Chapter 5 - THE FIRST LIE
The hospital’s domestic-violence advocate was named Jasmine Cole.
She met Lauren alone.
I was not allowed inside.
Good.
I had spent thirty-four years being Lauren’s older sister.
Answering for her would have been easy.
Jasmine did not let me.
When she came out, she said only:
“Lauren has agreed to some safety measures.”
“What measures?”
“You’ll need to ask Lauren.”
“Is Brent leaving?”
“He will not have unrestricted access to the room.”
That was enough to tell me something had been disclosed.
Brent became furious.
“This is because Daniel put ideas in everyone’s head.”
Daniel remained infuriatingly calm.
“I haven’t spoken to her care team about you.”
“You told them trauma.”
“I told paramedics what I observed.”
“You always need to be the smartest person in the room.”
“This isn’t about me.”
Brent laughed.
“It always is with doctors.”
Hospital security asked him to leave the unit after he raised his voice.
Mom followed him.
I stood there watching my mother choose the elevator.
Again.
Later Lauren whispered:
“She knew.”
My stomach turned.
“Mom?”
“She knew about the counter.”
“What happened?”
Lauren closed her eyes.
“Brent and I argued.”
“When?”
“Wednesday.”
The shower was Saturday.
“He grabbed my arms.”
I waited.
“I pulled away.”
Her breathing changed.
“He shoved me.”
“Into the island?”
She nodded.
“Your stomach?”
“My side.”
“Did you fall?”
“No. The counter caught me.”
“Were you bleeding?”
“Not then.”
“Pain?”
“Yes.”
“Did you call anyone?”
Her eyes moved toward the bedside drawer.
“My clinic.”
I looked at her phone.
“Did they answer?”
“I sent a portal message.”
“What did they say?”
Lauren began crying.
“I don’t know.”
“What do you mean?”
“Brent took my phone.”
The room felt colder.
“He said I was trying to get him arrested over an accident.”
“Did he delete the message?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did Mom know he shoved you?”
Lauren nodded.
“She came over that night.”
“What did she do?”
“She said Brent needed to leave.”
Relief flickered.
“Then?”
“He cried.”
There it was.
“He said he’d never touched me before.”
“Was that true?”
May you like
Long pause.
“No.”
