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“Wow,” Eve deadpanned. “Such a big heart you have, Nola.”
Nola shrugged. “I had stuff to do.”
Eve shook her head. “I’m going to bed,” she said turning away from Nola to pull the T-shirt over her head.
“Where’d you get the bruises?” Nola asked, her head tilted to the side as if daring Eve to lie. Eve didn’t answer. “The ones on your neck, those are obvious. Gross but obvious. But what about the ones there and there?” Nola stepped into the room and reached out for Eve’s arm.
Eve shook her off. “They’re nothing. Go to bed.”
“That’s what they all say.” Nola lowered her voice to a whisper. “Do you like it? When he hits you?”
Eve’s breath caught in her throat. She felt sick. “He doesn’t hit me. I wouldn’t let that happen. Get out of my room,” Eve ordered.
“Uh-huh,” Nola said, nodding knowingly. “I wonder what Charlotte would say if she knew?”
Eve tried to keep her face blank, untroubled. But what if her mother found out about the bruises? What would she do? Would she call Nick’s parents? The police? Knowing her mother, she would probably say a mean boyfriend was better than no boyfriend at all. Part of Eve wanted Nola to tell. Then maybe it would be out of her hands for good. It would end things with Nick. But what would her friends say? Would they believe her? Most wouldn’t but Maggie would believe her. She didn’t like Nick.
No. Nola wouldn’t tell. Maybe it would be different if her sister actually seemed to care about the way Nick treated her, but she didn’t. Everything was a game to Nola to see who was smarter, who could get the upper hand.
“You tell Mom, I’ll tell her about your box. Go to bed, Nola,” Eve said quietly, not letting the panic reach her voice.
Eve held Nola’s gaze. This was an old game for them—who would blink first? Usually Nola won, hands down, but this time Eve would not flinch.
Her eyes began to water but still she didn’t look away.
“If a guy did that to me, I’d kill him,” Nola finally said. “But that’s just me.”
She turned and left Eve’s room, gently closing the door behind her.
Therapy Transcript
Client Name: Nola Knox, 13 years
Therapist Name: Linda Gonzalez, LMHC, NCC
Date of Service: Tuesday, Jan. 30, 1996
LG: Good morning, Nola. I’m Linda Gonzalez. Please make yourself at home. Take a seat.
NK: I’d rather stand.
LG: If that will make you more comfortable.
NK: It does.
LG: Have you ever seen a counselor before?
LG: Why don’t you tell me about why you think you are here today.
LG: I know this is hard, Nola. I know you are going through a difficult time. Your sister was murdered. You found...
Loud crash
Notes:
Nola was mandated by the juvenile court to attend no less than 12 counseling sessions after pushing a sixteen-year-old boy into a glass trophy case causing significant injuries to the boy and to herself.
Nola refused to answer any of my questions and did not make eye contact in this initial session. When asked about her sister who had been murdered just before Christmas, Nola knocked a lamp off my desk and left my office. I followed her but she left the premises before I could talk more with her.
