Then AJ and Nick had gone through AJ’s room collecting whatever evidence they deemed necessary. They stuffed it into a large trashbag and shoved it in the back of Nick’s Durango. Nick really had no idea what else to do with it. After he got Celeste, he was gonna talk to her and then maybe call the cops. Hopefully they’d be able to help him out….maybe.
AJ had wanted to burn the bed that night. But after some rationalizing, they decided to just throw it out. Howie was going to call someone to come pick it up today. AJ just slept in one of his many guestrooms last night. Brian, Kevin, and Howie all finally left after everything was straightened out. Nick was the only one to stay the night.
And now, he was back at the hospital to pick Celeste up. Hopefully she was doing better. He stepped out of the elevator and headed towards her room. He had been mulling over the options of where to take her. He could either drop her off at home, or see if she wanted to come stay with him for a little while. He guessed it would depend on how well she was doing.
He approached her door, and giving a light knock, pushed it open. He entered the room to find Celeste sitting on the edge of the bed. She wore the same pair of sweats and T-shirt that Nick had taken from AJ. Her arms were wrapped around herself and she was staring intently at the floor.
With a hopeful breath, Nick sat down next to her. “Hey.” He spoke softly so as to not scare her if she didn’t hear him come in.
She just stared at the floor.
Nick followed her gaze. “What’s so interesting?” He leaned a bit closer to her.
She shrugged and tightened her arms around herself.
Well, at least she had acknowledged his presence. That was a bit of improvement from last night. He turned to see the side of her face. The bruise on her cheek was still present. “You ready to go home?”
She shifted and winced, then nodded.
Nick sighed. He stood up and held out a hand. “Okay, let’s go get you checked out.”
When Celeste didn’t move, Nick reached out and gently took hold of her elbow. “You can’t go home if you don’t get up off the bed.” He guided her up.
Again, she didn’t respond to him, but she did allow him to lead her out of the room. As they were moving down the hallway, Dr. Niln approached them.
“Good morning.”
Nick smiled at her. “Good morning.”
She cast her eyes on Celeste, then looked back to Nick. “I was hoping I’d get a chance to talk to you.” Her brow furrowed.
“Oh,” Nick’s eyes grew wide. “Oh, um…yeah.” He turned to Celeste. “Honey, why don’t you have a seat right here.” He pulled over a chair that had been sitting randomly in the hallway.
She sank down into it.
“I’ll be right back, okay?” He peered down into her face.
She nodded.
Nick turned back to the doctor. “Okay.”
Dr. Niln nodded. “Let’s just step in here.” She opened the door to a vacant room, and Nick followed her in. Then she closed it behind him.
“Nick,” she spoke as her eyes met his. “I hope you’re not planning on taking Celeste home and just leaving her there….” She sent him a questioning look.
Nick shook his head. “No, I think I’m gonna take her to my place. I wouldn’t leave her alone. Are you kidding?” He looked at her like he couldn’t believe she’d think that.
The doctor smiled. “Good.” She nodded her head. “Nick, she’s been through a very traumatic experience. She’s gonna need counseling, love, support, understanding, patience….”
Nick nodded. He realized these things. “I know. I can give her all that.”
Dr. Niln shook her head. “Unfortunately you can’t.” She sighed. “You’re not gonna be able to understand what she went through. You’re not gonna be able to relate. She’s gonna get frustrated because you say you do, but you really don’t….”
“But I do. I know she’s scared.” He interrupted her.
She nodded. “Yes, that much is true. But she’s gonna get frustrated when you say you know how she feels….” Her eyes met his. “Because you don’t.”
Nick sighed. “What are you trying to say?”
“I’m just saying please be careful. Don’t assume that time, or encouraging words from you are gonna heal her. She’s not speaking right now…but don’t push it.” She sighed. “Once we get her into counseling hopefully that’ll help.”
Nick stared at her. “She won’t speak again until she’s in therapy?” He sounded incredulous.
The doctor shook her head. “No, but it may help it come sooner.” She shrugged. “And who knows, maybe one day she’ll just start again. She’s got so many internal conflicts she’s trying to deal with right now.” Her eyes searched Nick’s. “She feels dirty, cheap, like it’s her fault….” She let her voice trail off.
“But she’s none of those things.” Nick protested.
Dr. Niln nodded. “You and I know this…but right now that’s how she feels.” She placed a hand on his arm. “That’s why she needs counseling. Maybe a support group with peers in her same situation.”
Nick nodded and ran a hand through his hair. He understood what Dr. Niln was trying to get across. “Yeah, you may be right.”
The doctor smiled. “Usually I am.”
“Okay,” he sighed. “So what do I do first?”
The doctor handed him a folder. “This is a list of all the different counselors she can talk to. There’s also a list of peer groups she could join. Go over them, find one suitable for her.”
Nick nodded and quickly glanced through the folder. “Thanks.”
She nodded. “Your welcome. Let her work through this.”
He nodded and shut the folder. “What about the police?”
The doctor sighed. “We had to report it. When she’s able to, and ready, she can go file a complaint.”
“Do we need to keep the evidence?”
Dr. Niln nodded. “That would be wise. You don’t want to wait too long before you report it, or it’ll be shrugged off.”
“What if she doesn’t want to?”
The doctor shrugged. “Well, you can always go to the police. As for her….she’d have to do it on her own.”
He nodded again. “And she may not want to…right?”
Dr. Niln’s head bobbed. “Right.”
He sighed and held out his hand. “Thanks doctor. I think we’ll just take this one day at a time.”
The doctor shook his hand. “That would be my suggestion. I hope everything works out.”
He nodded and moved towards the door. “Me too. Me too.”