Page 70 of Serving the Maestro

Cam lifted her hands and shrugged. “I don’t know if there’s anything you can do. I remember from a class I took in college—some drugs are so fast-acting, metabolized so quickly, and are out of your system in eight hours. Others are slower. It’s been over forty-eight hours, regardless, so if you want to do anything, we need to get you to the ER so you can get checked.”

I felt sick. Having to talk about this to anybody made me want to puke. Every TV show I’d ever watched about sexual assault flashed through my mind.

“I don’t want to go to the ER.” Crossing my arms over my chest, I shook my head. “Isn’t there someplace else?”

Cam considered, then pulled out her phone. “Hold on.”

Moving to the window, I leaned forward and pressed my brow to the cool glass. Closing my eyes, I blocked out Cam’s quiet conversation.

Why hadn’t I seen it sooner?

“Okay, Jazz. I’ve got something arranged. Let’s go.”

Turning, I met Cam’s eyes. “Go where?”

“One of the clinics we support also offers assistance to rape victims. I’m friends with several of the doctors there. One of them will get you in.” Her face softened as she came to me, offering a hand. “It’s completely confidential. But you and I both know you’ll worry sick if you don’t at least try to get answers.”

* * *

Dr. Aida Doucette came in quietly, shutting the door behind her.

Cam was sprawled in the chair by the window, and I was on the wheeled stool, fighting the urge to fidget.

Dr. Doucette didn’t look uncomfortable because she had to hitch herself up onto the table to sit since the other two seats were taken.

I frowned and started to stand. “I can—”

“You’re fine, Jazz.” Her voice was like molasses, thick and rich, sounding of the deep south and full of kind concern. “I’ve got my best nurse handling the tests. It will be forty-eight hours before all the tests come back, but I need to warn you. Some drugs are out of the system so quickly, unless you came by bright and early the morning after, we’re not going to find any sign of them in your system.”

“I know.” I gave a jerky nod and blinked until the burning in my eyes faded. “I just...I needed to try, at least. I mean, maybe it’s nothing—”

“I think we both know that’s not the case.”

I couldn’t hold the tears back this time.

Swiping at them, I nodded. “I woke up feeling so...wrong,” I whispered.

“It’s possible some of your memories are just waiting until you’re ready. The mind has a way of protecting you.” Her face softened, and the compassion in her eyes nearly broke me.

“I feel so stupid.”

“That’s natural,” Dr. Doucette said. “And I want to tell you that you’re wrong. You’re not stupid. And you’re not to blame for what somebody did to you. This was somebody you had a history with, too, so you had every reason to think you’d be safe with him.” She sighed, the sound bearing the weight of too much knowledge. “In a perfect world, we’d never have to worry about whether or not we were safe with those we spend time with, would we? But that’s not our world.”

* * *

“You don’t have to do this.”

Cam poked me in the arm. “Hush. Yes, I do. Now hurry up and tell me what you want because I’m starving.”

She pushed the take-out menu at me again, and I sighed, giving in. After a cursory look, I told her what to order before cuddling back into the couch to resume staring out the window at the pouring rain.

Once she finished calling in our order, I said, “It’s going to flood if it keeps this up.”

“Yeah.” Cam eased her body down next to me and kicked off her shoes. “Fortunately, you’ve got a well-stocked fridge, so we’ll be fine. Danny will be in dire straits, though. We’ve got about ten frozen pizzas and beer. Maybe a few bags of pretzels and some canned soup.”

“Danny could live on pizza and beer.”

“I could, too. Until...” Cam sighed and looked down at her belly, a soft smile curving her lips. “It’s okay, cutie. I love you more than all the pizza and all the beer.”

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