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“You do this sort of thing often?”
“All day, every day,” Dani says.
“Wow,” Maggie says. “You’re so professional.”
“Well, it’s what I do.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…”
“What exactly were you expectin’?” Dani asks.
“I don’t know. You just seem so different than when I’ve talked to you before.”
Dani shrugs, not sure how to respond. “Shall we get started?”
—
“So, how does it feel?” Dani asks Maggie when she’s done.
“Feels good,” Maggie tells her. “I can’t believe it was so easy.”
“The miracle of modern science. You’re good to go.”
“What happened to your eye?” Maggie asks.
“What?” Dani feels her breath catch in her lungs. Her hand flutters nervously to her face.
“That’s quite a bruise you’ve got.”
Dani forces a laugh from her throat. “Would you believe me if I told you I walked into a wall?”
“Is that what happened?”
Dani bites down on her lower lip, fighting the urge to tell Maggie the truth, that the bruise is the result of her face colliding not with a wall, but with her husband’s fist. “More or less.” Does Maggie believe her? It’s hard to tell. “I got up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom,” she continues, “and it was dark and my eyes were pretty much closed, and I misjudged where the door was and walked plumb into it. Poor Nick,” she adds for good measure. “I screamed so loud, the man almost had a heart attack.”
“And the one on your wrist?” Maggie says, voice quiet, eyes probing.
Dani’s head snaps toward her right hand, sees the large purple bruise peeking out from beneath the sleeve of her white lab coat. “My goodness. Didn’t even know that one was there.” She takes a step back. “You can settle up with the receptionist on your way out, and be sure to make an appointment with the hygienist. You gotta take care of your teeth if you want to keep ’em.”
“I will,” Maggie says, standing up and walking toward the door. “And thanks again.”
“Anytime,” Dani says, grabbing Maggie’s purse from the counter. “Don’t forget your purse.”
“Oh my God, no,” Maggie says, taking the bag from Dani’s hands and clutching it to her chest. “Listen,” she says, stopping in the doorway. “I’m around…I mean, I live right next door…if you ever need to talk…about anything.”
“Sure thing,” Dani says, keeping her voice deliberately light. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I got a patient waitin’ for me in the next room.” She walks away before Maggie can say another word.
—
Dani runs into her office and locks the door, collapsing in the chair behind her desk and laying her head in her hands. What is the matter with her? She’s such a strong, confident woman at work. Even Maggie, a woman she’s talked to only a handful of times in the past, commented on how different she is. So, what happens to her when she leaves the clinic and goes home?
Nick happens,she acknowledges, stifling a cry.
She wonders if she was able to fool Maggie, then wonders how long she’ll be able to keep fooling herself. How many times can she tell herself that, despite his bad temper, her husband is a good man?
The first time Nick hit her was right after she announced she was pregnant with Tyler. He’d apologized profusely and begged forgiveness. He was under such enormous pressure, he said, crying copious tears, assuring her it would never happen again. She believed him. Nick loved her; she loved him. He’d never raised his hand to her before. He never would again.
Except, of course, he did.
