"Thank you," Reyona said to Dr Rory Murphy, as he entered.
He was waiting outside the office with the others as Reyona used his temporarily re-arranged office for her calls.
"It is no problem." said the doctor as he came to sit opposite her in the chair she would have sat as a patient under normal circumstances.
But nothing was normal at the moment and as it was, she was seated in the man's chair wearing a shirt he had got for his wife over her hospital gown.
The handsome man with a pleasing smile, a high forehead, and a well-built body made him seem more like a bodybuilder than a hospital medical director.
He smiled slightly as he said, "Anything for you, lioness."
When he saw Reyona wince, he added "Or should I say, Sherlock?"
"Come on. You have to let that go." Reyona said with a smile.
Lioness was the nickname that her coursemates had given her because she hardly engaged in any frivolous activities, yet when there was anything that needed someone taking charge, they always automatically nominated her, and she always delivered.
Sherlock was the nickname he had given her when he asked her out, and she had been brutally blunt about the reason why she would never date him.
As Reyona remembered now, she shook her head and said "You are going to have to erase that from your memory one day."
"Not ever. It is my favourite anecdote to share with my wife. I think I will still tell my grandchildren about it too. Yes, it would make for a very nice bedtime story."
Reyona laughed softly and unbuttoned the shirt she had over her hospital gown. "Thank you. I will get someone to get a replacement for her."
"You don't have to," Dr Murphy said.
"Please, I insist," Reyona answered. "You have done a lot for me already."
Dr. Murphy shrugged in acceptance.
"Thank you for your understanding of this too. You made it much easier." Reyona said as she raised her hand to gesture at the two lawyers sitting on the couch in the director's outer office.
"It is nothing. I don't think it is necessary, but I see you need it. We will do everything in our capacity to ensure your peace of mind, Sherlock."
"Oh, please, just call me Reyona."
"Humour me. It has been so long" he said, as he looked back at the lawyers who stood behind him with their briefcases in hand. "You can come in now," he said to the doctors in the waiting room.
The lawyers brought out the agreement document and gave copies of it to Dr Murphy, Dr Salem, Dr Romano, and Nurse Killian to read.
A copy was given to Reyona as well for verification.
Though she knew what would be there, she collected the non-disclosure agreement and read through it.
Everything was in perfect order.
All that was left was for everyone to sign, and they could all move on.
"Pretty stiff penalty here, Sherlock." Dr. Murphy said, with a slight frown on his face.
"What is worth doing at all, Murphy," Reyona answered easily. "I am sure you have nothing to worry about anyway."
"Of course not." Dr. Murphy said automatically, then looked at his staff. "Right?"
"Absolutely, sir."
"Yes, sir."
"Of course."
They all chorused in their answers.
Dr Murphy inclined his head at Reyona with a wry smile and leaned over to take his pen.
The lawyers collected the copy from him and gave him the original they were all meant to sign.
"Right here?" Dr Murphy said as he pointed at the slot with his name and title.
"Yes, sir. Just there." the lawyer responded.
Reyona leaned back in the chair and winced a bit from the pull on her back.
She was grateful to Rory and was slightly uncomfortable about all this, but she knew it had to be done.
When she told Dr. Romano about what she wanted from them. The doctor had said it was not standard procedure in the hospital.
The hospital operated by standard codes and one of those codes was that they would never divulge the confidential information of a patient to anyone without the patient's consent.
Reyona was well aware of that, but she was not ready to put anything to chance anymore.
She was done trusting people just based on faith and what they were meant to do.
In her experience, people never really stick to what they were meant to do unless they are aware of the consequences of backing it up.
So, she had insisted.
When Dr Romano insisted and kept emphasising the fact that the management would not allow it. She had demanded to see whoever was in the position to allow it then.
Reluctantly, Dr Romano had agreed to let her talk to the medical director directly.
Reyona was gearing up for another wall of resistance.
Then she saw that it was Rory!
Rory! The most reckless playboy of their time in college was not just a doctor, but a medical director too.
Reyona had relaxed a bit and explained to him about what she needed.
He also told her the same thing Dr Romano had said.
But Reyona insisted and made him know how important it was to her.
Just when she thought she would have to leave the hospital after all, he finally agreed to it.
Then she asked for another favour from him while they waited for her lawyers.
To stage a scene while she called the kids.
Of course, she had somehow known the bastard would be on hand to talk to her as well.
The part about the kids was genuine.
Yes, she hated their parents, yet she couldn't find it in her to fault the kids for coming into the world through such despicable people.
She detested their step-uncle, but that wouldn't stop her from wishing the girl a happy birthday.
Even though she couldn't be there for the girl as she had promised, she would do what she could.
And nobody was going to stop her.
No, no longer would anyone stop her from doing what she wanted to do.
Not with lies, nor with deceit.
She was only going to do what was right for her and her baby from now on.
They could all go to hell.
"Here, ma." the lawyer handed her the original agreement after everyone had signed.
"Thank you," she said as she collected it and signed where she was supposed to.
She looked at everyone and said "Thank you very much for doing this. I appreciate it a lot. A copy of the arrangement will be sent to you soon."
The lawyers nodded as they put the agreement and copies back in their briefcase.
They nodded at Reyona and left.
"You are welcome. Now, I think you need to get back to bed." Dr. Murphy said.
"Just say you want your chair back," she said as she gingerly stood up.
"Exactly my thought." Dr Murphy said with a smile as he came forward to give her a hand.
"One more thing though," Reyona said.
"What do you want, Sherlock?" Dr. Murphy asked with a careful tone.