Stole My Heart ❤️ {a Jackson Avery Love Story} (continued)

Chapter 242:

trigger warning: mentions of sexual assault

I was checking over charts at the ER nurses station when I see Jo walk in with a woman with a deep cut on her cheek.

Delilah: Jo.
Jo: oh good, you're here. Can you give this lady stitches?
Delilah: of course.
Jo: I'll have a nurse bring you a blanket.

I get the patient on a bed then I glove up.

Abby: I feel so stupid. I was putting away dishes and just... smacked myself in the face with the cabinet. Such an idiot.
Delilah: that cut looks pretty deep, so Dr. Qadri will have to numb it before we can clean it.
Jo: when did this happen?
Abby: last night. I thought it would be fine, but it just keeps bleeding.
Delilah: Dr. Qadri and I can help with that. I'm just gonna put a little Betadine around the area, and you're just gonna feel a little stick and a burn.
Jo: are you hurting anywhere else?
Andrew: hey Jo.

I look over at the woman and I noticed that she jumped at the sound of Andrew's voice.

Dr. Bailey's been looking for you– something about a grant deadline? Oh, and Jackson is looking for you Lilah.
Delilah: okay.
Jo: oh, okay. Um, I'm gonna be right—

The woman latches onto both Jo's hand and mine. I look into her eyes and instantly, I could sense what was happening. She was assaulted, and she's scared to be alone. And she's scared to tell the truth because she knows that she'll get hurt again.

Jo: our patient here, Abby, she... hit her face on a cabinet. So if you could give us some room please so Lilah can suture her facial lac? And tell Dr. Bailey that I will be a while.
Delilah: and please tell Jackson that I will find him when I can.
Jo: thank you.

Andrew leaves and we look back at Abby.

Jo: hey, why don't you sit up, okay?

Jo and I both help Abby sit up. As we do, we hear her whimper in pain.

Jo: is your belly hurting?
Abby: no, it's just the cheek. You can fix it now, right? So I can go?
Delilah: Dr. Qadri, can you get me some 4-0 MONOCRYL, and can we please close those? Thank you. Jo.

Jo manages to get out of Abby's grasp for a second so she and Qadri can close the curtains.

Delilah: Abby, it is just us. You're hurt. We are here to help.

Abby lets out a shaky breath and she slowly starts sitting up, so Jo and I help her up.

Delilah: it's okay. We've got you.

She starts to slowly remove her scarf that she had around her neck. My eyes grow wide when I see a giant, dark bruise around her neck. She slowly laid back down and slowly lifted her top to reveal a giant, darker bruise on her stomach. My heart broke at the sight.

Jo: I got you Abby.
Delilah: we got you Abby. We're not going anywhere, I promise. You're safe with us.

Once I stitched Abby up, we bring her to a private room to examine her. My heart broke when I saw the bruises and cuts on her body.

Jo: Qadri, let's get her IM Toradol for the pain.
Delilah: and keep her NPO for now.
Qadri: is there someone that we can call? Family member or a friend?
Abby: my husband's in Portland on a business trip. I don't want to... bother him.

Abby flinches when she hears a knock.

Delilah: it's okay. We called her here to help.

Teddy walks in.

Delilah: hi.
Teddy: hi.
Abby: why do I need another doctor? Can't I just keep you three?
Teddy: it's Abby, right? Hi. Dr. Avery-Shepherd, Dr. Karev and Dr. Qadri will still be your doctors, but would it be okay if I helped? May I do an ultrasound just to check for internal injuries?