Content warning: physical abuse.
Proceed with caution and stay safe lovelys.
...
Roger came home later than expected that day. He was drunk. Siobhan had managed to gather that he stayed out with some of his golfing buddies after their outing.
That was until, his mood completely flipped and he went on a rant about how "Siobhan was being controlling with all of her questions." She simply wanted to know what he had gotten up to, it helped her work out what to expect.
Something in roger snapped. He lunged at Siobhan who naturally fell to the floor to try and protect herself. But she smacked the back of her head on the cabinet behind her before roger landed a punch in her face.
She felt stuck. She couldn't catch her breath for a while and just sat there silently waiting for it to be over. She clutched her face trying to prevent any further damage. It took her a minute to realise that roger had stopped. He looked at her sternly.
"Get up let me see" he said. She complied straight away before taking her hand to the back of her head. It was dripping with blood and she could feel her eye swell
"I'm sorry" she whispered. She was ready to collapse. She was still in such a state of panic.
"Get in the car, you need to go to A&E" he remained cold. Usually he would be nice to her after he hit her. Maybe he was too drunk?
"Roger your drunk" Siobhan whispered.
"Are you seriously questioning my judgement?"
Siobhan sobered quickly from her panic and stopped herself from saying anything further. She noticed that she couldn't see in one eye and that she desperately needed to go to the hospital.
The drive was quick. When roger had parked the car he turned to her.
"What's your story?" He prompted. During the drive he had told her exactly what to say, word for word.
"Slipped in the shower" she responded coldly.
"Good girl" he said sliding his hand under her skirt. This made her skin crawl. He couldn't help himself from violating her even in a time like this.
"Off you go, don't be long" he said when he was satisfied from watching her squirm. She's not sure how he made it home without an accident.
She stumbled into A&E. The doctor she was met with immediately rushed her into a private room. They knew how it looked. She knew what it looked like. She told them "what happened."
"Well okay miss serpent, I'll send a nurse in to give you a work up." She nodded in response remaining completely stoic.
She laughed a bit to herself when the doctor had left. It was an uncomfortable laugh. She was purely disgusted by what had happened. She wasn't "behaving" and she should know better.
She wasn't sure what hospital she was at if she was being completely honest. She had just assumed it was the usual hospital she would wind up at after one of his outbursts.
"Alright I'm nurse- Siobhan??" She heard Vivian say as she walked in. Vivian immediately sat facing her and Siobhan met her gaze. She was genuinely worried.
"I'm okay" she smiled sadly. She couldn't maintain the facade Infront of Vivian. She collapsed and fell into her arms. Vivian felt tears burning her eyes at the sight of seeing her new-found friend in such distress. She wrapped her arms around the shaking girl and just held her for a while.
"You're okay my love" she coaxed while rubbing her back.
"Don't leave me here alone" Siobhan managed to make out. Viv's heart broke hearing the girl cry.
When Siobhan finished crying she sat up straight and looked at Viv. Well, as best as she could. Her left eye had completely swollen shut.
"I do need to give you a work up, it's going to be okay but I know your usually not one for physical touch" Viv said noticing the girls shift in attitude. "If at any point you need me to stop, just say the word" Siobhan had never been given that option before. She felt a little nervous.
"I'll start with the eye and then we will look at the head laceration and any other injuries you may have" Viv had switched to nurse mode now. She brought her hand to Siobhan's jawline, prompting her to look up at the light so she could get a better look.
Siobhan couldn't help but notice how gentle Viv was. Her fingers felt like silk against her skin. She felt safer being with her.
Viv was an efficient nurse. The work over went great. Viv was instructed by the doctor to clean the wounded eye and the head laceration before stitching the laceration. Siobhan refused to stop the process. She wanted to, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Previously, when she had said 'stop' he wouldn't listen.
"Can I leave?" Siobhan asked when her injuries were attended to. She had an eyepack on her eye and the x-rays came back as clean.
"We would like to keep you overnight for observations, you could have a concussion of sorts." Siobhan rolled her eyes at this. "Siobhan, what happened?" Viv had soften again.
"I slipped in the shower, please I need to go home" Siobhan was close to begging. She couldn't stand to be around Viv any longer. She knew the woman must have pieced things together by now, but she didn't want to have to confirm it.
"You'll have to sign a form saying your leaving against medical advice. And I would like it if you came back for a checkup in a few days. I want to know how it's all healing okay?" Viv went to pick up Siobhan's hand, Siobhan moved her hand away. She knew there was no intention behind it but she knew she wouldn't leave if she touches Vivian.
Siobhan agreed to the proposition. She didn't want to but she knew she had to rightfully. If she wanted to preserve herself she had to. If she agreed to stay for observation she knew roger would have problems with it.
"Here's my mobile" Viv said scribbling a number down on a piece of paper "put it in your mobile and call me if you need anything. I just want you to be safe." Vivian would rather Siobhan have her mobile, she knew private numbers were easy to track down through landline and didn't want to risk Siobhan being subject to anymore abuse.
"I'll see you Monday when you drop Jamie off" Siobhan said before leaving the room to sign the papers.
