge. Is this about Christian?

"I'm Dr. Trevelyan. Can I help you?" The officer approaches me and holds out the envelope. If it hadn't looked to contain objects other than paper, I'd be worrying I'd just been served.

"I was told you are the physician for Christian Beckett. I'm Janet Williams. I am the officer who removed him from his house yesterday." She looks embarrassed, as if the deed is not something she wants to remember. "These are some personal items we recovered. All legal forms, his birth certificate, apartment lease, papers with his mother's identification, have been turned over to Friend of the Court. But I thought these things might mean something to him right now."

I'm surprised they were able to recover that much. "So you found a birth certificate?" I guess I'd think someone in his mother's position would not find keeping track of items like that, a priority. But I'm pleased. Having it will make the adoption process much easier.

"Yes Doctor. Well, I didn't. But yes one was recovered. For a crack addicted prostitute, Ella Beckett was actually pretty intelligent. All that stuff was together in a folder in a drawer. Surprised us too actually." Her expression changes to one of concern. "How is he? I mean, I know I was just doing my job, and he's not the first child I've had to remove, but it's not normally in that kind of situation. I don't mind telling you yesterday was pretty tough for me. I'm just wondering." Her pleading look is almost too much, but professionalism wins out.

"I'm sorry Officer Williams, I can't discuss his case with you. But If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you a couple questions about him. I mean about yesterday." She nods, and we move to sit on a bench in a waiting area.

"Did he say anything to you? How did it happen? I mean, was there anything out of the ordinary, for this kind of situation? I don't really know what normal would be, but I don't usually see this kind of…" I'm sure I don't sound very professional right now. I can hear the anxious desperation in my own voice.

She looks at me with empathy. She knows exactly what I'm feeling about this. There's a bit of comfort in that. "We had to break in the door. It was locked. I'm sure the noise must have scared him. We saw the body first. It was evident it had been there a while. Then we found the boy. He was hiding under a table holding a security blanket. A neighbor later told us his name was Christian. Actually, the 911 call didn't even mention him, just the body. I was told to get him out of there and the other officers took care of the rest. Paramedics were on their way, so I picked him up and took him out to the car. At first he was screaming for him mother…"

I had to interrupt. "He was screaming? Words? What did he say?"

The officer is surprised by my question, but lets out a deep breath before answering. "He just kept calling for his mommy. Well, first he screamed. I picked him up and he just screamed…" Knowing how he reacts to people touching him after we've bandaged those burns, her touch must have been excruciating for him yesterday. "Then he called for her, 'Mommy! No! Mommy!' Over and over. But then suddenly, when we got to the car, he just stopped. He didn't say anything else. He wouldn't answer my questions, so I focused more on trying to tell him we're there to help. He was only wearing a short sleeved shirt, so I saw those bruises on is arms. I'm guessing they're not the only ones." It's obvious the officer is pained remembering this. She closes her eyes and I see a frown on her brow. "I had to call for a second ambulance. We were only expecting a body. When the paramedics arrived, one group took care of…her, the others took care of him. I wanted to ride here in the ambulance with him, but wasn't able to. They left before I could check with the other officers." We sit silently and look at each other for a few moments.

I feel the need to give her some reassurance about something. And really, I'm indebted to this woman who rescued my little boy. "He's going to be OK. I promise."

"Is there any way I could see him? I just want to be sure…" She can't finish her statement. "I mean, whoever made the call didn't even think to tell us about him. Like he was nothing… didn't matter… And he was so scared yesterday." Her voice is a whisper. "Maybe seeing me again would be more frightening for him…" She looks down motioning to her uniform. I wish I could help, but I'm afraid she may be right. A uniformed officer, the one who took him away from his home, from his mother, coming into the room… "I'm glad he's getting help. I hope his future will be a lot better than his life seems to have been."

I take her hand in mine and look at her distraught face. "I promise. I will do everything in my power to be sure it is." She nods and stands to leave. I look at the bulky envelope in my arms. "What's in here anyway?"

"A few small toys. There weren't many in the place at all. And a photograph. Thank you for your time Doctor."

"No. Thank you Officer. You've been very helpful." I shake her hand and watch her walk down the hall to the elevator. Again I look at the bulging envelope. I want to look inside, but decide to let Christian do that. These are his things.

I head straight to his room and look through the window at him. Again, he's sitting up, holding that blanket. Curiously, the box of toys I brought from home is on the table unopened. There is a volunteer named Becca in the room with him which makes me glad. Sadly I can't spend my entire day in here with him, as much as I want to. I asked that someone stay with him while I'm on duty and Becca is one of our best teens. She's reading one of the books to him. I knock and enter quietly.

"Hey there Christian." I see a pleasant look on his face when he sees me. "Becca, has he opened that box yet?" I gesture toward the toys. She turns and seems to notice it for the first time.

"Um, no Doctor. Was he supposed to?" She looks a little embarrassed.

"Oh, no. It's not important. I'm just surprised. We'll get to it later. It's nothing to worry about. Would you mind giving us a minute?" Becca leaves assuring Christian that she's coming back so they can finish the story.

"Hey Little Man. What story are you hearing?" I pick up the book. "Oh… Rainbow Fish. This is a favorite of mine." He looks up at me but still says nothing. I'm thinking about what the officer told me- about hearing him calling for his mother yesterday. But now, nothing. No words. I hope it just needs some time. He points to my stethoscope and grunts.

"Actually, no. I'm not here to listen to your heart. I have something for you. These are from your house." He gives me a questioned expression as I open the envelope. I turn it to let the contents slide out… a toy airplane, two small cars, and a stuffed dog. She said there weren't many toys in the place. Is this all he had?

But I'm pulled from my thoughts by an excited squeal. Christian is smiling as he picks up the airplane. I watch with a lump in my throat as he flies it back and forth. An actual smile? What a joy to see! He's such a beautiful child. Then he picks up the other toys and plays with each for a moment. I feel myself relax for the first time since I was called to the E.R. yesterday. A little happiness in this sad, scared boy's life right now. I make a note to contact Officer Williams and send a thank you note.

I see him rolling the cars back and forth over the bed. I've seen Elliot do this many times, usually accompanied by some engine sounding noises that only boys seem to be able to make. But these cars are silent. "Do you like cars, Christian?" He doesn't take his eyes off the cars, but gives me a tussled hair nod. "Well then, let's see what's in this box over here." I reach for the box and it makes a metallic rattle. That gets his attention. When I hand him the box, he just looks up at me with surprise. "Go ahead. open it. We'll pretend it's a Christmas present." That gets me a questioning look. I'm assuming now he's never had Christmas… maybe never had a present.

He lifts the lid and I hear a happy squeal as he dumps the contents on the bed. Small cars, a train engine and a few more airplanes are piled together and he starts to pick up and inspect each one. Each gets its own chance to roll across the blanket, or fly across the air in front of him. It's quickly evident that his attention is really drawn to the airplanes and the one small helicopter I didn't even know was in the collection. I let him get off the bed to play for a few minutes. He wants to move all around the room, but the IVs are keeping him close to the bed area. As I begin picking up the abandoned cars to put them away, I note his face. Such a big smile. It's so nice to see him happy.

But my excitement at his happiness is quickly dampened when I see him bend down and pick up a small photograph that must have fallen when he climbed out. He looks at it and the smile fades. It's replaced by a sad expression. He looks up at me and I hear a soft grunt as he points to the photo. He points several times, each more anxious and each grunt more desperate. I see a worried, almost panicked look in his eyes. He wants me to do something.

"What do you want Christian? I don't understand." Then he holds the photograph out to me and I get to actually look at it. It's a woman with long dark hair. Her gray eyes look sad. It's an identical expression to the one I just saw on Christian's face. I look back at him and it hits me like a landslide. "Is this your mother? Is this Mommy?" He responds with frantic nods. He continues to point to the photo, then looks over and points to the door. Oh my god. He wants to know where she is… Is she coming through that door? He has no idea what happened.

I turn my head away from him because I do not want him to see me cry. I quickly press the nurse button to get someone in here so I can… what? Have a moment? Get him help? The nurse comes in and is more than surprised at my expression. "Nurse, please get Becca to come back in here with him. I have to… handle something." I turn back to Christian and hold out the photo. "I'll be back in a little bit. Do you want me to have this? Or do you want it?" Christian holds out his thin, bruised arms to take the picture back. His gown gaps enough for me to see the bandages covering the burns on his chest.

I cringe at the thought that this woman let someone harm him so severely… that she didn't take care of him and he became so malnourished… Where was she? How could she let this happen to her child? Logically I know how- her addiction. It replaced her son as the top priority her life. And to see how desperately he wants her to come to him, to see her…

Becca reenters the room. "Becca, could you please stay while he plays with the toys for a while, even play with him. I'm sure he'd like that." I want what little happiness he's had to continue as long as possible. It will be probably be gone when he learns why Mommy hasn't come to see him.

I go to the office where I can make a private call. Carry isn't answering and I get the machine; "Carry! When you get this message, please call me. Or come back to the hospital. So much has happened today… Did you hear from Friend of the Court yet? I need to talk to you soon, please. OK? Love you. Bye." I hang up the phone. I know he's either in with a client or in court. I have already put the call in for a child psychologist. I was told it's better to have the child's representative present for any psychological evaluation. Just to be sure everything is… I don't know...copasetic? We can work on the other fears and mutism later. Right now, I just want someone who understands how, to explain where Mommy is to a scared four year old boy.