do something to make things better. Give her the baby she’d lost, but there was nothing she could do. She went to her and held her close. Doctor Roberts rushed in.
Alice was crying so hard and was so upset that the doctor gave her a shot to help her sleep. As Alice closed her eyes, Tabitha laid her back down on the bed.
“I thought I gave you instructions to page a doctor and not to tell her that she lost the baby,” Doctor Roberts said, standing at the side of the bed her eyebrows knitted together.
She whipped her head around so fast, she couldn't believe it was still attached to her body. “I didn't tell her anything. When I wouldn't answer her questions and I tried to get a doctor, she freaked out. There was nothing I could do. She just knew.” Tabitha raised her hands in a “what can I do” gesture.
Doctor Roberts looked from her to the nurse. “Why is it that the family and friends always think they know what is best for the patient and disregard the doctors’ orders?” With that, he stormed out of the room. They’re all the same. No one believes what I have to say.
Tabitha sank down into the chair by Alice's bed and began to cry. The nice nurse who had brought the pitcher hung back after the doctor left and said, “Miss, she's going to sleep through the night. Why don't you go home and get a good night’s rest? She's in good hands. When you come back in the morning, she’ll be awake and will need you.”
“Maybe you’re right. Could I leave my number and if anything changes, you can give me a call?”
The nurse nodded and handed her a pen and paper.
She wrote her number on it and handed it back. As the nurse walked out, Tabitha leaned over the bed. “Alice, I’m going home to sleep. I’ll be back in the morning. You rest, and we’ll figure something out tomorrow.” She kissed her friend’s forehead before grabbing her purse to leave.
* * *
It was a nice, cool October evening. To save some money, she decided to walk home. It was only ten blocks. Pittsburgh was a beautiful city with lots of different shops and so many lights. If the crime rate wasn't so high, it would be the perfect city to live in. But as it was, a young woman walking on the streets at night alone had to worry about being mugged or raped. She kept her hand inside her coat where her cell phone and a can of pepper spray were kept in case she needed it.
The walk home gave her time to think about Alice and how things had turned out for her. Tabitha suspected Mike had hit Alice before, but of course Alice had denied it. Her friend wouldn’t listen, and now look at her. She could have died! Tabitha’s angry thoughts were close to the surface and threatening to overtake her. She didn’t understand it, but lately, she was more emotional. Could it be because of the bug she had?
Opening the apartment building door, she found the lock broken. That was nothing new. Every time they replaced it, a few days later it was bashed in again. One day, the landlord was going to get tired of fixing it and just leave it broken. Having that extra lock on the main door made her feel a little safer. With the lock, the only people who could get in were residents or someone buzzed in by a resident.
She was more tired today than normal, so the fifteen stairs up to her apartment felt like climbing Mount Everest. At the top, she got her door open. Not bothering to turn on a light, she fell, eyes closed, completely exhausted onto the couch...onto a man.
Chapter Three
Tabitha screamed and jumped up quickly when she felt the solid body against hers. “Who the hell are you?”
“Don't scream, Tabitha. You didn't meet me tonight. I wanted to make sure you were all right. When I arrived, there was blood in the hall, your door was open, and I came in. There was more blood in your apartment. I called the hospitals, and they had no listings under your name, so I stayed here to see
Alice was crying so hard and was so upset that the doctor gave her a shot to help her sleep. As Alice closed her eyes, Tabitha laid her back down on the bed.
“I thought I gave you instructions to page a doctor and not to tell her that she lost the baby,” Doctor Roberts said, standing at the side of the bed her eyebrows knitted together.
She whipped her head around so fast, she couldn't believe it was still attached to her body. “I didn't tell her anything. When I wouldn't answer her questions and I tried to get a doctor, she freaked out. There was nothing I could do. She just knew.” Tabitha raised her hands in a “what can I do” gesture.
Doctor Roberts looked from her to the nurse. “Why is it that the family and friends always think they know what is best for the patient and disregard the doctors’ orders?” With that, he stormed out of the room. They’re all the same. No one believes what I have to say.
Tabitha sank down into the chair by Alice's bed and began to cry. The nice nurse who had brought the pitcher hung back after the doctor left and said, “Miss, she's going to sleep through the night. Why don't you go home and get a good night’s rest? She's in good hands. When you come back in the morning, she’ll be awake and will need you.”
“Maybe you’re right. Could I leave my number and if anything changes, you can give me a call?”
The nurse nodded and handed her a pen and paper.
She wrote her number on it and handed it back. As the nurse walked out, Tabitha leaned over the bed. “Alice, I’m going home to sleep. I’ll be back in the morning. You rest, and we’ll figure something out tomorrow.” She kissed her friend’s forehead before grabbing her purse to leave.
* * *
It was a nice, cool October evening. To save some money, she decided to walk home. It was only ten blocks. Pittsburgh was a beautiful city with lots of different shops and so many lights. If the crime rate wasn't so high, it would be the perfect city to live in. But as it was, a young woman walking on the streets at night alone had to worry about being mugged or raped. She kept her hand inside her coat where her cell phone and a can of pepper spray were kept in case she needed it.
The walk home gave her time to think about Alice and how things had turned out for her. Tabitha suspected Mike had hit Alice before, but of course Alice had denied it. Her friend wouldn’t listen, and now look at her. She could have died! Tabitha’s angry thoughts were close to the surface and threatening to overtake her. She didn’t understand it, but lately, she was more emotional. Could it be because of the bug she had?
Opening the apartment building door, she found the lock broken. That was nothing new. Every time they replaced it, a few days later it was bashed in again. One day, the landlord was going to get tired of fixing it and just leave it broken. Having that extra lock on the main door made her feel a little safer. With the lock, the only people who could get in were residents or someone buzzed in by a resident.
She was more tired today than normal, so the fifteen stairs up to her apartment felt like climbing Mount Everest. At the top, she got her door open. Not bothering to turn on a light, she fell, eyes closed, completely exhausted onto the couch...onto a man.
Chapter Three
Tabitha screamed and jumped up quickly when she felt the solid body against hers. “Who the hell are you?”
“Don't scream, Tabitha. You didn't meet me tonight. I wanted to make sure you were all right. When I arrived, there was blood in the hall, your door was open, and I came in. There was more blood in your apartment. I called the hospitals, and they had no listings under your name, so I stayed here to see
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