PART 3 \u2014 THE WOMAN FROM THE HOSPITAL
\n\u201cASK RYAN WHAT HE PAID HER FOR.\u201d
\nI read those six words again.
\nThen again.
\nMy fingers started shaking so badly that the photograph slipped from my hand.
\nRyan moved toward it.
\nDaniel Mercer was faster.
\nHe stepped on the edge of the photograph before Ryan could grab it.
\n\u201cDon’t,\u201d Daniel said.
\nRyan froze.
\nI barely heard either of them.
\nBecause I remembered the woman.
\nHer name was Dr. Evelyn Hart.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
She had been at the hospital the night I lost my baby.
\nNot my regular doctor.
\nNot even the physician who had originally admitted me.
\nShe had appeared later that evening after I began experiencing severe cramping and bleeding.
\nI remembered her standing beside my hospital bed with a clipboard pressed against her chest.
\nI remembered her calm voice.
\nI remembered her telling me there was nothing anyone could have done.
\nAnd most of all, I remembered Ryan arriving at the hospital afterward.
\nAt least, that’s what he’d told everyone.
\nHe said he’d rushed there the moment my mother called him.
\nBut the photograph in my hand had been taken THE DAY BEFORE.
\nRyan already knew Dr. Hart.
\n\u201cClaire.\u201d
\nHis voice sounded different now.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Not angry.
\nAfraid.
\n\u201cWhatever you’re thinking, you’re wrong.\u201d
\nI slowly looked at him.
\n\u201cWhat did you pay her for?\u201d
\nNatalie stopped crying.
\nMy mother stared at Ryan.
\nMy father stepped closer.
\nNobody whispered anymore.
\nNobody moved.
\nRyan gave a nervous laugh.
\n\u201cThis is insane. Some stranger gives you a photograph and suddenly I’m guilty of something?\u201d
\nDaniel reached into his jacket again.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cHe isn’t a stranger,\u201d Laura said. \u201cHe told us who he is.\u201d
\n\u201cI wasn’t talking to you!\u201d
\nRyan’s voice cracked across the room.
\nAmelia squeezed my hand.
\nI immediately pulled her behind me.
\nThat tiny movement seemed to wake me up.
\nWhatever this was, my nine-year-old daughter didn’t need to stand in the middle of it.
\n\u201cLaura,\u201d I whispered.
\nShe understood instantly.
\nShe took Amelia’s hand.
\n\u201cCome with me, sweetheart.\u201d
\n\u201cNo,\u201d Amelia said.
\nHer voice was small but firm.
\n\u201cMom needs me.\u201d
\nI crouched in front of her.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cYou’ve already done more than enough.\u201d
\n\u201cBut\u2014\u201d
\n\u201cListen to me.\u201d
\nI held both her hands.
\n\u201cWhat you did today took courage. But this part belongs to the adults.\u201d
\nShe looked toward Ryan.
\nThen back at me.
\n\u201cAre you going to be okay?\u201d
\nI almost broke right there.
\nBecause my nine-year-old daughter shouldn’t have been asking ME that.
\nI kissed her forehead.
\n\u201cI will be.\u201d
\nLaura led her toward a private room near the lobby.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
As soon as the door closed behind them, I turned back to Daniel.
\n\u201cTell me everything.\u201d
\nRyan immediately said, \u201cClaire, don’t.\u201d
\nI ignored him.
\nDaniel pulled several documents from a folder.
\n\u201cMy client is Rebecca Sloan.\u201d
\nThe name hit me immediately.
\nOne of the women from Ryan’s messages.
\nNatalie covered her mouth.
\nDaniel continued.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cMs. Sloan hired my firm approximately four months ago after discovering that Ryan had been lying to her about several things.\u201d
\n\u201cWhat things?\u201d
\n\u201cHis marriage. His finances. His relationship with Natalie. And certain payments he asked Ms. Sloan to help process through her company.\u201d
\nRyan’s face changed.
\n\u201cThat’s confidential.\u201d
\nDaniel looked at him.
\n\u201cNot anymore.\u201d
\n\u201cWhat payments?\u201d I asked.
\nDaniel hesitated.
\n\u201cPayments to Dr. Hart.\u201d
\nI felt dizzy.
\nMy father grabbed the back of a chair.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
My mother whispered, \u201cOh my God.\u201d
\nRyan shook his head violently.
\n\u201cNo. No, this is being twisted.\u201d
\n\u201cHow much?\u201d
\nDaniel looked at the document.
\n\u201cTwenty-five thousand dollars.\u201d
\nMy knees nearly buckled.
\n\u201cFor WHAT?\u201d
\n\u201cClaire,\u201d Ryan said quickly, \u201cit wasn’t what you think.\u201d
\n\u201cTHEN TELL ME WHAT IT WAS!\u201d
\nMy voice echoed through the hall.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
He stared at me.
\nNothing.
\nThirteen years of marriage.
\nFour children.
\nFive pregnancies.
\nThousands of dinners.
\nChristmas mornings.
\nBirthday cakes.
\nSchool runs.
\nMortgage payments.
\nLate-night conversations.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
And I suddenly realized I didn’t know the man standing in front of me at all.
\nDaniel spoke carefully.
\n\u201cWe don’t yet know exactly what the payment purchased.\u201d
\n\u201cThen why are you here?\u201d
\n\u201cBecause Rebecca discovered something else.\u201d
\nHe handed me another sheet.
\nIt was a bank transfer.
\nRyan’s name wasn’t on it.
\nThe money had been routed through a small consulting company.
\nBut at the bottom was the recipient.
\nE. Hart Medical Consulting.
\n$25,000.
\nDate received:
\nThree days before I lost my baby.
\nI couldn’t breathe.
\nNatalie suddenly turned toward Ryan.
\n\u201cYou told me Claire lost the baby because of stress.\u201d
\nRyan snapped toward her.
\n\u201cShut up.\u201d
\nMy head jerked up.
\n\u201cWhat did you just say?\u201d
\nNatalie realized too late what she’d revealed.
\n\u201cI\u2014\u201d
\n\u201cWhat did Ryan tell you?\u201d
\nShe looked terrified.
\n\u201cNatalie.\u201d
\nMy voice was barely above a whisper.
\n\u201cWhat did he tell you?\u201d
\nShe began crying again.
\n\u201cHe said the pregnancy was complicated.\u201d
\n\u201cIt wasn’t.\u201d
\n\u201cHe said you’d already been having problems.\u201d
\n\u201cI wasn’t.\u201d
\nRyan grabbed her arm.
\n\u201cStop talking.\u201d
\nNatalie yanked herself free.
\n\u201cDon’t touch me!\u201d
\nThen she looked at me.
\n\u201cHe told me the baby probably wouldn’t make it anyway.\u201d
\nThe room disappeared around me.
\nBecause my pregnancy hadn’t been complicated.
\nAt my appointment one week before the miscarriage, everything had been normal.
\nI’d heard my baby’s heartbeat.
\nI’d taken home a little ultrasound photograph.
\nI’d put it on the refrigerator.
\nRyan had stood in front of that picture that night.
\nI remembered him staring at it for a long time.
\nI thought he’d been emotional.
\nNow I wondered what he’d actually been thinking.
\n\u201cWhy would he want me to lose our baby?\u201d
\nI wasn’t asking anyone specifically.
\nBut Natalie answered.
\n\u201cBecause of me.\u201d
\nRyan’s face hardened.
\n\u201cNatalie.\u201d
\nShe stepped away from him.
\n\u201cNo. I’m done protecting you.\u201d
\nThen she looked at me.
\n\u201cRyan told me he was going to leave you months before you discovered us.\u201d
\nMy stomach turned.
\n\u201cHe said we could start over. He said we’d get married immediately after the divorce.\u201d
\n\u201cI know that.\u201d
\n\u201cNo.\u201d
\nNatalie shook her head.
\n\u201cYou don’t understand.\u201d
\nShe placed one hand against her stomach.
\n\u201cHe said he didn’t want… complications.\u201d
\nMy blood went cold.
\n\u201cWhat complications?\u201d
\nShe couldn’t look at me.
\n\u201cThe baby.\u201d
\nMy father suddenly lunged toward Ryan.
\n\u201cYou son of a\u2014\u201d
\nTwo relatives grabbed Dad before he reached him.
\n\u201cDad!\u201d
\nRyan backed away.
\n\u201cThis is insane! You’re all accusing me based on assumptions!\u201d
\nDaniel remained strangely calm.
\n\u201cThen perhaps you’d like to explain the messages.\u201d
\n\u201cWhat messages?\u201d
\nDaniel removed another page.
\nRyan stopped moving.
\nRebecca had apparently saved everything.
\nOne message was dated four days before my miscarriage.
\nRYAN: I need the problem handled before the divorce starts.
\nREBECCA: What problem?
\nRYAN: The pregnancy.
\nREBECCA: That’s your CHILD.
\nRYAN: Don’t lecture me. Just make the transfer.
\nI couldn’t feel my hands.
\n\u201cNo.\u201d
\nThe word escaped me without permission.
\nRyan stepped toward me.
\n\u201cClaire, listen\u2014\u201d
\n\u201cStay away from me.\u201d
\n\u201cYou’re misunderstanding the context.\u201d
\n\u201cWhat context could possibly make THAT sentence acceptable?\u201d
\n\u201cIt wasn’t about hurting you!\u201d
\n\u201cThen what was it about?\u201d
\nHe opened his mouth.
\nNothing came out.
\nAnd that silence terrified me more than any explanation could have.
\nDaniel collected the papers.
\n\u201cThere is something important you should know.\u201d
\nI looked at him.
\n\u201cWhat?\u201d
\n\u201cWe’ve already given copies of these records to the authorities.\u201d
\nRyan’s head snapped toward him.
\n\u201cYou WHAT?\u201d
\nDaniel didn’t answer him.
\nHe spoke only to me.
\n\u201cRebecca became concerned that the financial transactions might be connected to something illegal. She contacted investigators.\u201d
\n\u201cWhen?\u201d
\n\u201cThree weeks ago.\u201d
\n\u201cThen why hasn’t anyone contacted me?\u201d
\n\u201cThey wanted more evidence before approaching you.\u201d
\nHe glanced toward the hallway where Amelia had disappeared.
\n\u201cYour daughter’s slideshow may have accelerated things.\u201d
\nRyan suddenly pushed through two guests and headed for the exit.
\n\u201cStop him!\u201d Natalie screamed.
\nBut before anyone could move, the doors opened.
\nTwo uniformed police officers entered.
\nBehind them was a woman in a dark blazer.
\nRyan stopped dead.
\nThe woman looked around the room.
\n\u201cRyan Bennett?\u201d
\nNobody answered.
\nShe didn’t need an answer.
\nRyan’s face told her everything.
\nShe approached him.
\n\u201cMy name is Detective Maya Torres.\u201d
\nRyan immediately said, \u201cI want a lawyer.\u201d
\n\u201cThat would be wise.\u201d
\nShe didn’t arrest him.
\nNot yet.
\nInstead, she asked him to accompany her outside for questioning.
\nRyan refused.
\nThen agreed.
\nThen demanded to know whether he was being detained.
\nThe entire performance would have almost been funny if my life hadn’t been collapsing around me.
\nAs they escorted him toward the doors, Ryan looked back at me.
\nAnd for the first time in thirteen years, I saw hatred in his eyes.
\nPure hatred.
\n\u201cThis is your fault,\u201d he said.
\nI stared at him.
\n\u201cNo, Ryan.\u201d
\nMy voice didn’t shake.
\n\u201cFor once, this is yours.\u201d
\nThen he disappeared through the doors.
\nNobody spoke for several seconds.
\nThe wedding was over.
\nThe groom was gone.
\nThe bride was crying.
\nMy parents looked devastated.
\nAnd I felt nothing.
\nAbsolutely nothing.
\nUntil Amelia came running back into the room.
\n\u201cMom!\u201d
\nShe threw herself into my arms.
\nI held her tighter than I’d ever held anyone.
\n\u201cCan we go home now?\u201d
\n\u201cYes.\u201d
\nThat was all I wanted.
\nHome.
\nMy children.
\nA locked door.
\nSilence.
\nBut Detective Torres stopped me before I reached the parking lot.
\n\u201cMrs. Bennett?\u201d
\nI turned.
\n\u201cThere are a few questions we’ll need to ask you, but they don’t have to be answered tonight.\u201d
\n\u201cThank you.\u201d
\nShe hesitated.
\n\u201cThere’s one thing I do need to ask now.\u201d
\n\u201cWhat?\u201d
\n\u201cAfter your hospital admission, did you keep any of the medication you were given?\u201d
\nI frowned.
\n\u201cMedication?\u201d
\n\u201cYes.\u201d
\n\u201cI wasn’t taking anything unusual.\u201d
\n\u201cThink carefully.\u201d
\nThen I remembered.
\nThe night before I lost the baby, Ryan had come home unusually early.
\nHe’d brought me tea.
\nThat alone had been strange because Ryan almost never made tea.
\nI’d been exhausted and nauseous.
\nHe told me he’d spoken to someone from the hospital because I’d mentioned mild headaches earlier that week.
\nHe gave me two tablets.
\nHe said they were vitamins.
\nMy mouth went dry.
\n\u201cI took something Ryan gave me.\u201d
\nDetective Torres’ expression sharpened.
\n\u201cWhat?\u201d
\n\u201cI don’t know.\u201d
\n\u201cDo you have any left?\u201d
\n\u201cI might.\u201d
\nShe handed me her card.
\n\u201cDo not touch them. Do not throw anything away. Call me when you get home.\u201d
\nI nodded.
\nThen I drove home with Amelia beside me.
\nNeither of us spoke much.
\nShe fell asleep halfway there.
\nWhen we arrived, I carried her inside.
\nMrs. Patterson left after hugging me.
\nI checked on all four children.
\nThen I went upstairs.
\nMy bedroom felt haunted now.
\nEvery photograph.
\nEvery drawer.
\nEvery memory.
\nI opened the bathroom cabinet.
\nNothing.
\nThen the nightstand.
\nNothing.
\nI searched the kitchen.
\nNothing.
\nI was about to call Detective Torres and tell her I couldn’t find the bottle when I remembered something.
\nRyan kept a small travel bag in the garage.
\nHe used it whenever he claimed he had overnight work trips.
\nThe same \u201cwork trips\u201d I now knew had often been hotel meetings with other women.
\nI walked into the garage.
\nThe bag was still on the shelf.
\nI pulled it down.
\nInside were toiletries.
\nAn old shirt.
\nPhone chargers.
\nReceipts.
\nThen I found a small orange prescription bottle.
\nThe label had been peeled off.
\nMy heart started pounding.
\nI didn’t open it.
\nI didn’t touch the tablets.
\nI immediately called Detective Torres.
\nShe arrived forty minutes later with another officer.
\nThey photographed everything before placing the bottle into an evidence bag.
\n\u201cIs that what he gave you?\u201d she asked.
\n\u201cThe tablets looked similar.\u201d
\nShe nodded.
\n\u201cWe’ll have them tested.\u201d
\nThen she noticed something else inside Ryan’s travel bag.
\nA receipt.
\nShe pulled it out using gloves.
\nIt was from a pharmacy.
\nThe date was two days before my miscarriage.
\nDetective Torres stared at it.
\n\u201cWhat?\u201d I asked.
\nShe didn’t answer immediately.
\nInstead, she showed it to the other officer.
\nThey exchanged a look.
\nMy stomach tightened.
\n\u201cWhat is it?\u201d
\n\u201cThe prescription number may help us identify what was purchased.\u201d
\n\u201cCan you tell me what it was?\u201d
\n\u201cNot until we verify it.\u201d
\nThen Amelia appeared in the garage doorway.
\n\u201cMom?\u201d
\nI turned.
\nShe was holding my old phone.
\n\u201cI found something else.\u201d
\nDetective Torres looked at her.
\n\u201cWhat did you find, sweetheart?\u201d
\nAmelia walked toward me.
\n\u201cThere are voice messages.\u201d
\nMy heart stopped.
\n\u201cWhat voice messages?\u201d
\n\u201cDaddy’s.\u201d
\nShe tapped the screen.
\n\u201cThere was one I didn’t put in the wedding slideshow because I didn’t understand what they were talking about.\u201d
\nShe handed me the phone.
\nThe recording was thirty-seven seconds long.
\nRyan’s voice came first.
\n\u201cOnce it’s done, there can’t be anything connecting this to me.\u201d
\nThen a woman’s voice.
\nDr. Hart.
\n\u201cYou’re asking for something I never agreed to.\u201d
\n\u201cYou already took the money.\u201d
\n\u201cThat wasn’t what the money was for.\u201d
\n\u201cThen give it back.\u201d
\nSilence.
\nThen Dr. Hart said something that changed everything.
\n\u201cI won’t cover for you if she finds out what you switched.\u201d
\nThe recording ended.
\nDetective Torres immediately took the phone.
\n\u201cWhat did he switch?\u201d I whispered.
\nShe didn’t answer.
\nBut suddenly I remembered something.
\nSomething so small I’d completely forgotten it.
\nThe morning after Ryan gave me those tablets, I’d seen him standing in the kitchen beside my prenatal vitamin bottle.
\nWhen I walked in, he quickly closed the cabinet.
\nAt the time, I thought nothing of it.
\nNow my entire body began trembling.
\n\u201cThe vitamins.\u201d
\nDetective Torres looked at me.
\n\u201cWhat?\u201d
\n\u201cMy prenatal vitamins.\u201d
\nI ran into the kitchen.
\nThe bottle was still there.
\nI’d stopped taking them after losing the baby, but I couldn’t bring myself to throw them away.
\nI pulled open the cabinet.
\nThere it was.
\nDetective Torres stopped me before I touched it.
\nShe put on gloves and carefully removed the bottle.
\nThen she looked through the translucent plastic.
\nHer expression changed immediately.
\n\u201cThese aren’t all the same tablets.\u201d
\nMy knees weakened.
\nSome were the familiar vitamins I’d taken for months.
\nOthers were almost identical in shape and color.
\nAlmost.
\nBut not quite.
\nRyan had apparently counted on me never noticing.
\nThe police took the bottle.
\nAfter they left, I sat at the kitchen table until nearly midnight.
\nAmelia sat beside me.
\n\u201cMom?\u201d
\n\u201cYes?\u201d
\n\u201cDid Daddy hurt the baby?\u201d
\nMy throat closed.
\nI couldn’t lie to her.
\nBut I couldn’t tell a nine-year-old something the police hadn’t even proven.
\n\u201cWe don’t know yet.\u201d
\nShe rested her head against my shoulder.
\n\u201cI wish I never found his messages.\u201d
\nI wrapped my arm around her.
\n\u201cDon’t ever think that.\u201d
\n\u201cBut everybody was crying.\u201d
\n\u201cPeople were crying because of choices adults made. Not because you told the truth.\u201d
\nShe was quiet for a moment.
\nThen she whispered, \u201cThere’s something else.\u201d
\nI looked down.
\n\u201cWhat?\u201d
\nShe sat up.
\n\u201cWhen Grandma picked me up this morning, she told me not to show anyone the phone.\u201d
\nI stared at her.
\n\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d
\n\u201cShe knew?\u201d
\nAmelia nodded.
\n\u201cShe said Daddy had already made enough mistakes and that families sometimes have to hide bad things to stay together.\u201d
\nMy heart began pounding again.
\n\u201cWhen did Grandma see the phone?\u201d
\n\u201cLast week.\u201d
\nI couldn’t speak.
\nMy own mother had seen Ryan’s messages before the wedding.
\nAnd she’d still called me a terrible sister.
\nBut Amelia wasn’t finished.
\n\u201cShe deleted some things.\u201d
\nI felt the floor tilt beneath me.
\n\u201cWhat things?\u201d
\n\u201cI don’t know. She took the phone into the bathroom and gave it back later.\u201d
\n\u201cAre you sure?\u201d
\n\u201cYes.\u201d
\nI grabbed my phone.
\nMy hand hovered over my mother’s name.
\nThen someone knocked on the front door.
\nThree slow knocks.
\nIt was almost midnight.
\nAmelia froze.
\nI immediately moved her behind me.
\n\u201cStay here.\u201d
\nI checked the camera beside the door.
\nMy mother was standing on the porch.
\nAlone.
\nShe wasn’t crying anymore.
\nShe wasn’t angry.
\nShe looked terrified.
\nI opened the door but kept the chain locked.
\n\u201cWhat do you want?\u201d
\n\u201cClaire, please let me in.\u201d
\n\u201cNo.\u201d
\n\u201cIt’s about Ryan.\u201d
\n\u201cI know you deleted messages from Amelia’s phone.\u201d
\nHer face collapsed.
\nSo it was true.
\n\u201cWhy?\u201d
\nShe looked behind herself toward the street.
\nThen leaned closer.
\n\u201cBecause I was trying to protect you.\u201d
\nI almost laughed.
\n\u201cProtect me?\u201d
\n\u201cYou don’t understand.\u201d
\n\u201cThen explain it.\u201d
\nShe started crying.
\n\u201cRyan isn’t the only person involved.\u201d
\nMy skin prickled.
\n\u201cWho else?\u201d
\nShe looked toward the driveway again.
\nThen whispered, \u201cYour sister knew more than she admitted.\u201d
\nI stared at her.
\n\u201cNatalie knew about the payment?\u201d
\n\u201cNo.\u201d
\nMom shook her head.
\n\u201cSomething worse.\u201d
\n\u201cWhat could possibly be worse?\u201d
\nShe reached into her handbag.
\nAnd pulled out a folded piece of paper.
\n\u201cI found this in Natalie’s apartment three months ago.\u201d
\nShe pushed it through the gap in the door.
\nI unfolded it.
\nIt was a medical document.
\nAt first I didn’t understand what I was looking at.
\nThen I saw my name.
\nCLAIRE BENNETT.
\nMy date of birth.
\nMy pregnancy information.
\nAnd at the bottom was a signature authorizing the release of confidential medical records.
\nExcept the signature wasn’t mine.
\nSomeone had forged it.
\nI looked at my mother.
\n\u201cWho signed this?\u201d
\nShe started sobbing.
\n\u201cI watched Natalie do it.\u201d
\nMy stomach dropped.
\n\u201cWhy?\u201d
\nMom’s next words came out barely louder than a breath.
\n\u201cBecause Ryan needed access to your medical records before he could decide whether his plan would work.\u201d
\nI couldn’t move.
\n\u201cWhat plan?\u201d
\nMom looked me directly in the eyes.
\n\u201cThe plan to make you believe losing the baby happened naturally.\u201d
\nAnd before I could ask another question, headlights suddenly appeared behind her.
\nA car turned slowly into my driveway.
\nMom looked back.
\nAll the color vanished from her face.
\n\u201cOh God.\u201d
\n\u201cWhat?\u201d
\nShe grabbed the door through the narrow opening.
\n\u201cClaire, lock everything.\u201d
\n\u201cMom\u2014\u201d
\n\u201cGET THE CHILDREN AWAY FROM THE WINDOWS.\u201d
\nThe car stopped.
\nThe driver’s door opened.
\nA woman stepped out.
\nI recognized her instantly.
\nDr. Evelyn Hart.
\nThe woman from the hospital.
\nThe woman Ryan had paid $25,000.
\nShe walked toward my front door carrying a thick brown envelope.
\nBut what terrified me wasn’t that she’d come to my house.
\nIt was what she shouted before she even reached the porch.
\n\u201cCLAIRE! DON’T BELIEVE YOUR MOTHER!\u201d
\nMom went completely still.
\nDr. Hart raised the envelope.
\n\u201cRYAN DIDN’T START THIS.\u201d
\nShe pointed directly at my mother.
\n\u201cSHE DID.\u201d
\nTO BE CONTINUED………………….<\/p>\n
PART 3 \u2014 THE WOMAN FROM THE HOSPITAL \u201cASK RYAN WHAT HE PAID HER FOR.\u201d I read those six words again. Then again. My fingers started shaking so badly that … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5199,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6866","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-story"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/echostoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6866","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/echostoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/echostoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/echostoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/echostoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6866"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/echostoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6866\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6871,"href":"https:\/\/echostoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6866\/revisions\/6871"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/echostoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5199"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/echostoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6866"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/echostoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6866"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/echostoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6866"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}