Two officers rushed in. They halted at the sight of her on the ground and her father standing over her, chest heaving. For a moment, no one moved. Then Raymond took a step back, muttering, “I didn’t mean to hurt her. She just never listens.”
The officers escorted him out, their calmness doing little to settle Lena’s trembling. As the nurses checked her stitches and vitals, she realized—maybe more clearly than ever—that this wasn’t normal. It had never been normal.
“Do you have anyone we can call?” a nurse asked.
After a long pause, Lena nodded. “Yes… I think so.”
Her friend Marcus arrived within the hour. When she told him what happened, his expression hardened. “You’re not going back there,” he said firmly. “Not this time.”
That night, fear pressed against her ribs. Raymond had been released from questioning. He knew where she was. Every noise in the hallway made her tense until a gentle nurse reassured her, “You’re safe here.”
The next morning, a social worker explained her options—restraining orders, temporary housing, counseling. Lena listened quietly. For once, she didn’t shrink from the help. She accepted it.