The Switch

The birth tag

Eva pov

I didn't sleep after my shift.

I sat at mothers kitchen table. The handwritten note from Dr. Hale in my palm. A photo of the death certificate on my phone.

Eva Carter. Born march 18, 2002,2:17.Parents Margaret+ Thomas Room 4B.

Room 4B.The stillbirth room. Not 4C where they baby girl lived.

Footsteps. Mother came in the kitchen in a robe. She pours coffee. She didn't glance at me.

You're up early, she says.

I pushed the phone across the table in front of her. "Room 4B march 18,2002 . Male. still born. Baby Carter".

Her hand freezes and her coffee spills.

"what is this Eva?"

"where I was born, right? Where you almost died having me?"

"That's hospital error " she says fast" The mixed up the files ". "it says male still born. But I'm a female. Alive ".

Enough! Her voice cracks." Dr. Hale delivered you. Alive .

I pull out the note. Slide it to her. "Thomas.she needs a mother. you need a daughter. No one will check. This is mercy.

she read it again. Her face goes horrified. That's worse than tears . Suddenly dad enters through the front gate his speaks up everything.