A local woman missing- Mary Kubica

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Jason. He only tells her what she wants to hear: that he’s going tohelp get this baby out of her now.But that’s not all. Because Shelby isn’t allowed the opportunity togive informed consent before he cuts an episiotomy, using a pair ofscissors to cut her perineum instead of having it tear on its own, if atall. An episiotomy should be an exception these days, not the norm.And it should always come with a clear explanation of the possiblecomplications, of which there are many, from painful sex to fecalincontinence. I’m appalled.“Doctor,” I say tersely, but it’s too late, because it’s done.He glares at me over my client, where I stand by her side, trying tocomfort her. “Would you like to wait in the hall?” he asks. I don’tmove.He doesn’t look at Shelby when he speaks to her. “I’m going to getthis baby out of you. Sound good?” Shelby unleashes a scream withthe next contraction. Dr. Feingold finds humor in it. “I’ll take that as ayes,” he says arrogantly. It makes me irate. The absence of a noshould never mean yes. I’ve worked hard to create a culture ofconsent with my clients, especially in situations like this, whereShelby is vulnerable and Dr. Feingold in a position of power. Thereare risks in all manners of delivery. I know that. But a woman shouldbe made aware of these risks. She should be given the opportunityto weigh the options for herself.I see Dr. Feingold preparing the forceps for use. I won’t besilenced. “There are possible complications to using forceps to aid indelivery, Shelby,” I say, speaking quickly, urgently. I stand at the sideof the bed, leaned into her. I look in her eyes. Shelby is completelyspent. The exhaustion is tangible. She’d do anything for this deliveryto be through. “The worst being brain damage, skull fracture, death.You should know this before—”Dr. Feingold cuts me off. “Your doula,” he says smugly,degradingly, “has no medical training. Are you going to listen to heror me?”Another contraction racks Shelby. “Just get this baby out of me!”she screams.Dr. Feingold takes that for consent. He applies forceps to thebaby’s head. He uses the forceps to first turn the baby’s head. With
the next contraction, he instructs Shelby to push as he drags thebaby out. As he does, Shelby screams in excruciating pain, despitethe epidural, as if she’s being torn in two.The baby doesn’t cry when she arrives. My first thought is that shewon’t survive.
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Praise forLocal Woman Missing“I
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Local Woman MissingMary Kubica
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Mary Kubica is the New York Times b
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LeoKateMeredithLeoMeredithKateMered
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PROLOGUE11 Years BeforeThere’s a
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thinking about his car, how warm it
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DELILAHNOWI hear footsteps. They mo
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my belly got to be so bad that I ha
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I do know for sure that there are s
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There ain’t much to work with in
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we ever want to get out of this pla
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when we don’t come, she says, “
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That lady hasn’t fed us since tha
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I bring the candy bar to my mouth.
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I call to Gus to hurry up. I don’
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direction so that soon I’m all tu
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back into the blackness of the shed
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I curl more tightly into my pill bu
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There’s a house outside. It’s b
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through a forest. Like the cornstal
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I shake my head. I don’t know not
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KATE11 YEARS BEFOREMayThere’s a k
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I pull open the door and the wind r
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life, a sense of purpose during tho
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down. In the city, raw sewage is le
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Maybe this was one of those times.
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disappears into the kitchen to keep
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I glance down at the phone in my ha
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think of anything I’ve done to up
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LEONOWTo be straight, I never thoug
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KATE11 YEARS BEFOREMayBea is in bed
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police, and became common knowledge
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me. But now I’m grateful for the
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moon is nearly full, giving off add
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Dad doesn’t know it but I’ve re
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It’s a media circus when we get h
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argument I want to have. I love the
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KATE11 YEARS BEFOREMayThe next morn
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long and straight because somehow,
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LEONOWThat first night in our house
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MEREDITH11 YEARS BEFOREMarchI’ve
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I feel somewhat guilty for unloadin
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yesterday was the first time Meredi
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One by one people get in their cars
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puddles; Bea and I part ways and st
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“I’m so worried,” Cassandra s
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was looking at was human—that the
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and to the front door. She knocks o
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“That’s lovely,” I say.Bea as
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A body has been found.
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The coffee shop is new to me. It ha
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pay much attention to me that night
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An image of her husband forms: cyni
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the door. Other officers are inside
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The midwife replies, “Yes, of cou
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Later, early in the evening, we wat
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impression of a small castle. As lo
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Dad asks if you want him to tuck yo
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That’s when Mom turned the knife
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I write back, All first-time mother
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would be angry if the police showed
Page 125 and 126: Dad tells her, “I should have cal
Page 127 and 128: recollection I’d been hoping for.
Page 129 and 130: gray. Her eyes are gray. She has de
Page 131 and 132: He says reluctantly, “They found
Page 133 and 134: It’s as if Josh can read my mind.
Page 135 and 136: “What do you think, then,” he a
Page 137 and 138: quickly than most.“Thanks,” he
Page 139 and 140: play with Delilah. She makes fun of
Page 141 and 142: her face for signs of bruising. The
Page 143 and 144: I ask again. “Did he hurt you?”
Page 145 and 146: This is what you told the police: y
Page 147 and 148: MEREDITH11 YEARS BEFOREMarchDinner
Page 149 and 150: remember, Leo, how this happened?
Page 151 and 152: KATE11 YEARS BEFOREMayThe next morn
Page 153 and 154: MEREDITH11 YEARS BEFOREAprilOver th
Page 155 and 156: The kids and I still stand outside,
Page 157 and 158: Bea stops me there. She takes charg
Page 159 and 160: KATE11 YEARS BEFOREMayDr. Feingold
Page 161 and 162: knot. We picked them out together,
Page 163 and 164: “Yes, sir,” I say, shifting my
Page 165 and 166: “She had a baby recently. It was
Page 167 and 168: I’m flat on my back. I can’t se
Page 169 and 170: MEREDITH11 YEARS BEFOREAprilShelby
Page 171 and 172: Within an hour a nurse comes in to
Page 173 and 174: “Of course,” I say.“I think S
Page 175: What his patients like about Dr. Fe
Page 179 and 180: I turn on the car and begin to driv
Page 181 and 182: Bea takes a cursory glance in the s
Page 183 and 184: go home. I can’t lead this indivi
Page 185 and 186: I spent a lot of time on those miss
Page 187 and 188: MEREDITH11 YEARS BEFOREMayThe Tebow
Page 189 and 190: I should trust him enough to tell h
Page 191 and 192: There’s more urgency about gettin
Page 193 and 194: MEREDITH11 YEARS BEFOREMayI haven
Page 195 and 196: I regret my choice of words immedia
Page 197 and 198: “Cassandra, if Marty is seeing an
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Page 203 and 204: KATE11 YEARS BEFOREMayThe rest of t
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Page 207 and 208: it that left me feeling violated an
Page 209 and 210: Outside the storm rages. It’s mor
Page 211 and 212: to see Bea’s expression, I see he
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Page 215 and 216: MEREDITH11 YEARS BEFOREMayI can’t
Page 217 and 218: I won’t tell him now. I don’t w
Page 219 and 220: dancing has made him thirsty. Our d
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Page 223 and 224: KATE11 YEARS BEFOREMayThree things
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MEREDITH11 YEARS BEFOREMayMy eyes a
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Babies,” I tell her. I’d just g
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“I know her, Bea,” I say, and I
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We haul Shelby to the back end of t
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grimace. The coloration of her skin
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trees were here before the homes. T
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“It’s not your fault,” Dad sa
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MEREDITH11 YEARS BEFOREMayThe next
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if I told the truth, it might get b
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I obsess over this. I try to replay
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LEONOWBefore bed, Dad comes into my
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MEREDITH11 YEARS BEFOREMayI can’t
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She pauses for effect. “It’s ti
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that I shared with Delilah. My mom
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MEREDITH11 YEARS BEFOREMay“I have
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in the trunk, and whether she was d
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But the longer he stares at those p
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better than that. You’re never su
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MEREDITH11 YEARS BEFOREMayIn the mi
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Who would care for her special need
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Bea comes fully into the garage.
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Another change comes over Bea. She
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hands. Her hair spills across her f
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It’s taking a long time for you t
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Bea is in the driver’s seat. Bea
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hers, gathering dollar bills. She l
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vacant or nearly vacant right now,
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friendship has waned over the years
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the building, and it’s upstairs.
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My question goes unanswered.Where a
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to climb, their movements in sync.
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remembers that when Bea came back,
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I hang up before she can say more.
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ISBN-13: 9781488073960Local Woman M
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A local woman missing- Mary Kubica

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