THE CONFRONTATION
The next morning, Renata followed Dr. Cásia to her car and saw her loading small vials into a bag. Without hesitation, she waited for her to leave — then opened the car door and took one.
Later that evening, she stood before Rafael again, holding the vial in her trembling hand.
“This,” she said, “is what she’s been giving your daughters.”
Rafael stared at the bottle, his face draining of color. “What… what is this?”
“It’s not prescribed medication,” Renata said. “I checked the label — it’s sedative-grade, for adults. Too strong for infants.”
Shock crashed through him like a wave. “My God…”
Before he could say more, the front door opened. Dr. Cásia stood there, her eyes burning with fury.
“What are you doing with that?” she hissed.
“We’re taking the twins to the hospital,” Rafael said firmly.
“You can’t do that!” she snapped. “They need my care!”
“No,” Renata replied, stepping forward, her voice trembling but strong. “They need to be safe.”
The doctor lunged, but Rafael blocked her, clutching his daughters close. Together, he and Renata fled the house — the babies wailing, fear and determination pushing them onward.
