Page 31

The door slams shut, and I slip back into unconsciousness to once again face my demons.
Sometime later, my eyes flutter open, and my brows scrunch in confusion when I see my dad slumped in a chair next to me. “Dad?” I croke.
Dad startles. “Aurora, you’re awake.” He jumps up from his chair and sits on the bed, taking my hand. “You took twenty years off my life, baby girl.”
I blink back tears. “I’m so sorry, Daddy.”
“Why?”
My eyes shift down at the ugly polyester blanket so I don’t have to look my father in the eye. “I don’t know,” I lie.
“Promise you won’t ever do that again”
“Promise,” I squeak. “Can I get some water?”
My mouth is parched. As Dad hands me a cup of water, there’s a knock at the door. He moves to the foot of the bed and crosses his arms as the door slowly opens.
“General Parks,” the man greets, holding out his hand. “I was informed you wanted to speak to me.”
Dad doesn’t move a muscle. “Mr. Bradshaw, I want my daughter prepped for flight within the hour.”
“I-I-I’m sorry, what?” Mr. Bradshaw stammers.
“You heard me.”
“Your daughter needs a medical procedure immediately before she can be moved,” he says condescendingly. “If you remove her, it will be against medical advice.”
“Can it be done in a few hours?”
“Well… I’d have to confer with Dr. Lee,” Mr. Bradshaw states.
“Screw Dr. Lee,” Dad bellows. “We’re leaving. Your staff has already shown their incompetence. And you better believe I’ll be filing a complaint with the medical board on how you treat rape victims.”
Embarrassment floods my cheeks, but at the same time, my heart soars. I don’t want people to know what I went through, but they shouldn’t treat people the way I was treated.
“I’m sure she didn’t know,” Mr. Bradshaw protests.
“Doesn’t matter,” Dad hisses. “It shouldn’t have happened to her or anyone else. Send all her medical records to the Naval Health Clinic in Quantico, Attention Dr. Sheppard. The chopper will be here in thirty minutes. I want her ready by then.”
“I’ll send the nurse in.” The administrator spins on his heel to leave.
“Mr. Bradshaw,” Dad calls. The man glances over his shoulder as he reaches for the handle. “You better not send in any of the ones who attacked my daughter.”
He nods and rushes out the door.
Dad returns to my side and brushes the hair out of my face. “You gonna tell me what’s going on?”
“Not yet,” I whisper.
He kisses my forehead. “We have time, baby girl, we have time.”
“Where’s Willow?” I ask.
“I sent her home to get some rest. She’s been up all night.”
“Did you tell her I’m going back to Virginia?”
Dad nods. “I also invited her to come stay as long as she wants.”