Delphine's Family

Chapter 21- Painless

Delphine's POV

" Her vitals are stable. We just have to wait for her to wake up"

"When will that be?"

"I don't know, it should be soon though. Just have hope."

Hope. 

What a joke. Nothing in life comes for free, look at me. My mom thought that she could be the perfect single mother then of course she turned to alcohol to lessen her days. Then when that didn't work anymore she turned to the harder stuff. Making her way up the chain through drugs. 

When she first got hooked they gave her some freebies to get her addicted. But then when she went to go and get another high she was told that payment would be necessary. When you spend all your money and don't go to work your bank account runs empty quickly. Then she offered up something else, me. 

The men made it clear that they never wanted to rape me they said that wasn't something they got off on. They wanted my pain, blood, and tears. 

It's dark. I can't see anything nor can I feel my body. No light, no pain, no fear. I can hear everything though. 

The machines beeping, my heart rate, the nurses checking my vitals. I can hear the nurse's and doctors' shoes clicking against the floor. I hear sniffling once in a while and occasionally whispering but nothing audible. 

I can feel the cold air and the blanket that is not enough. I promise when I eventually wake up the first thing I'm asking for is chocolate and another damn blanket. Working my mind I try to remember what happened the last few days. 

I know I've been asleep for a few days as one of the nurses trying to wake me up every day by telling me what day it is. From what I've gathered it's been three days. My condition isn't that bad anymore but my body went into a form of shock. 

Fluttering my eyes open they shut hard. Trying again I feel the light hit against my eyelids. I'm able to keep my eyes open longer this time allowing me to open and close my eyes. Looking around my room the lights in the hallway are on and a single light is near my head where the equipment is. It's dark outside, my dad's in a chair. 

His head is up against the wall in a very uncomfortable position, his breaths are deep.

"Dad" I croak out wincing at the burn in my throat. 

"Dad" I try again this time he shifts a little. One more time.

"Dad" He opens his eyes and looks at me. He rubs his eyes before looking at me again. He shoots up and rushes over to me. 

"Your awake." What is the deal with these boys pointing out the obvious? He walks out of the room leaving me alone. I can feel the paternal tendencies just dripping off of him. I look around my room wanting my phone to see how I look. From the IV in my hand, I'm guessing they are pumping me full of painkillers. Looking at my other arm a black brace is on my hand up past my wrist. 

I can see the bruises on my arms and a few scratches from the dropping to the ground. I look up when I hear the door shut. 

"I'm glad to see you awake. I'm Doctor Cortez. " A middle-aged woman walks into my room with a white lab coat. Thought that was only in movies. She walks over to me and looks at the machines. "I'm gonna ask you some questions ok can you answer them?" 

"Yes." She smiles. 

"Good, your dad is outside let me know if you want him. Ok."

"K"

"Can you tell me you're name?" She grabs a small light and pulls back my eyelids.

"Delphine Ivy Hale."

"Pretty name. Ok Delphine can you tell me what happened?" She moved her light away from me. 

"I was walking to my dad's garage because my truck wouldn't start. I felt someone behind me so I sped up and then someone grabbed me. And I remember them hitting me and then finding my phone and hearing someone talking to me." I look off at the door. 

"Do you want your dad?" I nod as she moves to open the door. My dad walks in with her behind. He comes over to me and pulls up one of the chairs laying his hand softly over my brace. 

"Ok, she seems to remember everything that happened which is good. She no longer is at risk for a concussion." The doctor looks at my dad as she talks and he nods in acknowledgment. 

"What happened to me?" My question has the doctor looking sympathetic at me as my dad tenses up. 

"When you were brought in you were covered in bruises and cuts. You have multiple cuts around your face from what we assume is a punch. Four of your ribs are extremely bruised, and your right wrist was fractured. We are going to keep you here for tonight and if all goes well you can leave tomorrow ok." She looks a little less sad but I mean she still has to look at me all battered. 

She walks out and leaves me and dad in here alone. I look at him as he stays frozen in his staring contest with the floor. I squeeze his hand that is still holding mine. 

He looks up at me in a daze, he gives me a small smile trying to make light of everything. 

"What did they leave behind?" He looks shocked for a second before whipping it away from his face and tensing his jaw. He turns away. "I know they left something behind was the rose the burned or not." My tone turned stern as this information was crucial to my future. 

He continues to ignore me until I shiver a little. He gets up and grabs a blanket on the chair table next to his chair. He drapes it over me before grabbing my hand again. 

"Dad," He turns a little to look at me not making eye contact. "Please I need to know." I plead with him. 

"It was burned."

"Was there more than one?"

"No," He tells me almost questioning. 

"Then they're not done yet."