tucked the scripts in his pocket. “We consider her part of our family. I wish I’d listened to my intuition sooner. Maybe we would have got there before he did this to her.”
“I’ll be waiting outside,” the nurse said. “The radiology room’s right down the hall.” The nurse handed him a long gown.
He waited until they left to help Nevvie sit. She was woozy, the sedative working its blessed magic on her system.
He dressed her in the hospital gown then steadied her as he carefully pulled her underwear into place. To think, two days ago he’d be rock hard doing this, and now it was all he could do not to cry.
He fastened her gown up the back and put his arm around her waist, supporting her, guiding her down the hall. They gave him a lead apron to wear while he stood watch over her during the X-rays, then he carried her to the exam room, gently laying her on the table. She was finally asleep. He managed to dress her without waking her.
Making sure Nevvie didn’t roll off the table, Tyler waited for the doctor to return with the results. She noted Nevvie’s state.
“We could admit her right now.”
“Is she injured that badly?”
“I’m thinking of her mental state.”
“We’ll take care of her, Doc. How is she otherwise?”
“Miracle of miracles, her ribs aren’t fractured. God only knows how she managed to avoid that. Hopefully no internal damage. If she doesn’t have blood in her urine, that’s a good sign. Keep an eye out for fever, or pain that doesn’t get better. Damn, that asshole beat her to a pulp.”
“What about the rest?”
“We’ll have STD, HIV, and blood results back in a few days. And she should be retested in six months. I’m assuming I should call your number?”
“She’ll be with us.”
“What’s going on, Tyler?”
“Thomas and I will take care of her. Tell me what I need to do to keep her comfortable and get her through this.”
“You don’t get this involved over your cleaning girl.”
He looked into Nevvie’s battered face. “She’s special, Doc. Thomas and I care for her a great deal. We want to take care of her.”
She shook her head. “I hope you boys know what you’re doing. I’ll send the paperwork back here so you can check out. They’ll help you get her to your car through the side door. No reason to take her out the front. She’s been through enough.”
After settling the bill, Tyler handed the nurse his car keys and carried Nevvie to the Lexus, buckling her into the front passenger seat and reclining it so she didn’t slump forward. At home he carried her into the living room and settled her on the sofa. He had to go shopping, get her what she needed—so much to do. He walked into his office and called Thomas.
“How is she?”
“Asleep. They gave her a sedative at the doctor’s office, knocked her out. When can you get home?”
“I can leave in an hour.”
“I need to get her prescriptions filled and go shopping. I don’t want to leave her alone. I want someone here when she wakes up.”
“Hold on.” Thomas briefly spoke with someone. “I can leave in five minutes. I’m supposed to meet with a client, but Kenny’s back from lunch and he can meet with them.”
“I’ll see you then.” Tyler returned to the living room and sat in a chair across from her. He turned on the TV, kept the volume low. Forty minutes later, Thomas rushed in.
“How is she?”
Tyler held a finger to his lips and motioned him to his study. “She’s still asleep. I don’t know what they gave her this morning, but they gave me a script for Valium.”
“This isn’t how I wanted it to happen, Tyler.”
“Join the club. I nearly lost it at the doctor’s office. She told us why she refused to go to hospital—”
“ The hospital.”
“Whatever. The hospital yesterday. Or let us call the police.” He repeated her story and Thomas’ warm face shifted to a granite mask.
“We can’t let her leave. We need to protect her.”
“If
“I’ll be waiting outside,” the nurse said. “The radiology room’s right down the hall.” The nurse handed him a long gown.
He waited until they left to help Nevvie sit. She was woozy, the sedative working its blessed magic on her system.
He dressed her in the hospital gown then steadied her as he carefully pulled her underwear into place. To think, two days ago he’d be rock hard doing this, and now it was all he could do not to cry.
He fastened her gown up the back and put his arm around her waist, supporting her, guiding her down the hall. They gave him a lead apron to wear while he stood watch over her during the X-rays, then he carried her to the exam room, gently laying her on the table. She was finally asleep. He managed to dress her without waking her.
Making sure Nevvie didn’t roll off the table, Tyler waited for the doctor to return with the results. She noted Nevvie’s state.
“We could admit her right now.”
“Is she injured that badly?”
“I’m thinking of her mental state.”
“We’ll take care of her, Doc. How is she otherwise?”
“Miracle of miracles, her ribs aren’t fractured. God only knows how she managed to avoid that. Hopefully no internal damage. If she doesn’t have blood in her urine, that’s a good sign. Keep an eye out for fever, or pain that doesn’t get better. Damn, that asshole beat her to a pulp.”
“What about the rest?”
“We’ll have STD, HIV, and blood results back in a few days. And she should be retested in six months. I’m assuming I should call your number?”
“She’ll be with us.”
“What’s going on, Tyler?”
“Thomas and I will take care of her. Tell me what I need to do to keep her comfortable and get her through this.”
“You don’t get this involved over your cleaning girl.”
He looked into Nevvie’s battered face. “She’s special, Doc. Thomas and I care for her a great deal. We want to take care of her.”
She shook her head. “I hope you boys know what you’re doing. I’ll send the paperwork back here so you can check out. They’ll help you get her to your car through the side door. No reason to take her out the front. She’s been through enough.”
After settling the bill, Tyler handed the nurse his car keys and carried Nevvie to the Lexus, buckling her into the front passenger seat and reclining it so she didn’t slump forward. At home he carried her into the living room and settled her on the sofa. He had to go shopping, get her what she needed—so much to do. He walked into his office and called Thomas.
“How is she?”
“Asleep. They gave her a sedative at the doctor’s office, knocked her out. When can you get home?”
“I can leave in an hour.”
“I need to get her prescriptions filled and go shopping. I don’t want to leave her alone. I want someone here when she wakes up.”
“Hold on.” Thomas briefly spoke with someone. “I can leave in five minutes. I’m supposed to meet with a client, but Kenny’s back from lunch and he can meet with them.”
“I’ll see you then.” Tyler returned to the living room and sat in a chair across from her. He turned on the TV, kept the volume low. Forty minutes later, Thomas rushed in.
“How is she?”
Tyler held a finger to his lips and motioned him to his study. “She’s still asleep. I don’t know what they gave her this morning, but they gave me a script for Valium.”
“This isn’t how I wanted it to happen, Tyler.”
“Join the club. I nearly lost it at the doctor’s office. She told us why she refused to go to hospital—”
“ The hospital.”
“Whatever. The hospital yesterday. Or let us call the police.” He repeated her story and Thomas’ warm face shifted to a granite mask.
“We can’t let her leave. We need to protect her.”
“If
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