Page 88 of Guarding Over You
“About an hour, maybe. They are backed up. I’ve got a splint on her wrist with ice. The doctor hasn’t been in yet to see her. Should be soon, could be while you’re in there.”
She nodded and moved to the room the woman was in, then pushed the curtain aside. “Miranda?” she asked. “I’m Arden Bellamy, a social worker for the hospital.”
“I told the nurse that I tripped and fell into the wall.”
“I know. But they are worried. Everyone is just doing their job. Are you here alone?”
Miranda put her head down. “Yes.”
She looked at the swollen fingers under the ice pack. “Can you tell me what caused you to trip into the wall? You had to have been going fast for that much damage. It was last night, correct?”
“My phone was ringing,” Miranda said. “I’ve got a bad habit of running for it when I should just let it go.”
She hadn’t seen that part on the report. Just that Miranda was rushing to the kitchen.
The last thing she wanted to do was make an assumption. Could be the phone was in the kitchen.
“And you slipped? Tripped? Caught yourself on the wall?”
Miranda was thinking. As if she couldn’t recall what it was she’d said before. “I don’t remember. It just happened so fast. One minute I was running, the next my face hit the wall.”
“Your face before your wrist?”
Which wouldn’t make sense if she caught herself on her hands first.
Miranda shook her head. “I don’t remember clearly. I’m sorry. I was upset.”
Again, not in the report. “Upset over what? Were you home alone?”
“No. Chris was with me.”
“Your boyfriend?”
“Yes. He was home and helped me up when I fell.”
“You fell also?”
She could see Miranda was getting flustered and it wasn’t what she wanted either.
“I must have. He pulled me up.”
“I’m sorry for all the questions,” Arden said, her voice softer. “You don’t have to protect anyone. You don’t have to be afraid. If you feel unsafe at home or anywhere, we are here to help. You just have to let us know.”
“I’m fine.”
The curtain moved and Blaze came in. “Hi, I’m Dr. Ridgeway. I hear you had a mishap with a wall?”
“I did,” Miranda said. “I’m fine. I’m not sure why I’m getting asked all these questions.”
Blaze looked at her, then turned back to the patient. “Miranda. You know we can tell by the marks on your face if a wall or maybe a... fist did them. A backhand or a palm?”
Tears filled Miranda’s eyes. When you put the truth out there along with the facts, it was harder for people to hide a lie.
“He didn’t mean it,” Miranda said. “He had a bad day at work and I was in a mood and was yelling at him. I shoved him first.”
Her shoulders slumped. “Do you feel unsafe at home?” she asked.
“No.”
