The handcuffs.
The broken skin only showing a fraction of what my broken heart has been through.
“Doctor Malone?”
“Yes, Lucy?” he says, giving me his kind smile.
“Um, if Michael arrives whilst Kim is still here, could you…” My voice trails off as I lose my nerve to say what I need to.
“Don’t worry, Lucy, Michael will not be allowed in this room, and I have to tell you that I have had to inform the police about what has happened.”
“Because you know,” I say quietly. I close my eyes and feel a sense of relief wash over me.
Someone else knows.
They can see it.
They can’t ignore the bruises.
“I hope you understand that because of my job, I wouldn’t have been able to turn a blind eye. I had to inform the authorities about your injuries.”
“I understand.” I should have informed them before now, but I needed as much evidence as possible. Sending a domestic abuser to prison is a battle women face every day, and I don’t believe that just one hit would have held enough power to have him locked away for a long time. I want to know that he isn’t getting off lightly, and I want to know that I am safe.
Safe to recover.
Safe to walk down the street.
And safe in the knowledge that he is away from me for years.
“There will be a security guard stationed outside your door, and the police will be speaking to Michael to make sure that he doesn’t come near you. Of course they will want to speak to you, but only when you feel ready,” Doctor Malone informs me, and just that piece of information has me feeling safer than I have in a long time.
“Thank you, doctor,” I whisper.
He smiles and excuses himself, which I’m grateful for because I need time to process that this is really it.
This is my escape.
This is my time.
I finally made it.
Chapter Nineteen
Unexpected visit
Five minutes after the Doctor leaves, the door to my room opens again, a frantic looking Kim rushing in. The door shuts behind her and then she’s by me, pulling me into her arms, hugging the life out of me.
I wince slightly from the impact, the pain still present in every limb, but I also smile from the closeness, smile from the warmth, and smile for the strong bond that we have. I never should have doubted it, but I’ve been plunged into darkness more often than not lately, and it’s hard to keep focused on the light.
I hear Kim start to cry and I clench my jaw, close my eyes and try to hold myself together. I’m barely hanging on as it is.
“Oh, Lucy,” Kim says as she lets me go and stands back, her eyes connecting with mine. “What happened? I mean, I saw you, sitting at the table with him, and I got the hell out of there as quickly as possible. What did he do? I thought he kept himself in check when he was in public?”
“Stop,” I say as I curb her questioning for a few minutes. “I had a panic attack and my blood pressure was too high. Ultimately, it contributed to me fainting and, voila, here I am.”
“I’m sorry,” Kim says with a sniffle. “I don’t mean to cry all over you.” She wipes her eyes with the sleeve of her top and I take her hand in mine.
“I’m okay, Kim,” I try to reassure her. I’m alive so there’s that. For now.
