Contradiction by Salina Paine Read Free Book Online Page A

above my hip on my right side. Pulling the gown back down I feel the tears sliding down my face. "Can I see a mirror?" I ask.
    "I don't see why not, but brace yourself, it's not pretty," he says handing me a small hand mirror and I peer at my horrid reflection.
    An angry red and jagged line runs from my ear to my collarbone. My neck is circled in a reddish purple ring reminiscent of being strangled. The whites of my eyes are bloodshot with a pale opaque hue of pink. As I continue to scrutinize my face I notice stitching in the corner of my mouth and dried blood still lingering on my hairline. Slinging the mirror across the room, I scream as the sobs rip from my chest.
    He pulls himself closer to me and wraps his arms around in a useless effort to comfort.  "Calm down, Miss Greyson," he says softly patting my back. "I know this isn't easy but it's best if you remain calm." 
    I nod and try to breathe slowly. "Please, call me Jasmine," I reply through my tears.
    "Ok," he says, "Jasmine, look at me. We will take care of you and the detective will be in here shortly for your statement. If you in fact know who is responsible for this, you need to tell them." 
    I shake my head in heavy denial.  The one person who saved me from a similar situation has surpassed anything my parents had ever done to me. "How could he do this?" I whisper to myself as Brandon continues to hold me. Dr. Iverson comes in with a disgusted look on his face.
    "Miss Greyson, it looks like you will be with us for a few days. Along with your obvious injuries you have multiple fractured ribs and we want to be certain they don't puncture your lungs." I nod and wipe my tears with then hem of my gown. "Is there any family you would like us to call?"
    I shake my head and hear the familiar tap of my supervisors boots coming down the hallway. "Oh my God, Jasmine!" She yells as she walks through the door. She freezes a couple feet from me and her mouth drops. Her eyes make their way down my face and onto my neck. She pulls her hand up her mouth, muffling her cries. She rushes over to me, hugging me tightly and I cry out. "Oh. I’m sorry," she says wiping her tears away with her fingers. She nods to Dr. Iverson and Brandon. "You boys better take good care of my girl," she tells them. "Jasmine, I hate to leave but I got to get back to work. When Cami told me they brought you in I came down to check on you. I had no idea it was this bad," she says trying to remain composed.
    She hugs me lightly and leaves the room quickly; I can hear her heaving in the hallway.  Brandon comes back over and sits on the stool. "I thought you worked," he says quietly before I cut him off.
    "I work in labor and delivery," I reply in a garbled voice.  Brandon sits there looking at me like he wants to say something, but never does.  I close my eyes and focus on breathing.  A slight click on the door startles me and my eyes pop open, I find myself all alone. I feel useless, like a failure. All I want to do now was lie down and give up, let the darkness take over.  Closing my eyes again I feel tears start to trickle down my cheeks to the pillow, eventually sleep finds me.
    The dim light in the room begins to become brighter as the door slowly freaks open. I open my eyes slowly, squinting and trying to make out the face in the dark. His feet slide across the linoleum quietly, I almost get a good look at the man when I catch a whiff of his cologne. I freeze, like a deer in the headlights. It's Jeff, it has to be. Opening my mouth to scream he must sense it and places his hand over my mouth. I try to reach the nurses button but the pain in my chest and side limit my movement. 
    "Don't scream, ok?" He says in a whisper. I nod lightly. "If you're going to scream I'll just leave my hand where it is, and I'm sure it's quite unpleasant." I nod again as my eyes begin to flood with tears. "Listen to me Jasmine, I'm sorry. I went crazy when you wouldn't listen to me," he says, his voice dripping with