Page 102 of Anything To Be With You

A sob hiccups out as she breaks down. Body curling inward as she cries. Gathering her in my lap, I brush her hair off her face and her small hands curl into my shirt. I do my best to sooth her, however, it doesn’t seem to be working.

"Talk to me, Sweetheart."

Dani cries harder, wrapping her arms around my neck. I let her cry. She’ll talk when she’s ready.

The nurse calls her name a while later. I help Dani to her feet and walk with her through the ER doors and into the room. "The doctor will be with you in a moment." The nurse says with a sad smile, shutting the door behind her.

"I’ll be out in the hall," I say, reaching for the door handle.

"Stay. Please." Dani twists her hands in her lap, keeping her eyes straight ahead.

I only nod and take a seat across from the bed. I can feel the shame pouring off Dani, it’s so thick it nearly chokes me.

"It wasn’t your fault."

She flinches but doesn’t look at me.

"Dani, it’s not your fault," I say.

She starts shaking her head.

I cross the space between us. "Sweetheart," I lift her face so she’s looking at me. "It’s not your fault."

"I asked for it." She whispers.

"How?"

"I…I…" she starts crying again. "I asked for it by opening the door. I asked for it by fighting back," she hiccups as I wrap my arms around her gently. "I brought this on myself. This wouldn’t have happened if I had just given Mason to them." Dani admits.

I pull back when she confirms my suspicions. I push my anger deep down, now is not the time to fucking lose it. I take her shoulders, causing her to cry out again. I move her shirt down her shoulder on one side and find another nasty bruise and a deep cut. How did I not notice this when I cleaned her up?

"Josh attacked you, didn’t he?"

She nods this time.

"Look at me, Sweetheart." Her eyes meet mine. "It is not your fault. You did not ask for this. You did what any mother would do. Kept your child safe."

There is a knock on the door, then it opens.

"Ms. Carter. I’m Dr. Singh," the female doctor steps in, shutting the door behind her. She looks through the papers on her clipboard, before glancing at me.

"Would you mind stepping out in the hall while I speak with Ms. Carter."

"She asked me to stay." I respond.

"I will call you back in when I’m done with my questions." Dr. Singh eyes me with suspicion.

I know she thinks I’m the one who did this. Instead of fighting this, I step towards the door.

"He stays." Dani breathes.

"Are you sure? I’m going to be asking some very personal questions and doing an internal exam." The Doctor says.

"He. Stays." Dani says again.

I could see the doctor fighting with her ethics. A woman, who is beaten and bruised is brought to the hospital by a man twice her size, and she doesn’t want him to leave the room. I understand where her mind is at, but I could give two shits about what she thinks. I’m here because my Sweetheart needs me to be.

"Very well," Dr. Singh says.

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