Exposed

Chapter One

Aubrey

I was just finishing up my shift at the hospital. I hate working in the emergency, I love helping people but emergency rooms are so hectic. I only have five more minutes though. I felt my pager buzzing, I slapped my cup of coffee on the desk and rushed out of the room. As I rounded the corner I saw her, she was bruised and bleeding, all I saw was fear in her eyes. I looked at her mother, who held her face in her hands while she sobbed. Her father refused to make eye contact with me as he spoke.

“She uh… She had a fight with her boyfriend.”

When I stared at him he continued.

“He thought she cheated on him and they got into an argument. Would you please fix her? Do something!” I looked down at her unconscious body, his story didn’t sound right.

“Take her to room 206!” I continued to stare at her as the nurses took her vitals. I knew this girl, it was Angela. Angela Manning. She was always beautiful and I loved being her primary care doctor, I’d known her for two years, she was so sweet. I remembered the time she brought me chocolate chip cookies and the two weeks she had helped me out in the office. She ended up causing more trouble than actually helping, but it didn’t mean I didn’t want her there.

I frowned at the mark I saw on her arm, I knew that mark anywhere. It was a belt, what boyfriend hits their girlfriend with a belt? I rolled my eyes at her father’s lie. Did he really think no one would notice that? I looked at her chart and went over the information I had recorded not even two months ago. I smiled looking at her birthday, last Wednesday, she just turned 16. When I looked down from the clipboard I made eye contact with her, her big, brown eyes were beautiful.

“Dr. Graham?”

“How are you feeling Miss Manning?” I didn’t want to look anything except professional in front of her parents. She looked around frantically before her father stepped out of the left corner of the room. Angela began to scream while nurses flooded into the room, I shoved her father out of the room as it all began to click in my head. He had abused her. He lied to me and I could report this to Child Protective Services. Angela didn’t deserve that though, it would only make her living hell worse. I walked back into the room and closed the curtain. She looked at me with pleading eyes and I dismissed all the nurses.

“What happened Angela? Please tell me the truth.”

“I can’t Dr. Graham. Just give me pain meds. Please.”

“Listen. I want you to stay here for the night, whether or not you want to tell me what the hell happened is your choice, but I know your boyfriend didn’t do anything.” When she gave no response I continued, “You’re coming into my office tomorrow, do you understand?” She opened her mouth to speak but I cut her off. “I’ll call CPS if I don’t see you by 6:00. Here you go Miss Manning.” I handed her the prescription and walked out of the room. I clocked out but I couldn’t stop thinking about Angela as I drove home. How could her father do something like that to her and not feel any remorse? He must feel remorse. I pulled into the parking lot and walked toward the entrance of the apartment complex. I waved at Tony and continued to the elevator.

I walked into the apartment and threw my phone in the couch. I loosened my tie and walked into my bedroom. I played my messages as I took off my clothes, one from Natasha, as expected. I let the message play while I walked into the bathroom and turned on the water, I stepped in and thought about tomorrow. She has to come to the office. I have all of her information, I really could call CPS on her father. She doesn’t know I’m bluffing. The way her lip quivered when I threatened her told me she didn’t. I squeezed some shampoo into my hands and started to scrub through my curls. As soon as I washed out the soap I got out. I made my way to the bedroom after I brushed my teeth, I slipped in to my boxers and fell asleep thinking about ways to help Angela.