Love Through Pain Read Free Page B

leave in an hour?” She could hear the annoyance in her friend’s voice.
    She swallowed. “You guys go ahead without me, I won’t make the flight. I’ll be there later this week.”
    “Jazmine, this isn’t like you. Are you sure you’re okay?” Now concern colored Connie’s tone.
    “I said I’m okay.” Her voice cracked as she raised it, making Javier and his mother look back.
    “I apologize.”
    “I’m sorry , Connie. I have some things I need to wrap up here, so can you please tell the others I’m fine, and I’ll see them sometime next week.”
    “Okay Jazmine.” Her friend sighed. “I have to ask one more time—are you okay?”
    “Yes .” She slid the phone off and placed it back into her purse.
    “Jazmine.”
    She turned when she heard her name, and Javier stared at her.
    “What did my mother mean when she said those —was it more than one guy?” His jaw clenched.
    She took a deep breath. “Yes.”
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter Three
     
     
    Maria took charge as soon as they reached the hospital. She explained to both the doctor’s and police that they didn’t wash any evidence off of her body, and that she’d only patched up the cuts on her face.
    “Maria , can you please stay with me?” Jazmine tried not to let her fear bleed through the question.
    “I wouldn’t think of leaving you .” Maria kept an arm around Jazmine as she shuffled along behind the nurse to a private room.
    The nurse asked her general questions about her health. Her tone crisp , she kept her gaze on the clipboard. “When was your last menstrual cycle?”
    “The fifth of this month,” Jazmine answered calmly.
    She took note. “Are you on birth control?”
    “Yes.”
    Maria gently squeezed her hand.
    “I’m going to get the doctor, and I need your consent to take pictures of the evidence.” The nurse handed Jazmine a document and a pen.
    Jazmine took it, read it, and signed, handing it back. “I’ll be right back.” The RN exited the room.
    “I can do this,” Jazmine whispered.
    “Honey, yes you can. I’ll be right by your side.” Maria bowed her head. “Let’s pray.”
    Jazmine was angry and didn’t feel like praying. How could God allow them to attack her? But she still bowed her head and closed her eyes.
    “Padre nuestro que estas en los cielos….” Maria’s tears rolled down her freckled cheeks as she grasped her hands. “Amen.” She opened her eyes, and wiped her tears. “He will give you strength.”
    “Maria, thank you for everything .” She squeezed Maria’s hand, getting emotional, thinking of how hopeless she felt.
    “No thanks necessary.”
    The doctor entered the room with the nurse directly behind him. She held a camera in her hands.
    “Miss O’Neal, I’m Doctor Arnold,” he introduced himself and took his time gently telling her about all of the exams he would be performing. They took pictures of her cuts and bruises, and then finally did a pelvic exam, where they took a sample.
    They scraped under her fingernail s and took the sealed bag of clothing from Maria.
    Tears rolled down Jazmine’s cheek s.  She was embarrassed and ashamed. How could she let this happen? She questioned herself over and over.
    The doctor wrote his findings on the report, which the RN had been scribbling on earlier.
    “Miss O’Neal, this was not your fault ,” the doctor said, holding the clipboard. “You did the right thing, coming here. The police officers will be interviewing you next.”
    “Okay.” She clos ed her eyes.
    “I’m going to step out for a minute . I need to make a phone call.” Maria squeezed her hand.
     
     
    ***
     
     
    “Javier, can you sit with Jazmine? I have to call your father.” His dad was a truck driver, always on the road.
    With no sleep in over two days , Javier’s lids felt gritty every time he blinked.  He was used to not getting much rest. When he was deployed in Afghanistan he had to keep vigilant, day and night, with little or no sleep at all.