Proxy

So, how have you been feeling?

Okay, I guess.

Have you had any more

contractions since your last visit?

A few, I think.

Uh, there we go.

- That's it?

- That's it.

Heartbeat looks good.

Just need to get a few

measurements here.

Now, you did not want to know

the sex of the baby, correct?

- Mm, no. I'd rather not.

- Okay.

I honestly don't blame you.

If I could do it over again,

I wouldn't want to know, either.

We were told I was having

a girl. Ended up a boy.

Had to redecorate the nursery,

return all the shower gifts.

Such a pain.

Guess it's kind of ironic,

though, considering what I do.

Wipe up for you.

- Here you go.

- Thanks.

There you go.

So, how have you been

feeling in general?

Okay, I guess. I just

want to get it over with.

Just about everyone says the same thing at

this point. It won't be long now, though.

Okay, well, if you don't have

any more questions for me,

then the doctor will be going over all the

results with you at your visit next week.

- Okay.

- Okay.

Can you tell me your name?

Can you open your eyes for me?

Get breath sounds, too,

when you get that done.

We got the one I.V. We're gonna

get another one... bilateral arm.

Got a mid-20-year-old female

involved in an assault.

Obvious trauma to the head,

vaginal bleeding, unresponsive.

- Got one 14-gauge I.V. On...

- One, two, three.

We need to get a second I.V.

Let's start some more I.V. fluids

and get two units of O-neg

blood. We need to call O.B. Stat.

Ma'am, I'm Dr. Bales.

Can you hear me?

Are you having any pain?

She's unresponsive.

Give me the O.B. B.P. Stat.

- Dr. Bales?

- Yes.

They can't be here for at least

30 minutes. They're in surgery.

The baby's heart rate is really

low. I need a blood pressure.

Blood pressure's 60.

We can't wait. We have

to get the baby out now.

I need a scalpel.

Dr. Romero. Dr. Romero, please.

Come in.

- Esther Woodhouse?

- Yes.

My name is detective Allen. Do

you have a few minutes to talk?

Okay.

May I?

- How are you feeling?

- Pretty sore.

Not great, I guess.

I'm very sorry about your baby.

I know this will sound strange,

but you are actually quite lucky.

And how's that?

You lost a lot of blood. Most

people don't come back from that.

You're right. That is

a strange thing to say.

Nevertheless, that's what you

should be focusing on right now.

How much worse things could have

been. It'll help with the anger.

So...

Do you feel up to talk about

what happened, what you remember?

I... don't really

remember much of anything.

I left my O.B. Appointment.

And I was walking to the bus stop.

And then I woke up here.

Everything else is

just pieces, fragments.

I couldn't tell you

what was real or not.

We recovered your purse at the entrance

to the alley where you were found.

We'll have you check it just to be sure,

but... It looks like all that's missing is

- whatever money you would have had.

- When can I have it back?

Um... soon. It's safe.

I know. I just want it back.

- I'd just like to have it back.

- Okay, um, I'll see what I can do.

Is there anyone you can think

of, Esther, anyone at all,

that may have held

a grudge against you?

Can I think of anyone who

might want to kill my baby? No.

What about the father?

Sperm bank.

Sperm...

- Why a sperm bank?

- Doesn't matter now.

Co-workers, acquaintances?

No.

Why are you asking me all this?

This thing that happened to you,

Esther... this type of assault

is almost always carried out by

someone who knows the victim personally.

The time it took to

do this, the risk,

The emotion involved to follow

through with something so...

It's just not characteristic

of a random mugging.

Well, I don't know who

would want to do it.

What about someone on drugs or...

a misogynist...

or maybe just some crazy homeless

person who lived in that alley?

Yeah, yeah.

I mean, those...

those are all

definite possibilities.

Looks like you have

your next visitor.

I'll get out of here, and I'll

let you two get acquainted.

Just, uh... give some

thought to what I said.

Call me anytime. My cellphone's

on there and everything.

- Okay.

- I'll be in touch soon.

So sorry, again, for your loss.

Hi, Miss Woodhouse. I'm Mary Wilkens. I'm one

of the social workers here at the hospital.

- Hi.

- How are you feeling?

Going to get that question

a lot around here, I guess.

Yeah. Well, I'll try and make it quick

so we can let the next one come in.

- The next one?

- The doctors, the nurses,

rehab, police, social

workers, religious counsel...

all day and, I'm afraid, all

night, until you leave here.

There's gonna be more people come through

that door than you know what to do with.

You're gonna get

sick of the attention.

So, who can I call to talk to about

helping you transition back into life?

Uh, there really isn't anyone.

- I'm kind of on my own.

- Family, co-workers?

I don't have any family.

Friends? Who are you close to?

My fish.

Sweetie, I need

names. Give them up.

I'm sorry. There really isn't

anyone... no one who would care.

You're gonna need a support system,

people to help you through this.

Without it, it's going to

be incredibly difficult.

Well, the Chaplain's been

in and the police and you.

I'm talking about

long-term support.

We're here to help you with

the initial phase of recovery.

Have you ever had any

formal therapy before?

No.

That lists therapists and counselors

as well as several support groups

that specialize in victims of violent

crimes and women who have lost a child.

Thank you.

- I'll take a look at it.

- I hope you do.

Don't fall through the cracks. Too many

people do. You have to reach out now.

You remember the people who I said who are

going to come in to see you and help you?

That stops once you leave here.

We're here to help and support you,

but the second you walk out the front

doors of the hospital, we disappear.

I go onto to the next person

that needs help and then the next.

You understand?

Okay.

Sorry, buddy.

One new message.

Hey, it's me.

Just wondering if you're okay.

Okay. I'll just, uh, try

you back later when I can.

Message deleted.

And he just kept

laughing and laughing.

You know what really

gets me, though,

is that he thought

this was just a-a joke.

Thank you for sharing that, Audrey.

So, would anyone else like to

share before we take a short break?

All right then.

For those of you who are new to our

group, we have pastries and coffee,

so please feel free

to help yourself.

So, let's take about,

um, 10 minutes, okay?

This your first meeting?

- Yeah.

- I thought so.

I'm Melanie.

- Esther.

- So nice to meet you.

- You kind of had that look on your face.

- What look?

Oh, like you're not quite sure

what to make of this place.

Well, I've just never really

done anything like this before.

I get it. The first

time is always strange.

- Here you go.

- Thank you.

Ooh, I love the shirt.

- Thanks. It wasn't expensive.

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