Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 40566 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 203(@200wpm)___ 162(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40566 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 203(@200wpm)___ 162(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
“Hi.” Suttons lifts her hand away from mine to give him a finger wave, and that’s when she notices the splint on her wrist. Her eyebrows furrow. Clearly, she didn’t realize the whole of her injuries, and that’s just the beginning of them.
“I’m sure you’d like to know more about your injuries.” Mom takes a seat opposite of where I am. Doctor Reynolds looks from Sutton’s chart to her, gauging her reaction.
“Yes, please,” Sutton says firmly. That inner strength she thinks she doesn’t have shines brightly. This woman doesn’t give herself enough credit. I mean, damn, she survived months of abuse. I only hope this was the only escalation and it didn’t go to a place where she’ll be speaking to a counselor in order to deal with the aftermath.
“Your wrist has a small fracture. You’ll need to stay in the splint for three to five weeks. Then you’ll need another X-ray to make sure it’s healing correctly. You’ve sustained multiple bruised ribs on both sides, as well as along most of your body, arms, legs, sternum, and face. The most concerning item on the list we’re looking at right now is your concussion. When the paramedics and police arrived on the scene, you were unconscious. I’m classifying it as a grade three, which means you need a longer healing time. As it stands now, you’ll have that regardless.” He pauses for a moment, allowing Sutton, Mom, and me to soak in everything. I’ve already heard her injuries earlier when the doctor spoke with my mom. Sutton had her on file as her medical advocate.
“So, working is out of the question.” Sutton lays her head back, blinking rapidly, and when she goes to bite on her plush lower lip, she thinks better of it.
“Your body needs to heal without putting more strain on it. Work needs to be taken off the table until you’re seen again in a few weeks.”
“Alright, I think I should be okay financially. What about school? Most of it’s online, but I do need to go in a couple of days a week.” I look from Sutton to Mom, having no idea she’s been working at the diner as much as she has and going to school. Jesus, Sutton Rawlins has been doing it all, and doing it alone.
“The first week, I want you to limit screen time on any and all devices.” Sutton goes to interrupt, but I gently squeeze her hand, and the doctor continues, “At least for the first week to make sure you’re not having any issues, then the second week schoolwork only.”
“Alright, I can do that.” That’s my girl, taking care of herself first in order to heal.
“Good, now I have a couple of more questions. Would you like to talk alone? I can ask them to step outside the room for a moment.” I grunt, not wanting to take my eyes off Sutton for a single second, let alone a whole minute.
“Ryland,” Mom says, clearing her throat as she does.
“It’s okay, you two can stay. I mean, you’ve seen me at my worst already. I don’t think it can get any worse,” Sutton says tiredly.
“As long as you’re sure.” I put my wants second. I’ll do whatever the hell she needs.
“I am.” Her eyes move from mine to Mom’s and then to the doctor’s.
“Okay, there’s no easy way to ask this. Were you sexually assaulted today or any time previously?” You can hear a pin drop in the quiet hospital room. I remain still, holding my breath, worried about Sutton for an entirely different reason in this very moment.
“No, never. This was his first time he ever put his hands on me. Usually, Shane kept it to verbally abusing me.” Her eyes don’t look at anyone except down on herself. I badly want to tip her chin upward. She’s a beautiful woman and never should have been dealt the deck of cards that’s Shane Sullivan.
“Alright, I’m going to leave you with outreach programs in case you need to talk to someone.” Doctor Reynolds nods, making notes in his charts, and then proceeds to say, “I’d like you stay overnight. That being said, I don’t think it’s a necessity as long as you’re staying with someone who can monitor you.” Sutton doesn’t have health insurance, and I know this is going to be a hit to her already dwindling bank account since she can’t work.
“She’s staying with me,” I state before Mom can weasel her way into the conversation and offer up her place. It wouldn’t work at the main house. There are too many people coming and going. She’d never get a lick of rest. Sleeping on the couch wouldn’t help her either. The only bedroom on the main floor is my parents’, and as much as Dad loves Sutton, he’s not going to give his bed up.