Page 88 of Little Dark Deeds

“Has she said anything to you?”

“Not a word.Every time I ask her a question; all I get is waterworks.”

I assumed he was telling me these things for a reason.

“Is there anything I can do to help?”I asked.

“I need to be here, but I’d like you to go with her to the hospital.Once the doctor checks her out, see if you can get her to talk.I want to know everything that happened here.”

Foley told the paramedic I’d be coming along for the ride, and I hopped in the back of the van.On the way to the hospital, Jana stayed silent, staring straight ahead as tears continued to stream down her face.

When we arrived at the hospital, the doctor inspected and cleaned the entry and exit wounds, ordered x-rays, and started Jana on antibiotics.

Then it was my turn.

I entered the room, and she put her phone down.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” I said.

“You’re fine.I was just talking to my mom.”

“I’m sure your family is worried.”

“Yeah, my mother lives in Colorado.She’s trying to find a flight.I told her she didn’t have to come.I’m sure she will anyway.”

She turned, staring out the window.“I think I ...I might be in trouble.”

“Why?”I asked.

She looked at me, but the words didn’t come.

If I was going to get her to talk, I needed to put her at ease.

I took a seat on a chair next to her.

“I feel like I can’t breathe,” she said.

“You’re in shock.It’s understandable.In times like this, when I get stressed, there’s a little breathing exercise I do.We could do it together if you’d like.”

She reached over, grabbing a tissue from the box on the side table and blotting her eye.“I can try.What do you want me to do?”

“We’re going to take a deep breath in, hold the breath for a few seconds, and then breathe it out.”

She nodded, and I squeezed her hand, hoping the solidarity I was showing would work in my favor.

After a few cleansing breaths, she said, “My mouth feels like it’s full of cotton.Would you mind getting me some water?”

I reached for a plastic water jug with the hospital’s logo on the front and walked to the sink.I filled it to the top and handed it to her.“I’m not sure if you’re up for it, but if you are, can you tell me what happened this morning?”

She took a few sips of water and then pressed a tissue to her nose.

“Tyler showed up at the house this morning,” she said.“When I met him at the door, he said he wanted to talk.He seemed fine, in a decent mood.I thought maybe he was doing better and had come over to talk about ending our separation.”

“You thought he was going to suggest moving back in together?”

“I did, and I was wrong.So wrong.As soon as I let him inside and the door closed, he got right in my face, shouting and hurling accusations, blaming me for everything.”

“What did he say?”