Her Second Chance At Love complete

(10) What Am I Going To Tell People?

Mike’s POV

Fifteen minutes later I was knocking on her car window.  It startled her so she jumped.  She was scared like no other and her face was stained with a mixture of tears and blood.  I called to her when I realized that the car doors were locked and I couldn’t get inside to help her.  "Lisa, it's Mike.  Are you ok? Open the door so I can help you."  I can’t be sure as to what the in the hell happened to her but by the looks of her face, I knew it wasn’t anything good.  It took a few more times of me knocking on the door and talking to her to get her to come around and finally unlock the doors for me so that I could get to her and help her.  When she went to step out of the car, she collapsed in my arms so without thinking I told her that my car was just a few feet away and we needed to get her some medical help.  I asked her if there was anything she needed from her car aside from her keys so that she could get back in it when the time was right.  She named off a few things and after securing her in my passenger seat I set off for her car and quickly grabbed the mentioned items.  I needed to move fast because I had a feeling in my gut that something more than what I could see was wrong and if I didn’t get her any kind of care, she would be in a lot of danger.  I sped off towards the hospital pulling up next to the emergency room doors I ran in and explained to the nurse what was going on.  They followed me back to the car and got her into a wheelchair and took her away.  I felt helpless watching her leave like that.  I couldn’t help but worry.  I parked my car and made my way to the waiting area, hopefully I would know something soon when I heard them call a code blue and saw all sorts of medical professionals running into a room.  The next thing I know I was watching Lisa being wheeled out of that very room towards the operating rooms.  I was trying to comprehend what was going on when someone stood in front of me and started to explain.  I wasn’t sure why I was getting information but apparently just before she coded, she had signed a release to the hospital to talk to me and share information with me. 

Lisa’s POV

I didn't know why but for some reason I just knew I could trust this man.  It took some effort but I did as he asked and opened the door.  He helped me step out of my car and looked me over.  My legs gave out on me and I collapsed in his arms.  I was pretty sure I heard him curse under his breath and immediately thought I had done something wrong.  He turned to me with concern in his eyes and said "my car is right here let's get you inside and sitting down.  What do you need from your car before I lock it up?"  I told him where my purse was and asked him to grab my keys and phone on the seat.  I watched through one eye and a pounding head as he did just as I asked.  Then he locked my car up and shut the door.  He climbed into the driver’s seat of his car and I couldn't help but feel relief that he was there.  But I was so damn tired maybe I would just shut my eyes for a few minutes until we got to the hospital.  What would it hurt?  "Don't go to sleep on me honey.  I think you have a nasty concussion so keep your eyes open for me until we get to the hospital."  I tried to nod my head in agreement but it hurt too damn much to move.  When did I get so sore, I didn't remember it hurting this bad when the jerk hit me.  Before I knew it, we were pulling into the emergency entrance of the hospital.  Mike put his car in park and quickly went inside.  When he came out, he was with a nurse who had a wheelchair.  I tried to tell them that I didn't need a wheelchair I could walk by myself but the words wouldn't come out.  The next thing I knew I was being lifted out of the car and set in the wheelchair.  The nurse quickly took me inside and found a room where she got me out of my clothes and into the hospital bed.  I answered a few basic questions as best as I could, signed a release giving the hospital permission to share information with Mike and just couldn't take it any longer.  My eyes closed and the darkness overtook me.  I was in a safe place and they could take care of me.  For now, I needed to close my eyes.  However, before the darkness completely shut me down, I heard the nurse calling for the doctor to come quickly.  Whatever was going on it must be bad because the nurse sounded quite desperate.  i just wished that this pounding in my head would stop and that my stomach would stop wanting to jump out of my throat.  Why would someone want to do something like that to me? What was wrong with people.  With that thought the world went black and I didn't think any more.  

Mike’s POV

It was several hours ago that they had wheeled her into the operating room.  After the emergency surgery to repair a hemorrhage in her brain the doctor was able to do a full examination.  Not only did she have the injury to the back of her head from what the doctor could only guess was a blow from a rock of some sort, but she also had a few broken ribs, a fractured cheek bone and severe bruising all over.  The hardest thing to swallow was hearing the doctor say that he found tearing in her v****a indicating that she had been raped.  They did a rape kit on her and asked me if I knew who she had been with that night.  I explained to them that we had chatted for a few days before going out the night before.  But I didn’t know who she was going to be seeing that night.  When they asked me how I knew where she was, I told them about texting her and then calling her.  I told them how she told me she was hurt and scared and asking her where she was.  I told them how she must have passed out on me while on the phone because while the line was still open, I couldn’t hear anything.  I told them how when I was able to finally get her to wake up she was scared and it took a lot of talking to get her to trust me enough to unlock the door.  I told them how when I finally did get her out of the car and was able to see her fully, I knew she had been hurt badly just not the extent.  That before I could ask her anything she had collapsed in my arms and from that point the only thing I could think of was she needed medical treatment and she needed it fast.  Turns out it was a good thing I got her here when I did.  She was still unconscious in the mid-morning hours when her phone started to ring.  There was a name that came up on the caller ID but I didn’t want to answer it as I didn’t know who that person might be.  The doctor came in and asked me if I knew any of her family because they would need someone to talk to so that they could get permission to treat her until she woke up.  I felt loss I didn’t know anything.  Then the phone rang again and it was that same guy calling.  I figured for him to be calling this much it had to be someone important so I answered the phone.  After a lot of questions from the guy I was able to establish it was her ex-husband.  I explained to him what had happened and how the hospital needed someone here to authorize medical treatment until she woke up again.  He told me he would be here right away and hung up.

Ray’s POV

                The girls had woken me up because they insisted, they needed to talk to Lisa right away.  Sierra told me she couldn’t understand it but she felt like something was wrong and we needed to call her mother.  So, I started calling Lisa’s phone for them but it kept going to voicemail.  I was starting to get concerned because Lisa would never let her phone go to voicemail when the kids weren’t with her.  I was racking my brain trying to figure out what to do next when I decided to give it another try.  To my surprise it didn’t go to voicemail this time.  But some guy answered her phone.  After a lot of back-and-forth questions, I finally established that this was a boyfriend of some sort.  But what he told me next took my breath away.  Lisa had been brutally attacked the night before.  She had been raped and beaten so severely that when she arrived at the hospital, she lost consciousness and had to be rushed into emergency surgery.  That the doctor had informed this guy that he wasn’t sure when she would wake up again and the hospital needed someone on her list to grant medical permissions.  They claimed they had tried my number but they were told they had the wrong number.  That was funny I didn’t remember my phone ringing last night.  I would have answered it if I had heard it.  I told this Mike guy that I would be right there.  I told Sierra that her feelings were right and something was wrong with her mother but I didn’t know any more.  That I was going to leave her at home with her sisters and go to the hospital and find out.  Jessica overheard me talking to the girls and started to have her little meltdown.  “You two aren’t even married any more so why do you think that you need to go to her all the damn time.”  I shook my head and told her that I needed to talk to her outside.  When we got outside, I told Jessica what had happened to Lisa and I really thought that Jessica was going to pass out.  “I’ve been such a b***h to her and my sister could have died last night.  Oh God, Ray you need to go to her now I will watch the girls.  Please call me and let me know that she will be ok.”  I nodded my head and took off for the hospital.  When I arrived, I was met by Mike and we sat in the waiting room for a bit.  Soon a doctor came in to talk and I gave him permission to talk in front of Mike.  After all the look on this guy’s face concerning Lisa was all I needed to see to know that he cared for her.  Maybe, just maybe, this guy could be the one that she needed.  But first we needed to get her through this.  I needed her to be ok, Jessica needed her to be ok, the girls needed her and it seemed to me that this guy needed her to be ok as well.

Lisa’s POV

I started to wake up. My head was pounding like no other and I couldn't remember where I was.  The last thing I remembered was Mike showing up at my car after my date.  Then suddenly like the fog had lifted I remembered bits and pieces of my date with Sam.  I rubbed my head because it was hurting something awful and felt bandages.  The nurse in the room cleared her throat to get my attention, smiled and said "you're awake now that's good you have a couple of guys out in the waiting area that have been anxious to see you." I was confused at what the nurse meant but damn my head was so sore.  I didn't remember my head getting hit in that spot.  All I could remember was Sam punching me in the face telling me that I needed to stop playing the goody goody.  Oh God! My face how was I going to explain this to my kids.  Why would Sam do this to me?   I had made it clear to him that I didn’t want what he was trying to do.  At least I was able to get him off of me before he could complete the task.  Thankfully when I blacked out it was only a few minutes.  Then I started wondering who in the hell would be out there waiting for me. Ray would certainly have some not so nice words to say to me about this.  As if on cue the door to the room opened up and Ray came walking through.  I shrank back into my bed waiting for him to unleash on me about what a terrible person I was and how I deserved this and more.  When I chanced to look at his face though all I saw was concern and worry.  How bad was I really? 

Ray’s POV

"Lisa, what the hell happened? I called your phone this morning several times, finally this strange guy answered and told me you were attacked last night and in the hospital.  He told me he didn't know how to unlock your phone to try and find anyone to contact.  When I called more than once he figured I was important so he answered hoping I could let someone know.  I came as soon as I heard."  She burst out in tears she just couldn't hold it in any longer.  She spilled it all out to me about the two dates she had been on and how Mike must have been the one to answer her phone as he was the one that brought her to the hospital.  She told me of the second date with Sam and how it all turned ugly.  "How could I have been so naive?"  She looked up at me with tears in her eyes.  To her surprise my gaze softened even more and I said "you have just been protected not naive.  It wasn't that I didn't love you any longer Lisa because I went with your sister.  It was because things I wanted to do, I couldn't bring myself to ask of you because you are so sweet and pure and loving.  I didn't want to tarnish you.  Your sister wasn't like you at all.  It was better to leave you than to do that to.  After we lost the baby and I almost lost you I lost myself more than I like to admit.  I hurt you and knew that I no longer deserved to be your husband.  I'm so sorry you had to encounter a guy like that.  I wish I would have prepared you for the world out there a little better.  I have talked to the nurse and they want to keep you another day or two so Jessica and I talked it over and we are going to keep the girls until you are healed.  We will bring them by to visit with you but you need to concentrate on healing.  By the way you have a very worried guy out in the waiting area."  With that I kissed the top of her head.  "Thank you, Ray, that's the nicest thing you have said to me since the divorce.  Tell the girls I love them and will see them soon.  Don't bring them to the hospital but they can call me.  I don't want them to see me here.  Will you please tell Mike he can come in?”  With that I nodded my head and left the room.  As soon as I was away from her door I sank down to the ground and just cried.  I know I had hurt her but how could someone do this to her.  I couldn’t help it I took on the guilt of what happened to her as being my fault.  If I would have treated her better and been a better husband for her, we wouldn’t have ended up in a divorce and she wouldn’t have ended up going out with a guy like the creep that hurt her last night.  Mike approached me put his hand on my shoulder and as if he could read my mind said “I don’t know what happened between the two of you but don’t blame yourself for this man.  She needs you to be strong for the kids so that she can heal and be their mother.  It’s bad but with help she can get through this.”  I looked up at this man who was giving me such great words of wisdom and said “thank you.  Thank you for your kind words even though I think if you knew the full story you wouldn’t be so kind to me.  Thank you for loving Lisa the way I see you do already.  She asked for me to tell you to go in to her.  I’m going to go back to my house and talk with the kids.  I told her that I would keep the girls as long as needed so that she could heal.”  With that he nodded and headed into Lisa’s hospital room and I started for home.  I had to tell my girls and Jessica what had happened.

Mike’s POV

I slowly walked through the doors and gave her a worried look.  She did her best to give me a reassuring smile.  "How are you feeling?"  I asked with concern in my voice.  "Truthfully, like hell.  But thank you for coming to my rescue last night."  With that my gaze softened on her and I said "of course, I really like you Lisa and I think we could be so much more."  She looked up at my face and said "I know what you mean I haven't stopped thinking of us since our date.  I'm sorry for putting this on you though."  I gave her a crooked smile and said "I'm just glad that I was there at the right time.  I wasn't going to text you at all last night because I figured you may be having a good time on your date but something wouldn't leave me alone and told me I needed to reach out to you."  She gave me a wavering smile and started to cry once again.  I was at her side in seconds holding her and cooing softly to calm her down.  "I feel so stupid, how could I be so naive?"  I pulled back and gently touched her face "you're not naive you are just a very loving and trusting soul.  That's what attracted me to you."  I didn’t know it but that was the second time today that she had heard words so similar.  "Can I ask you what exactly happened?  When I called you after the text you just told me you had been attacked and you sounded pretty out of it.  I was able to find out where you were and come right to you but I don't really know details.  The doctors and the police have been asking me what happened to you and I have no answers for them."  She looked up at me in surprise and said "why would the police be asking about this?"  I smiled warily at her and said "honey how much of the attack do you remember? Let me go get the police officer that has been waiting to take your statement." 

Lisa’s POV

I stiffened at the idea of him leaving me and clung to his hand.  I didn't want to be alone with another man not in the slightest.  As if sensing my unease, he squeezed my hand gently and said "if you want, I will stay here by your side the whole time he is in here."  With that I looked at him and asked him the biggest question that was weighing down my thoughts.  "Mike what am I going to tell people?  How do I tell them that I was so stupid I let myself get almost raped?"  I saw a mixture of anger and sadness in his eyes and then his gaze softened on me and he said "you tell people you were attacked and that's all they need to know." With those words he went out to get the police officer and walked in right behind him.  When the police officer told him, he was welcome to wait outside Mike simply looked over at me and said "I will leave if she wants me to."  That gave me more comfort than he would ever know.

I was telling the officer all that I remembered happening.  When he asked me how I got the deep cut on the back of my head I instinctively reached my hand up to touch it.  "I don't know I don't remember ever getting hit there I only remember him punching me in the face."  The officer looked at me and asked me if I remembered passing out.  I replied that I couldn't remember passing out.  I remembered being hit in the face and it went dark a bit but the next thing I remembered was struggling to get him off me and getting him where it counts so that I could run away.  I knew when I got up to run, I had to pull my pants up and my shirt was torn.  The officer and Mike exchanged glances really quick and then the officer cleared his throat and said "they ran a rape kit on you when you came into the emergency room and found semen inside of you and on your clothes.  It appears you were raped and given the fact that you don't remember how you got that gash I would say you blacked out." I was stunned and lost for words I could feel the tears starting to form in my eyes and a lump forming in my throat.  "I need to be alone now please."  It was all I could muster.  Had I really been raped?  How is that I can't remember? How could I have gotten myself into a situation like that.  The police officer left the room and Mike looked at me "do you really want me to leave?  If you do, I will leave and you can just call me when you are ready to talk."  I looked at him through tear filled eyes and said "I would really like it if you stayed here with me but I don't feel like talking.  For some reason you make me feel safe and calm." He nodded his head and then sat down next to me just holding me in his arms quietly.  Before I knew it, I was crying my heart out to him trying to make sense of what had happened to me.  He didn't say a word just let me cry while he held me.  I looked up at him and asked "did you know before the officer came in?"  He looked at me questioningly and I repeated myself "did you know before the officer came in that I was raped?"  He peered down at me and said "yes, the doctor came out and informed your ex-husband of what they discovered and I was there."  Ray knew that explained a lot.  She cried some more in Mikes arms until she fell asleep again.