Page 18 of Elusive Embrace

“Stay here in your arms,” she whispers. “I feel like he can’t find me here.”

It’s probably not a bad assumption because I doubt he knows where I live… for now. But then it is Fellside and it’s not difficult to find out where the new vet in the village lives. People are gossips.

“He might eventually—” I say carefully and I immediately feel her body stiffen. Egon also notices the shift and blinks at her before nudging his head against her hand lying frozen on her stomach.

“I won’t let him hurt you. I promise you,” I say softly.

“I don’t know what to do Matt. Please tell me what to do,” she cries.

“Hey, hey,” I stroke her back. “Do you want me to call the police?” I ask carefully.

“I… I don’t know.”

"I’m really worried about you, and I want you to be safe. You don’t deserve this. The police are there to help protect you and they can offer support and have the power to deal with him.” I can’t say his name. It humanises him and anyone who can do this is just a monster.

“It’s a big step but going to the police could get him out of your life. You don’t have to do this alone—I’ll be with you every stepof the way." She lifts her head from my chest leaving a wet spot from her tears on my T-shirt.

“You’ll come with me?”

“I’ll come with you,” I promise. Nat wiggles in my lap pulling something from her pocket.

“He ripped my necklace off because he realised it was from you.” In her palm is the little bookworm pendant. Another tear escapes from her healthy eye. I wipe it away.

“We’ll get you a new chain,” I promise her. This is something I can fix.

“Maybe, … Matt, can you drive me to—” She pauses and I hold my breath.

Say it Nat. Come on you can say it.I try to will her to say the words I desperately need to hear.

“Can you drive me to the police station?” she finally asks, stuffing the little pendant back into her pocket.

“Of course.” I’m so relieved I almost cheer. I shoo Egon off her lap and help her right herself. She winces and holds her side when we get off the sofa.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, he… he kicked me in the side,” she lifts her hoody and T-shirt and I see a large bruise forming near where her kidney is.

“Nat, I think it’s better if I take you to the hospital in Keswick to get this checked out and we can ask the police to meet us there.”

“Oh we don’t need to cause any inconvenience to the police,” she objects.

“Nat they get paid to do this. They won’t care if they meet us here, at the station or at the hospital. I can take you to the hospital and then to the police after if you prefer but the hospital will most likely call them anyway.” She fidgets with the sleeves of her jumper before giving me a nod.

My hands tremble a bit as I steer the car towards the hospital. Natalie’s sitting next to me, quiet, her face pale except for the angry bruises blooming on her cheek and eye. I keep glancing over at her and trying to reassure her with a squeeze of her hand but I can’t find the right words. Nothing I say will take away what happened.

I pull up to A&E, parking as close as I can to the entrance. “Come on Nat,” I say softly, getting out and hurrying around to help her. She flinches as she moves, her whole body stiff with pain. I want to carry her inside but I know she’d hate drawing attention to her so I just stay close, ready to catch her if she stumbles.

Inside, the bright lights and antiseptic smell make everything feel too real. I tell the receptionist what happened and we’re taken to a quieter area, away from the chaos. The nurse who checks her over is gentle, asking questions in a calm voice. Natalie answers quietly, almost looking embarrassed. Her eyes focus somewhere far away. I hate seeing her like this, a shadow of herself.

As we wait for the doctor, two police constables come in. I called them during the drive and they promised to send someone out but I wasn’t sure if they’d meet us here or come by later. They introduce themselves—one’s a woman, her voice kind but firm, the other a guy who hangs back to let her take the lead.

“Hi Natalie, my name is PC Pitman. I need to ask you a few questions, is that okay?”

Nat shrugs and looks at me instead.

“Sir, can I ask you to wait outside?” PC Pitman’s colleague asks me in a stern voice.

“No, please,” Nat’s hand shoots out and grabs mine. “Please can he stay?” she begs.

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