Chapter 4 - Seeking Care
At eight in the morning,
I helped Megan get dressed.
We chose loose clothes,
things that wouldn't rub against her injuries.
She walked slowly,
leaning heavily on my arm.
Every step seemed to take an immense amount of energy.
"Where are we going?"
she asked,
her voice small.
"To a doctor,"
I said.
"A different one."
"Not the clinic near my mom's house."
She nodded,
trusting me blindly now.
We took a taxi across town,
avoiding the local transit.
I kept looking out the back window,
half expecting to see my mother's silver sedan following us.
The clinic was quiet.
I explained to the nurse that my wife had experienced a fall,
but when the doctor came in,
I asked to speak with her alone for a moment.
I told her the truth.
The doctor,
a calm woman named Dr. Evans,
listened without interrupting.
Her expression remained professional,
but her eyes darkened.
"We need to document everything,"
Dr. Evans said.
"For the safety of the mother and the baby."
They took photos of the bruises.
They checked the baby's heartbeat.
When the steady,
rhythmic thumping filled the room,
Megan burst into tears.
The baby was safe.
The heartbeat was strong.
Dr. Evans gave us a copy of the medical report.
"Keep this,"
she said quietly.
"If you need to go to the police,
this is your evidence."
May you like
I took the papers,
holding them like a shield.
