Love Unspoken

The cops tracked down the doc and grilled him about the kid's condition.

Doc goes, "We saved the baby, but she's got an atrial septal defect, a common heart issue. Needs fixing ASAP."

One of the cops was like, "Alright, let's get on it then."

Doc shook his head, "Can't do it now. She's too tiny. Surgery's gotta wait at least three months. Plus, she's a preemie, super fragile, needs some time in the incubator." "Man, that's a lotta hassle," one young cop muttered.

The vibe was clear: no wonder her folks ditched her.

The cops glanced at Quinn again. She was clearly worried about the baby.

But they kept it zipped, just told the doc, "Take care of her first, we'll sort the rest later."

Doc sighed, "Yeah, we'll do what we can."

They couldn't just leave her hanging again.

Then the cop turned to Quinn, "Miss, if you got time, keep an eye on her and hit me up if anything goes down."

He handed Quinn his card.

Quinn took it, "Sure thing." "Thanks."

Quinn shrugged, "No biggie. I ain't got much going on anyway."

They had their own agenda. Seeing how Quinn cared for the kid, they hoped she'd stick around. Maybe, just maybe, she'd think about adopting her.

With the kid's condition, the surgery and aftercare would cost a bomb, way more than a regular family could handle.

Even if she ended up in a welfare home, her future looked grim. Best case, someone like Quinn would take her in. Plus, it'd save them a ton of trouble.

After the cops bailed, the doc chatted with Quinn, breaking down the surgery and care costs, which were pretty steep.

Quinn asked, "How much we talking?"

"Since we caught it early, the surgery's not too bad, just over ten grand. But the aftercare, considering she's a preemie, could run into complications." Doc laid it all out, "To keep her healthy till she's ten, you're looking at around $200,000."

Quinn's heart skipped a beat at that number.

Even if she sold herself, she couldn't scrape together $200,000.

Plus, she was planning to skip town. Once she did, no more access to Walter's cash, meaning she'd be broke.

That's why she didn't jump at adopting the kid. The kid's health was too shaky for constant moving. After a pause, Quinn nodded, "Got it."

She checked her pockets, realizing she didn't have her bank card. Otherwise, she'd have paid something upfront. But thinking about it, $200,000 was for ten years. Dropping it all at once at the hospital wasn't practical. She sighed and walked out, feeling down.

As soon as Quinn left, Alexander walked into the consultation room.

The doc looked surprised, "Need something?"

"Is this pediatrics?" Alexander asked.

"Isn't it on the sign outside?" the doc replied, puzzled.

"What was that woman here for?" Alexander pressed.

The doc eyed him, "Who are you to her?"

He slapped a marriage certificate on the table. "Her husband."

The doc picked it up, glanced at it, and his tone softened. "Got it. So, what do you think about this kid?" Alexander frowned. "Kid? What kid?"

"She didn't tell you?" The doc adjusted his glasses, "You should talk about this at home. It's better if she explains."This belongs © NôvelDra/ma.Org.

'Adopting a kid is a big deal. Saying too much might mess up their relationship. This kid's situation is special, not everyone would be up for it,' the doc thought. Alexander's mind went blank. He stood up, stumbled out, and smacked into the door frame.

He clutched his forehead, feeling dizzy, and slowly sank to the ground.

Seeing this, the doc rushed over, "You okay?"