“I love Nicole too! This isn’t easy for me either. Why else would she have these? Where did she get them from? Why are they in a plastic baggie and not a prescription bottle with her name on it? Why can’t she remember anything?”
Davis was about to erupt, but Jane stopped him with her words. “Dana’s right. We can’t help Nicole if we’re denying what might be going on.”
“I’m not deny anything. I just refuse to listen to this bullshit! Nicole is too smart to get caught up on drugs.”
Dr. MacEntyre walked into the room. “Anyone can fall prey to drug abuse, Davis. It’s the one thing that crosses all socio-economic backgrounds. May I have a word with you privately?” Davis nodded, and they walked into his office.
“I’m done with my cursory exam. I can’t say with one hundred percent certainty, but it doesn’t appear as though she was physically violated. Still, to be safe, I used the medical rape kit on her and administered the morning after pill. I should have the results back tomorrow.”
Davis was overwhelmed. He nodded. “I understand. Her eyes were dilated. What about drugs? I’m sure that bastard did something to her.”
Her voice softened. “What I’m about to tell you isn’t easy. Nicole has you listed on her HIPPA Privacy Authorization Form, and, because I’m deeming this a medical emergency and you are Nicole’s husband, I think I’m on good legal ground to tell you this.”
Dread crept over him, but Davis listened intently.
“Nicole called me earlier asking for a refill on her prescription. I told her I couldn’t do it. I’d only refilled the last one a few days ago. Now, I won’t know for sure what the results will be for all the tests I’m running, but I am not so sure someone else gave her anything.”
The breath left his body. Davis wasn’t sure his legs would support him. “What am I supposed to do? How can I fix this?”
“First, know that you can’t. If the problem is what I think, Nicole is the only person who can resolve it. All you can do is support her.” Dr. MacEntyre walked over and placed a supportive hand on his shoulder. “I took her to your bedroom. She asked for you.”
Davis nodded. His chest was tight, and he was barely able to breathe. Still, he turned on his heel and walked out of the room with only one goal in mind. “I need to see my wife.”
*****
It was dark when he entered, but the lights from the bathroom cast a soft glow onto the walls of their bedroom. The shower was running. He walked slowly inside. Davis heard her before he saw her through the glass shower doors. Nicole was kneeling on the floor with her face in her hands crying.
“Nicole?”
Her body was wracked with tears. She hadn’t heard him. Slowly, he opened the door and got into the shower fully clothed. Then he went down on his knees.
Her sobs were disheartening. Nicole stiffened once she realized he was there. “I’m sorry, Davis. I’m so so sorry.”
He pulled her into his arms. The water pelted his skin, but he didn’t care. “It’s okay.”
“No. No, it’s not okay. I tried to tell you earlier. I’m sick. I-I . . .”
“We can talk about this tomorrow.”
“No, we can’t. I will not do this to you and the kids anymore. By tomorrow, I need to be in a hospital—” Nicole could barely get the words out. “One that treats drug addicts.”
Chapter 20
Dr. Carmen watched Nicole intently. “You’ve made a lot of progress since you’ve been here at Serenity. So much, that I think it might be a good idea for Davis to sit in on your next session.” She awaited her response.
Nervously, Nicole twisted her fingers together. It had only been a couple of weeks since she and Davis had been allowed to speak by telephone. They had just talked a few times, and their conversations were strained and brief. Nicole’s thoughts were all over the place, but the one that stood out the most was what will he think of me? She was not only nervous but ashamed.
Dr. Carmen continued to probe her. “Why the hesitation? What are you thinking?”
Nicole took a deep breath still focused on her fingers. “He should probably hate me.”
The therapist scribbled something down on her notepad. Then looked back up at Nicole. “I can’t see why your husband would be upset that you needed help and decided to do something about it.”
Her voice was barely a whisper. “No. That’s not it.” Nicole finally lifted her eyes to meet hers. “I abandoned him when he needed me the most.”
“Ahh . . . I see. Let me ask you another question. When you first board a commercial airplane and the instructor gives you the safety spiel when they get to the part about the life preserver jacket, who do they say you should help first? Your neighbor to your left, or right?”
Nicole smiled slightly. “You do realize my husband, and I survived a plane crash and was stranded on a deserted island?”
She nodded. “I absolutely do which is why I felt like this question would resonate. So, who would you save first?”
“Well, according to the instructions, I should put it on myself first.”
“And why is that?”
“Because I cannot help someone else if I can’t save
