Chapter 9: Confidentiality

“Doctor, we have that, um, patient confidential limit in force, correct?”

“Yes, please feel free to tell me anything I need to know.”

“OK, but first let me text my father to come over here. He should be on his way home shortly. This is 71 Rock Ledge Drive, off Sand Lane, right?” “Yes.”

I composed a text to both Dad’s and Aunt Dee’s phones:

“Emrgcy! Lara injurd! All 4 Ss/Ts at Lennie’s, 71 Rock Ledge Dr, x-street Sand Ln. Dr. Pereira, Len’s dad, here. Need U NOW! -E”

“OK, Doc. My sister is Lara Scott, I am Eve Scott, officially, and our father is Tim Scott. We have no mother. Lara is 15, I am 17. Over there, those two guys are my cousins, Drew Tyson, 15, and Dan Tyson, 17. Their mother is Dee Tyson, she is my aunt, and Tim Scott’s sister. And those boys have no father. We all live at 13 Mockingbird Lane, which is about four blocks south of here. That very small house has three bedrooms, one for Lara and me, one for Drew and Dan, and one for Dee and Tim. So our parents are not married, not partners, but they share the same bed. So we have some big secrets to keep. Can we trust you?”

“I see, yes, you can trust me. So your parents can’t combine their income and jointly buy health insurance for all four dependents?”

“I guess so. I don’t understand all the finances and legalities.”

“But they are both working.” “Yes, but their jobs don’t pay much money, and definitely don’t have benefits. We are completely uncovered, but make too much money for what’s its name, Medicaid. This is why Lara refused an ambulance, and I was forced to agree with her. Just the ambulance bill would be enough to ruin us. They would take our house and we would be homeless, all six of us. That’s when poor terrified Lennie called you at work.”

Just then, Dad and Aunt Dee rushed in. Like the boys, they froze in pure shock. Dad cried out, anguished. Dee knelt near Lara and reached for her uninjured arm’s hand. “Oh, my poor Lara. Who did this to you?” Dad moved in and also held Lara’s hand. “Never mind that. Doctor, is she going to be all right?”

“No, she won’t. Not in my living room.”

I cried out, in agony. “Lara!” Close to fainting, I fell to my knees. I suppose Dad had a similar reaction, but I was only seeing my sister then, like through a tunnel. Dan, seeing me collapse, rushed to my side and supported me, positioning himself to face away from Lara and her wounds.

“Tim, let’s go to the dining table so we can talk.”

“No!” said Lara.

“You all are going to listen to me, now. I am not going to be talked over, around, or anything. No secrets, especially from me. Dad, E has explained our family relationships. Dr. Pereira has to keep our secrets because he is a doctor, and I am his patient. Confidential rules. Get it?”

“Just listen to me. Lennie is the love of my life. I fantasize that I might marry her someday. I mean, she is going to be my next of kin, added to you, Dad, for all of this. Believe it.”

“My beloved sister, who I see naked every day, is to be shut out now from my medical news? Not going to happen. I need her counsel.”

“E’s partner, cousin Dan, is the rock both E and I depend on. Because he is strong, and sweet, and so smart. And he loves us. His brother Drew over there saved me once already. Dee, Dad, remember the ripped shoulder of his shirt? He gave himself up to protect me! Only 15 now, he will become a man to be admired. Drew stays.”

“Last but not least is Dee, the boys’ mother. Not my mother, she is my aunt. Now, I love my father, but Dee stepped up and helped me prepare for that first menstrual period, the birds and the bees talk, the contraception talk, the teen boys are raging donkeys talk, all of that girly stuff that scares Dad. I’m sure she did the same for E. And, if I had an actual mother, I would hope she’d be half the woman Dee is.”