Робин Кук - Vital Signs

“That’s wonderful,” Elaine said. She smiled for the first time since they’d arrived. “I had no idea. I thought you would be moving back to Australia.”

“No,” Marissa said. “For now it will be better for us both here. We have a lot we’d like to put behind us. We want a fresh start.”

Elaine’s mood was much improved with the unexpected news about the intended move to Berkeley. “Eric and I saw you and Tristan on Good Morning America and on 60 Minutes. When we heard what those clinics were doing, we were appalled. What some people will do for money!”

Marissa nodded.

“I had to laugh at what Charlie Gibson said,” Elaine continued. “That comparison he made between the closing of the chain of Women’s Clinics and the jailing of Al Capone.”

“It does seem a bit ironic,” Marissa agreed.

“Absolutely,” Elaine agreed. “I know that tax evasion was the only crime they were ever able to convict Capone of. But after everything those rotten doctors did, it’s hard to believe the only charges they got to stick were violations related to the hiring of illegal aliens.”

“At least the clinics are closed,” Marissa said. “The problem has been that it is impossible to prove that the BCG these thousands of women have been given came from the clinics in question. But they’re still not in the clear. The investigations have uncovered the fact that they had been routinely scheduling cervical biopsies for normal Pap smears. And they have been finding this in both the United States and Europe.”

“Aren’t any of the men involved going to jail?” Elaine questioned.

“I’m hopeful that some of them eventually will,” Marissa said. “The most encouraging development has been that a number of directors of branch clinics have started plea-bargaining and offering to turn state’s evidence in exchange. With their testimony, we may see some convictions.”

Elaine leaned closer to Marissa. “I hope they nail the bastards,” she said. After a time, she asked Marissa what her plans were with respect to in-vitro. “Are you and Tristan going to try it?”

“Oh, no!” Marissa said with emphasis. “I’ve gone through enough cycles for my taste. I can’t say it was a very positive experience. But we will have children,” she added.

“Oh?” Elaine said, somewhat puzzled. She had understood that Marissa couldn’t conceive.

“First, there’s Chauncey. I know I’ll love him as much as if he were my own. And Tristan and I plan to adopt.”

“Really?” Elaine said.

Marissa nodded. “We’re going to adopt a little Chinese baby from Hong Kong.”