Read Online The Atonement Child by Francine Rivers - Free Book Online
Authors: Francine Rivers
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normal again?
Janet’s hand tightened on hers. “Even if you were pregnant, they’d take care of it for you. You wouldn’t have to worry about it. Nobody would even have to know. This early, it wouldn’t be anything anyway, and it’s not like it was your fault. So it’ll be okay. Whatever happens, it’ll be okay. Hang on to that, Dynah. It’ll be okay.”
Only it wasn’t. It wasn’t okay.
I’m never going to be the same, am I, Lord? Never again.
Dr. Kennon pulled off his gloves and dropped them into a metal waste receptacle while a nurse helped Dynah sit up on the end of the examination table. The doctor glanced at the nurse and gave her a nod. She quietly left the room. Turning his back on Dynah, he turned on the water and began washing his hands while she adjusted the hospital gown to cover herself completely. Her heart thumped heavily as she awaited his verdict.
He pushed the faucet handle down with the back of his hand and yanked two paper towels from the holder. “You should’ve taken the estrogen therapy, Miss Carey.”
Her heart sank into the pit of her stomach. He might as well have punched her the way he said the words. The implication was clear enough. She had been a fool. Her skin went clammy; yellow spots danced before her eyes.
Drying his hands, he looked at her grimly. He dropped the towels into the waste receptacle. She closed her eyes, feeling the wave of shock crest and recede, leaving her numb.
“I’m sorry,” he said flatly. Assessing her face, he took her wrist lightly, checking her pulse. “Lie down for a few minutes.”
“No, thank you,” she said. She wanted to sit up and die.
He put her hand on her thigh and stepped back. “I’ll schedule a suction curettage for later this afternoon.” He took up her chart and began making notations on it as he spoke. “It won’t be as easy as the pill would have been, but it won’t be too bad either. The procedure won’t take very long, but expect to be in recovery for about an hour afterward. I don’t expect any complications. It’s just a safety precaution.” He flipped the chart closed and lowered it to his side as he looked at her again. “You’ll need a friend to drive you home. Your fiancé, perhaps?” He had noticed the diamond solitaire she wore.
She didn’t say anything.
“Miss Carey? Do you understand what I am saying to you?”
“Yes, sir,” she said in a choked voice, trembling inside. Was life really so cut and dried?
He looked at her solemnly. “Can you get dressed by yourself, or would you like the nurse to help you?”
“I can manage. Thank you.”
As soon as the door closed behind him, she quickly slipped down from the examination table and reached for her clothing. Dressed, she folded the hospital gown and left it on the examining table.
Dr. Kennon was speaking with a woman at the nurses’ station. He handed the chart over the counter and took another. Seeing Dynah, he turned to her. “The procedure is scheduled for three o’clock. Be here about thirty minutes early.”
She kept her head down as she passed the nurse who had assisted Dr. Kennon. The clerk glanced up. Dynah had already filled out the medical and personal forms. No one said anything as she kept going. The glass doors swished open before her, and she went outside.
She wanted to run. Fear caught her high in the throat, and her mind flashed back to that night in Henderson Park. Gulping in the crisp air, she hurried along the sidewalk toward the parking lot. Unlocking the door, she slid quickly into the front seat and slammed the door, locking it.
Clutching the steering wheel, she leaned forward and pressed her forehead against it. She sat for a long moment, until her heart slowed its crazy beat and she could breathe properly again.
She didn’t feel safe until she drove beneath the arch of New Life College. Pulling into a parking space near the dorm, she sat for a few minutes, trying to think. Her mind was such a jumble, ruled
Janet’s hand tightened on hers. “Even if you were pregnant, they’d take care of it for you. You wouldn’t have to worry about it. Nobody would even have to know. This early, it wouldn’t be anything anyway, and it’s not like it was your fault. So it’ll be okay. Whatever happens, it’ll be okay. Hang on to that, Dynah. It’ll be okay.”
Only it wasn’t. It wasn’t okay.
I’m never going to be the same, am I, Lord? Never again.
Dr. Kennon pulled off his gloves and dropped them into a metal waste receptacle while a nurse helped Dynah sit up on the end of the examination table. The doctor glanced at the nurse and gave her a nod. She quietly left the room. Turning his back on Dynah, he turned on the water and began washing his hands while she adjusted the hospital gown to cover herself completely. Her heart thumped heavily as she awaited his verdict.
He pushed the faucet handle down with the back of his hand and yanked two paper towels from the holder. “You should’ve taken the estrogen therapy, Miss Carey.”
Her heart sank into the pit of her stomach. He might as well have punched her the way he said the words. The implication was clear enough. She had been a fool. Her skin went clammy; yellow spots danced before her eyes.
Drying his hands, he looked at her grimly. He dropped the towels into the waste receptacle. She closed her eyes, feeling the wave of shock crest and recede, leaving her numb.
“I’m sorry,” he said flatly. Assessing her face, he took her wrist lightly, checking her pulse. “Lie down for a few minutes.”
“No, thank you,” she said. She wanted to sit up and die.
He put her hand on her thigh and stepped back. “I’ll schedule a suction curettage for later this afternoon.” He took up her chart and began making notations on it as he spoke. “It won’t be as easy as the pill would have been, but it won’t be too bad either. The procedure won’t take very long, but expect to be in recovery for about an hour afterward. I don’t expect any complications. It’s just a safety precaution.” He flipped the chart closed and lowered it to his side as he looked at her again. “You’ll need a friend to drive you home. Your fiancé, perhaps?” He had noticed the diamond solitaire she wore.
She didn’t say anything.
“Miss Carey? Do you understand what I am saying to you?”
“Yes, sir,” she said in a choked voice, trembling inside. Was life really so cut and dried?
He looked at her solemnly. “Can you get dressed by yourself, or would you like the nurse to help you?”
“I can manage. Thank you.”
As soon as the door closed behind him, she quickly slipped down from the examination table and reached for her clothing. Dressed, she folded the hospital gown and left it on the examining table.
Dr. Kennon was speaking with a woman at the nurses’ station. He handed the chart over the counter and took another. Seeing Dynah, he turned to her. “The procedure is scheduled for three o’clock. Be here about thirty minutes early.”
She kept her head down as she passed the nurse who had assisted Dr. Kennon. The clerk glanced up. Dynah had already filled out the medical and personal forms. No one said anything as she kept going. The glass doors swished open before her, and she went outside.
She wanted to run. Fear caught her high in the throat, and her mind flashed back to that night in Henderson Park. Gulping in the crisp air, she hurried along the sidewalk toward the parking lot. Unlocking the door, she slid quickly into the front seat and slammed the door, locking it.
Clutching the steering wheel, she leaned forward and pressed her forehead against it. She sat for a long moment, until her heart slowed its crazy beat and she could breathe properly again.
She didn’t feel safe until she drove beneath the arch of New Life College. Pulling into a parking space near the dorm, she sat for a few minutes, trying to think. Her mind was such a jumble, ruled
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