It was one of those nights, right after he won a very big case called ‘Los Angeles Orthopedic Hospital vs. Mrs. Bowers’. It was a very emotional case of a mother, whose 17 year old son went to the hospital with a broken leg and end up dying from cardiac arrest brought on by hypovolemia, something usually secondary to hemorrhage.

The mother claimed that her son was allergic to adrenaline and that he informed the nurse about it, which she immediately wrote down in his file. The anesthesiologist performed local anesthesia to numb the leg to prepare for the surgery, and instead of the plain solution, the young man was given a mixture with adrenaline. He went to cardiac arrest and they weren’t able to save him because he had a weak heart, as well.

The hospital spokesman brought the boy’s file and presented it to the jury where it was clearly stated that he was not allergic to anything. The nurse who had taken his information was there as well and confirmed that the boy never said anything about being allergic to any medication.

The hospital won the case and Eric was one of the lawyers on this case, representing the hospital. It was his first big case as the lead trial attorney, and even though Tina’s heart was full of sadness and sympathy for the poor mother, she knew that the law had to prevail, no matter how hard it could be.

They went to Tina’s house right after it was over to celebrate and while he was there, one of his partners called and asked Eric to find a paper for the judge that had to be signed the next morning. Eric was already a little tipsy from the champagne mixed with beer and it took him awhile to find the necessary paper. He had to take out all the documents from his briefcase and lay them on the table, and some papers fell on the floor.

Tina had been a little drunk herself and forgot all about that nigh until she found the paper that had fallen out of Eric’s file and was still lying underneath the couch. When she took a good look at it, everything became clear to her.

It was the same page that Tina now pulled out of her purse and showed to Eric. “This is that missing or should I say, substituted page from the medical file of Nathan Bowers, the boy who died from cardiac arrest about three months ago, a case that you won. I think I’ll show this page to the boy’s mother or better yet, to the judge who was presiding over the case and I won’t even have to think twice about it.”

Eric’s face turned pale but he regained his composure and said with false bravado, “You are bluffing, Tina, there was no such page, we won fair and square.”

“Look at this page, Eric, it’s all in there, and I won’t hesitate to use it.” Tina said with all the strength she could manage in this situation. “I’ll even send it to Pediatric Pre-operative Cardiac Arrest Registry so they can investigate the malpractice. And you, as one of the lead lawyers on the case, will go down for hiding this paper and probably bribing the nurse. No one will believe you after I expose you as a liar and a fraud and get you disbarred. So it would be better for you and your high-powered clients if you just come clean on your own.”

Eric began to understand that Tina was way serious about all of this and he frantically tried to find his way out of this sticky situation. He knew he lost the game and had to pay.

“You know”, Tina said tiredly, “I looked up to you and even thought about a future together. Now, I loathe you for hurting my friend, for being a coward, and for playing me for a fool. At least I know now what a piece of shit you are. I would love nothing more for you to get what you deserve, but I can’t return the boy to his mother, and Carmen is my closest friend, who suffered a lot because of you and I want her to live happier, knowing that you get punished for what you did to her. So, here’s the phone, I’m waiting…”

TBC….