Page 89 of Riding the Pine

She twitches in my arms as my voice raises, but I have no idea where to go with her and there’s no one at the intake desk in reception.

“I need some help here.” My voice breaks. It’s like the adrenaline that has kept me moving this far, is wearing off, leaving me a shaking pile of emotions.

Tears spill down her cheeks again, and what’s left of my battered heart aches for her. She hates being helpless, and right now, that’s exactly what she is.

Someone must spot me because they yell for a gurney, and everything happens all at once. Athena is pried from my reluctant hands, and we’re ushered back into a closed room.

I hold my hands up. “Before anyone asks.” I swallow, trying to control the battle of emotions happening inside me. “I didn’t do this to her.” My voice shakes, my eyes fill with tears. “I knowyou have to check, but unless someone forcibly removes me from this room, I’m not leaving her.”

“It wasn’t him.” Athena manages between sobs as she’s jiggled on the bed. “Not him.” She hisses as someone bumps into the bed.

“Sorry,” the nurse soothes. “Has someone called the police?”

Someone else confirms they have.

“We need a rape kit in here.”

Athena winces at the word rape, just like I do, but no one needs to ask. We all see the same things, her pants still clung around one ankle, her bare lower half covered in bruises, her fucked up face. Shit. It’s really fucked up under the harsh glare of the fluorescent hospital lights.

“My name is Seren; can you tell me your name?”

My Bright Eyes does.

Seren nods. “Do you want your friend here for the exam?”

Athena nods, sending droplets of tears from the end of her nose onto the bed. “Boyfriend.”

Seren looks at me, a world of sympathy on her face. “Okay…”

“Scott,” I supply.

“Scott, we’re going to do a full work up on Athena. The police are on their way, they’re going to have questions for both of you. I know this is hard, but we’re going to take care of you both, okay?”

As she finishes her question, Athena whimpers on the bed and a wet patch spreads under her body as she pees. I’m not sure if there’s blood in her pee, or if the pee washed some dried blood off her body as she went to the bathroom or what, but her eyes are scrunched closed, and her mouth moves but nothing’s coming out. Her face is twisted in pain, her body’s trembling, and I know Athena, she’s feeling grossly uncomfortable about even being here, never mind being so fucking vulnerable. I needto advocate for her, because right now, she can’t advocate for herself.

“Seren?”

The nurse turns to me.

I gesture at the two other people in the room, one is taking Athena’s vitals. “Do we really need everyone here?”

Her face softens as she nods. She holds up one finger, indicating I should give her a moment. She does a blood draw, labels everything and once the samples are dealt with, she returns her attention to me.

“Can you give her something for the pain now? Please?” My voice cracks again, and I want to slap myself for being so goddamn weak when Athena needs me to be strong.

“Tulia’s going to do just that. She’s going to get you hooked up to an IV as soon as she’s done taking pictures, okay, Athena? Then we’ll give you some fluids and something for the pain.”

They’re all women. Is that on purpose? To protect the victim? I’d wager, yes. Which makes my stomach churn even harder.

How could someone do this to another person? Everyone has a woman in their life. How could someone do this when they likely have moms, and sisters, and aunts, and grandmothers…? The question blocks my throat, and the bile that’s been rising higher and higher threatens to fizz at the blockage until it bursts. My poor Athena.

Between Seren, Tulia, and the third person in the room, they clean up Athena’s accident without a word, they get her hooked up to an IV, and we can all see the exact second the pain meds hit her.

Her body sags, and her eyes get glassy. She reaches for me, but Seren holds out her hand. “Let us collect samples first, okay? Then he can hold your hand.”

Athena’s nod is stiff but the understanding in her eyes says she gets how important the process is.

I stand as close to her as I can without getting in the way. “Do you want me to call your brothers?”

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