Chapter 2 - THE FIRST STORY
Six weeks earlier, Evan had fallen from the climbing structure at school.
That was the story.
Claire received the call at 1:18 p.m.
Evan had severe abdominal pain and difficulty standing.
Robert was closer to school and reached the emergency department first.
Claire arrived twenty-three minutes later.
By then the history had already been entered.
FALL FROM PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT.
Evan had a rare abdominal wall injury and internal tissue damage that eventually required surgery after conservative treatment failed.
The doctors said the injury could happen from blunt impact.
No one questioned the playground explanation.
Why would they?
Children fell.
Schools had climbing structures.
Robert said he had spoken with the teacher.
Evan had fallen near the end of recess.
Claire believed him.
Now she called the school.
Not from the laundry room.
From the pediatric emergency department where Evan was being examined again.
The surgical dressing was intact.
No new major injury.
He was sore, frightened, and exhausted.
The physician documented Robert’s physical aggression.
A hospital social worker separated Claire and Evan from Robert.
Robert was asked to wait elsewhere.
Claire called Hawthorne Elementary.
The principal, Nathan Cole, pulled the original incident report.
Then went quiet.
“Mrs. Morgan?”
“Yes?”
“We did not document a playground fall.”
Claire’s hand went cold.
“What?”
“Evan came to the nurse after recess complaining of stomach pain.”
“How did he get hurt?”
“He told the nurse he slipped getting off the bus that morning.”
Claire stopped.
“That’s not what Robert said.”
“No.”
“Did a teacher see a fall?”
“No.”
Claire’s mind raced.
Playground.
Bus.
Two stories.
Then Principal Cole added:
“There’s another problem.”
The nurse had written an addendum the same day.
Evan first said:
I fell.
Then, when asked where:
I don’t know.
Then:
Dad says playground.
Claire stared through the glass at her son.
Robert had apparently supplied the playground explanation.
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But if there was no witnessed fall—
where had the injury actually happened?
