“Like… five hundred pound gorilla… jumping up… down.” I was exhausted, those few words causing me to lose my breath. But I had to know more, had to find the strength to ask. “Why is Aedyn here? Police?”
Brandon handed the pen light back to the nurse and turned to look at the two men talking in the hall. “The driver had been drinking. That guy… Aedyn, saw it and called it in. It’s a good think he was there.” He glanced at the cop again and said, “Damn cops in town aren’t doing their job. They should’ve taken that drunk off the streets long ago. Chip’s on the City Council. I’m going to have to talk to him about the police department and the shitty job they’re doing.”
The nurse reached up and tweaked something attached to the IV tube. Seconds later, a wave of warmth washed over me and the room began to dim as pain began lifting away from me. “Oooh… thaaas nice.”
Brandon mumbled something to the nurse and she walked to the door. In my cozy cocoon of pain medication, I only heard the word “test”. Then he pulled out his cell phone and announced, “I’m calling Chip. I’ll let him know what happened.”
Anxiety ripped through my body, pushing past the calmness the medication induced. I wanted to claw at his arm and scream, “No.” Instead, I just stared at him through the glassy lenses of my eyes, willing him to stop. What could I say? This was Chip’s brother after all. How could I tell him his sibling was the last person I wanted to see?
Brandon paused, sensing my panic and his eyes dropped to the purple bruises on my upper arm. His eyes darted to my other arm, to the matching set of bruises, then locked on my glassy eyed gaze again.
I turned my head away, hoping Brandon would think I got the bruises in the accident. He knew what Chip was like, but I doubted he really knew the kind of beast his brother could be. I took a deep breath and turned my face back to Brandon, keeping my voice level when I said, “Please… don’t call. Just...”
Brandon tilted his head and touched his fingers gently to the bruises on my upper arm. “Lauren, how did you get these?”
I lifted a shoulder, tears burning my eyes. “Car hit me, silly,” I lied, hating myself for being unable to say the truth.
“I’m a doctor, Lauren. Cars don’t leave thumb and finger marks.”
I held my breath, not responding, shame washing over me again.
“Did Chip do this to you?”
I exhaled and dropped my chin to my chest. Long moments passed before I felt brave enough to nod.
Brandon took a deep breath, tipping his head back to look at the ceiling. “Damn, him,” he muttered under his breath.
Hot tears rolled down my cheeks. I felt so ashamed. “You must think… I’m a real idiot.”
The mattress moved as he sat on the edge of my bed. He bent his head down and tried to look in my eyes, but I didn’t have the courage to look back.
“Lauren, look at me. You’re not an idiot. This isn’t your fault.” He reached out a hand and lifted my chin, looking at me with understanding eyes. “You tried to tell me, didn’t you? At lunch the other day. I’m sorry I didn’t listen.”
In response, all I could do was cry harder.
“Lauren, you’re wonderful. Chip’s the idiot, no, he’s an asshole. I don’t know what’s gotten into him lately, but I’m going to find out.”
He leaned back and wiped my tear with his thumb. I nodded, wiping the remainder of tears with the back of my hand.
“Look Lauren, I’m on your side, you know I care about you and I thought you’d be my sister-in-law one of these days, but you can’t let Chip get away with this kind of behavior. You need to stand up to him.” Brandon’s voice was soft and caring as he spoke. “Or break up with him. You’ll have to decide that for yourself. But I have to tell you, this kind of behavior almost always escalates.”
Once, not long ago, he’d hinted that I should leave his brother, but he didn’t know how difficult that would be. I’d spent four years in a relationship with Chip. Could I throw it all away? At least not without trying harder to make it better.
He stood and took out his phone again, ready to push the send button, then in a calm voice said, “Chip needs to know you’re in the hospital. If you decide you want to tell him, let me know, okay.”
My stomach clenched. My real concern was that Chip would come and see Aedyn and… oh, my stomach twisted with a million knots, my fears so strong even the pain medication didn’t help.
“I know, Brandon, but…” I pleaded, my voice growing stronger in my despair. “I don’t feel strong enough to face him right now. He’ll blame me,” I laughed, then winced as the pain blossomed. “You don’t know your brother anymore. He’s always so… so stressed and angry.”