Read Online Hope Springs - 05 - Wedding Cake by Lynne Hinton - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lynne Hinton
Tags: Fiction, General, Reference, Contemporary Women, Christian fiction, Religious, Christian, Weddings, Female friendship, north carolina, Church membership
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head again and dropped her face.
“Her husband works at the hospital,” Donovan said. “She won’t go because she’s afraid he’ll find out where she is.”
Charlotte nodded. “We can take her down to Grants to the clinic there or even to Albuquerque, if we need to.” She had run into this problem before and taken women to hospitals or medical facilities out of town. Often the abuser knew the damage he had done, and if the victim wouldn’t press charges or if the police couldn’t find him, the hospital in Gallup was not a safe option.
Carla shook her head again. “Nothing’s broken,” she said. “Except maybe a couple of ribs, and there really isn’t anything they do for those anyway,” she added.
“Carla is a nurse tech,” Donovan explained.
Charlotte smiled. “Okay,” she responded. “No hospitals or urgent care facilities. But you will let Laurie, our nurse, take a look, won’t you?”
Carla nodded and lowered her head again.
“What would you like to do right now?” Charlotte asked. “Would you like to wash up a bit or lie down? Or if you’re hungry, we can fix you a plate for supper.”
There was a pause. Carla seemed to be trying to figure out what she wanted most at that moment. Charlotte waited for her to respond.
“I think I’d like to take a shower,” she answered. “Yes, I’d just like to take a shower,” she convinced herself.
Charlotte nodded. “It’s helpful, Carla, if we take some pictures of your injuries. I know it’s a terrible thing to do, but we’ve found that having these photographs when you first come in, as evidence of the crime, it’s just helpful.” She tried to make the request as easy and kind as she could. She hated this part of the intake procedure, but she had found over the years that by the time court cases rolled around, judges and lawyers had a difficult time believing the extent of injuries without photographic evidence.
Carla glanced up at Donovan.
“We did that already,” he replied, speaking for her. “One of the women officers took them,” he explained. “Since she came to the station, we had to file a report, and so it’s just standard procedure to take pictures.”
“Good,” Charlotte noted. “So, now you can take your shower.” She gestured toward the hallway and escorted Carla to the bathroom. She pulled out a towel and cloth from the pantry and handed them to Carla. She showed her where the soap and shampoo and lotion were. She explained the hot and cold water and how she needed to be careful because the hot water could get very hot. She also found a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt, a new pair of underwear and socks, and handed them to Carla. The newest resident of St. Mary’s glanced down at the clothes.
“We have a lot of new and used clothes here,” Charlotte said. “Most of our residents don’t have anything when they come. You’re welcome to use whatever you need. The clothes are in the bins and hanging on the racks in the back room.” She gestured down the hall.
Carla nodded. “Thank you,” she said softly.
“You’re welcome,” Charlotte replied. “Take as long as you need.” And she closed the bathroom door and headed back up the hall.
Donovan was still standing near the front door. By this time, Maria and the other women had come in the back door, but out of respect and because of their recollections of their own arrivals at the shelter, none of them had come into the front room. Even Maria had not come in the front area. She had just gone into the kitchen, grabbed a dinner roll, and left. Charlotte was surprised to find out later that her volunteer had not stepped inside to meet Donovan.
“You want to sit down for a minute?” Charlotte asked Donovan as she walked back into the room. She could hear the women talking quietly in the kitchen and dining room.
“Sure,” he replied. And he took a seat on the sofa while Charlotte sat across from him in one of the overstuffed chairs.
“She was
“Her husband works at the hospital,” Donovan said. “She won’t go because she’s afraid he’ll find out where she is.”
Charlotte nodded. “We can take her down to Grants to the clinic there or even to Albuquerque, if we need to.” She had run into this problem before and taken women to hospitals or medical facilities out of town. Often the abuser knew the damage he had done, and if the victim wouldn’t press charges or if the police couldn’t find him, the hospital in Gallup was not a safe option.
Carla shook her head again. “Nothing’s broken,” she said. “Except maybe a couple of ribs, and there really isn’t anything they do for those anyway,” she added.
“Carla is a nurse tech,” Donovan explained.
Charlotte smiled. “Okay,” she responded. “No hospitals or urgent care facilities. But you will let Laurie, our nurse, take a look, won’t you?”
Carla nodded and lowered her head again.
“What would you like to do right now?” Charlotte asked. “Would you like to wash up a bit or lie down? Or if you’re hungry, we can fix you a plate for supper.”
There was a pause. Carla seemed to be trying to figure out what she wanted most at that moment. Charlotte waited for her to respond.
“I think I’d like to take a shower,” she answered. “Yes, I’d just like to take a shower,” she convinced herself.
Charlotte nodded. “It’s helpful, Carla, if we take some pictures of your injuries. I know it’s a terrible thing to do, but we’ve found that having these photographs when you first come in, as evidence of the crime, it’s just helpful.” She tried to make the request as easy and kind as she could. She hated this part of the intake procedure, but she had found over the years that by the time court cases rolled around, judges and lawyers had a difficult time believing the extent of injuries without photographic evidence.
Carla glanced up at Donovan.
“We did that already,” he replied, speaking for her. “One of the women officers took them,” he explained. “Since she came to the station, we had to file a report, and so it’s just standard procedure to take pictures.”
“Good,” Charlotte noted. “So, now you can take your shower.” She gestured toward the hallway and escorted Carla to the bathroom. She pulled out a towel and cloth from the pantry and handed them to Carla. She showed her where the soap and shampoo and lotion were. She explained the hot and cold water and how she needed to be careful because the hot water could get very hot. She also found a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt, a new pair of underwear and socks, and handed them to Carla. The newest resident of St. Mary’s glanced down at the clothes.
“We have a lot of new and used clothes here,” Charlotte said. “Most of our residents don’t have anything when they come. You’re welcome to use whatever you need. The clothes are in the bins and hanging on the racks in the back room.” She gestured down the hall.
Carla nodded. “Thank you,” she said softly.
“You’re welcome,” Charlotte replied. “Take as long as you need.” And she closed the bathroom door and headed back up the hall.
Donovan was still standing near the front door. By this time, Maria and the other women had come in the back door, but out of respect and because of their recollections of their own arrivals at the shelter, none of them had come into the front room. Even Maria had not come in the front area. She had just gone into the kitchen, grabbed a dinner roll, and left. Charlotte was surprised to find out later that her volunteer had not stepped inside to meet Donovan.
“You want to sit down for a minute?” Charlotte asked Donovan as she walked back into the room. She could hear the women talking quietly in the kitchen and dining room.
“Sure,” he replied. And he took a seat on the sofa while Charlotte sat across from him in one of the overstuffed chairs.
“She was
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