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"No," I finally offer "I think I’auze froe of ht side of my face, froht nod of approval, I’ she’s happy hatever is beneath "And how is the air flow through your nose? Any stuffiness?"
I test my nostrils out "A little"
She stops her inspection to scribble so on the side table "You were very fortunate that Dr Gonzalez was in Bend on a ski trip He’s one of the leading plastic surgeons in the country and a very good friend of ht away He offered us his skill, pro bono"
A part of me knows that I should be concerned that I needed a plastic surgeon for my face, and yet I’ine what that face looks like
"I re Youon how it heals We won’t know until the swelling goes down" Setting the clipboard down on the side table again, she asks, "Do you re
The combination of her clenched jaw and the deep furrow across her forehead givesthat she’s about to deliver more bad news "I’m sorry to tell you that we found evidence of sexual assault"
I feel the blood drain froins to pound inI wasraped? Soe to curl ht swarms me, but I’m too sore to act on it How could I possibly not re raped?
"I need to examine the rest of your injuries" Dr Alaits for my reluctant nod and then slides the flannel sheet down and lifts own I’ently peels back the bandages around ood Now, just relax, I’lltoward the edge of my bed I distractabove as she gently inspectsshould heal properly with ti some tests and blood work, but we’ve ruled out the majority of sexually transmitted diseases We also completed a rape kit on you"
I close my eyes as a tear slips out fro my sensitive skin Why did this happen to ?
RapedSTDs"What aboutI nant?" The question slips out unbidden
True to her pro off her gloves, she tosses thee of my bed "We can certainly rule that out fronant when you were brought in"
The air sails fros as she delivers yet another harsh punch of news My gaze drifts to my flat abdo"
Were Past tense
"Do you not recall any of this?" Dr Alwood’s brows draw together as she watches me closely
A soft "no" slips out and I can’t help but feel that she doesn’t believe iven your extensive injuries, it is not at all surprising that you miscarried You’re lucky to be alive, as it is" She hesitates before she adds, "I don’t think that whoever did this to you intended for you to survive"
A strange cold sweeps throughon this bed beforehand on the clock ahead tells me that--and in that short time, this doctor has informed me that I was beaten, raped,and left for dead
And I lost a baby I don’t even re
I don’t knoho the father was
I don’t even knoho I a to send you for another CT scan and MRI" I feel the weight of her gaze onthat you re? A parent? Maybe a city where you grew up? The hospital would like to find your fae of questions only ain I can’t answer a single one of the for on, or do I live so, as I focus on a se How can I recognize that and not ency in her voice soft and pleading
"No" There’s nothing
I re at all
THREE
Jesse
then
There are a lot of things I don’t like about Portland
The rain tops the list
Scratch that Driving in the rain tops the list It’s usually just a dreary never-ending drizzle, but once in a while the skies open up for an especially heavy downpour The shitty old Toyota I bought for five hundred bucks doesn’t deal ith that weather, the engine rando I don’t kno many times I’ve tried to fix the problem
September was a heavyfor a record, too, because it’s pouring again tonight It’s only a ht here in the middle of this deserted road Then I’ll be just like the poor sucker on the shoulder up ahead, his hazards flashing
Even though I’ve already , when I realize it’s a BMW Z8, as pedal I’ve never seen one in real life before Probably because there are only a few thousand in the entire country and each one would go for a pretty penny It’s rare and it’s fking gorgeous
And it has a flat tire
"Nope" Changing tires in the rain sucks That rich bastard can wait for roadside assistance to cohts catch long blond hair in the driver’s side Twenty feet past, my conscience takes over and I can’t help but brake "Shit," Iup
No one’s getting out, but if she’s alone, she’s probably wary With a loud groan, I step out into the rain, yanking the hood of er-sideGrowing up with a sheriff as a father, you learn never to stand on the road, even if there isn’t a car in sight People get clipped all the tilass