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Daniel laughed softly. Eric turned toward the window and wiped his eyes.
The pregnancy hormone that had accused an innocent man had become something else.
It was now the number telling us our daughter might survive.
Chapter Seven
The Number That Kept Falling
By Sophie’s third treatment cycle, most of her hair was gone.
Daniel helped her shave the remaining strands. He shaved his own head afterward, although Sophie told him it made his ears look enormous.
Eric offered to do the same.
“No,” Sophie said. “One bald dad is enough.”
It was the closest our family came to normal.
The headaches became less frequent. Sophie stopped waking every hour for water, and during a vision test, she saw movement farther to each side than she had before treatment.
Every improvement came with a price. She lost weight. Food tasted metallic. Some mornings, she was too tired to lift her stuffed rabbit.
Still, her hCG fell after every cycle.
The school district completed its review of Daniel. He was allowed to return, but several parents requested that their children be moved from his class.
“The district cleared you,” I said.
“Rumors don’t care what a district decides.”
Eric stood in the hospital doorway and heard him.
“I can speak at the school board meeting.”
Daniel looked up.
“That would make this public again.”
“It’s already public.”
“You don’t get to play the hero after starting it.”
“No,” Eric said. “But I can tell the truth.”
The meeting was held the following Thursday. Daniel refused to attend, so I watched the livestream from Sophie’s hospital room.
Eric stood alone at the microphone.
He did not mention the details of Sophie’s illness. He simply stated that he had contacted the district while terrified and without complete information. He said the medical investigation found no evidence that Daniel had harmed any child.
Then he said the words Daniel had demanded.
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