“Good morning,” Malcolm said pleasantly. “I hope we’re not interrupting.”
David stood up. “Who are you?”
“Malcolm Chen,” he said. “I’m a friend of your mother’s.”
“A friend?” David laughed. “Mom doesn’t have any friends who look like you.”
“Actually,” Malcolm said, “I’ve known her longer than you have.”
Gloria stepped forward. She held out a business card.
“Gloria Nakamura,” she said. “I represent your mother.”
David took the card. He read it. His face went pale.
“Represent her?” Sarah said. “For what? She doesn’t need a lawyer.”
“She does,” Gloria said, “since you filed a petition yesterday afternoon at 4:22 asking the King County Superior Court to appoint David as her emergency guardian and conservator.”
The room went dead silent. Even the heart monitor seemed to hold its breath.
Michael turned around slowly from the balloon. “Wait. What? We didn’t file it yet. Bradley said he was going to file it Friday.”
