And Peggy

30

"Maria what happened?" Her hair was messed up. Her uniform was ripped. She had a black eye and multiple bruises. Her lip was bleeding and she was covered in cuts and scratches. And she was crying.

"I-I told James I wanted to break up with him. And he started beating me. Someone saw him and called the police. They told me to go somewhere safe, so I came here."

I hugged her. She only wrapped her right arm around me. "Do you want me to get my mom?"

"Can you? I can't feel my arm and everything hurts."

"Okay, come inside."

I led her through the hall to the kitchen. She kept limping.

"Maria? What happened?" Angelica said running into the kitchen. Eliza followed her.

"She broke up with James. He did this, but someone called the police and arrested him."

"Oh my god that's terrible!" Eliza said.

"I'm going to get Mama. Angie, you stay here. Eliza, make sure the kids don't come in here because they will freak out especially Lia."

Eliza went and sat down on the couch and Angelica sat next to Maria. I ran up the stairs.

I knocked on the door eagerly. "Mama? I need you! It's an emergency!"

"Peggy? What's wrong? Why is there blood on you?"

"My friend, Maria, was abused by her ex boyfriend. He was arrested, but now she is here and in pain."

"Okay, I will be right down."

I ran back down the steps. "My mom will be right down, Maria." She now had an ice pack on her head and her hair was down.

My mom came down the steps with medical supplies. "Hi. I'm Catherine Schuyler. You must be Maria."

Maria shook her head.

"Okay now tell me what hurts exactly."

"Well the back of my head hurts and is bleeding. My whole face hurts. My right arm has a pretty deep cut. My right ankle really hurts. And I can't feel my left arm; it's like numb."

"Let me clean up your cuts first."

"Should Eliza and I bring the kids up to their rooms? I figured Peggy should stay to keep Maria company." Angie asked.

"That would be great, sweetie."

"Okay." Ang walked out to help Eliza.

My mom wrapped bandages around Maria's head and cleaned her minor cuts. Then, she put gauze and a bandage around her major cut.

"Now, can you walk on your ankle?"

"Yes, it just really hurts."

"Well, it's probably sprained, but you may need crutches."

"Well at least it isn't broken."