Chapter 49

Billie had spent a surprisingly restful night. Well, okay, maybe it wasn’t so surprising, given the hefty dose of pain meds the nurse had hit her with after Jay and Kadie had left. This morning, though, she had to suffer the ignominy of a bed bath – the nurses relented enough to help her hobble painfully into the bathroom to answer nature’s demand, but they stayed right outside the part-open door in a compromise between dignity and hospital policy. She’d been sternly warned over the potential consequences of any kind of straining, but relief was all she felt as she was at least able – and permitted – to pee unaided.

Doctor Riviello stopped in to see her, vastly relieved to find her already apparently on the road to recovery, and now that she was lucid once more he made the time to sit with her to explain in detail the extent of damage she’d sustained, and also the measures they’d taken to repair what had been done. After telling her carefully that he had no real reason to expect any lasting problems – once her body had healed – he hesitated a moment before telling her that he had, as his usual practice, collected a rape kit, so if she did want to press charges on her attacker – assuming she knew who.....

“Damned right I want to press charges.” Billie interrupted, then paused, unsure of the usual procedures. “But I need to make sure a few....things.....are okay first. Would the police go see him straight away, or.....?”

“They always take into account the wishes of the person who’s bringing charges.” He replied, carefully avoiding use of the word ‘victim’. “So if you asked them to wait a day or so, I’m sure they would.”

“Okay.” Billie swallowed hard at the thought of having to tell the story, but she wanted to see Nick made to answer for what he’d done to her. Okay, not entirely accurate. She wanted to see him tied down, castrated slowly and then left to bleed. Maybe while receiving the same kind of treatment he’d given her. But made to answer in the courts would have to do. She did, though, want to make sure Jon’s family were aware of Jay, and prepared for the news before it hit the media – and even without the connection to Jon being known yet, the fact of her son being a rising star on the Soul roster pretty much guaranteed media interest. And, of course, when Nick was picked up, Billie knew very well he’d not stay quiet.

“Okay.” She said again. “In that case, can you do......whatever it is you need to do to have the police come see me?”

“Of course.” He replied instantly, actually relieved that she was going to bring charges, since he’d patched up too many women – and a few men – who’d been assaulted, only to have them refuse to bring charges. The male patients were particularly reluctant to even admit they’d been raped. “I’ll make a call, and they’ll probably be out later today, while your memory is still fresh.”

“Thank you, Doctor Riviello.” Billie said sincerely, and he smiled, laying his hand over hers.

“It’s why I’m here, Billie. I hate that we had to meet this way, but I’m glad you’re going to make the bastard pay.” He looked at her seriously. “You know he nearly killed you, don’t you? If your friend hadn’t stopped by to see you.....”

“I know.” She whispered. “I remember Richie holding me, then everything faded away. Next I knew, I was here.”

“Well, as I told you, your heart stopped a few times, just from the blood loss. You probably owe him your life.” Riviello smiled. “And, from what I heard from the paramedics, he even made a half-decent nursing assistant on the way here.”

“I owe him a lot.” Billie agreed, then their quiet conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door.

“Yes?” Riviello called, not unduly bothered by the interruption, since the delicate portion of their conversation was over.

The door opened, then a massive bouquet of flowers entered. Billie assumed somebody was carrying them, but all she could see was the riotously colored blooms.

“I got flowers here for Ms Billie Kelsall?” Came a male voice from behind the bouquet.

“Wow.” Riviello murmured, hoping that they weren’t some kind of peace offering from Billie’s attacker.

“Uh, yeah.” Billie muttered, wondering who in the hell would send her such an enormous amount of flowers. Jay, she was sure, would bring flowers, not have them delivered. So who? Richie? Jon?

The delivery guy hesitated, then laid them on a table over by the wall, out of the way but still in full view of the patient. Practised in delivering to the hospital, he plucked the small card from the flowers and brought it to the bed, handing it to Billie.

“Thanks.” She said, opening the envelope carefully.

The little card – no doubt written by someone in the flower shop – said ‘To Billie. We heard you had an accident and hope you feel better real soon. And when you do, get down here to Wachovia so we can give you another group hug. Love from the Philadelphia Soul.’

“That’s so sweet.” She murmured, then caught the doctor’s questioning glance and offered him the card to read. “They’re from my son’s football team.”

In the early afternoon, after a hospital meal that was best forgotten, Billie was flipping through a magazine when the room door opened. When she raised her head, she smiled at Kadie as she walked in carrying a bag of cookies.

“You’re an angel.” She grinned as the younger woman raised her other hand to show the oversized takeout cup from a coffee shop down the street.

“I figured you could probably use some decent coffee.” Kadie smiled, her professional side reassured by Billie’s appearance. “You look much better!”

“I feel much better.” Billie agreed, taking the offered cup and having a long sip before looking at Kadie in confusion. “Okay, how did you know how I like my coffee?”

“I called Jay from the coffee shop. He’s just in town, then he’s coming to visit. I’d just left work and figured I’d stop in on my way.”

“And how was work?” Billie asked, not only to make conversation, but genuinely interested. It had occurred to her earlier that this girl knew most of the secrets and sins of her life, yet Billie knew very little of Kadie’s. Also, there were shadows in the younger woman’s eyes today. Shadows that weren’t there last night.

“Work was.....” Kadie looked at Billie, seeing the patient expression, and she sighed heavily. “Work was hard. I lost one of my patients this morning. I mean, he was elderly, and he wasn’t really expected to make it, but even so.....”

“I certainly couldn’t do your job.” Billie smiled, then sought to distract Kadie from her melancholy, pointing toward the table. “Look what the guys from Jay’s team sent me.”

“Those are gorgeous.” Kadie walked over to take a closer look, then came back to the bedside, sitting down in the chair. “Guess that’s why Mike called last night.” At Billie’s questioning frown, she explained a little further. “Mike Brown? He called Jay last night just after we went to bed, to ask what room you were in.”

“How did he know I was in here?” God, surely Nick hasn’t been bragging about this. Surely he wouldn’t?

“Jay told him. Well, told him you’d been hurt – I’m not sure exactly what he told him happened.”

“Oh.” Billie murmured, popping the lid off her coffee to drink from it more easily.

Kadie got to her feet again. “Okay if I use your bathroom a minute?” She asked, gesturing at the scrubs she still wore. “I was running a little late, and wanted to be here to see Jay. Oh, and you, of course!” She added hastily, but Billie just grinned at her.

“I’m glad you have your priorities straight.” She told Kadie. “Seriously. So go freshen up before he gets here!”

Smiling, relieved that Billie wasn’t one of those mothers who resented any woman in their son’s life just on principle, Kadie headed into the bathroom. She couldn’t do much about her outfit, but she could at least fix her hair from the tight ponytail into something a little bit more inviting. But, first things first. She really needed to pee!

Billie took another sip of coffee before laying her head back, gathering her strength for the next visit from the son she’d betrayed for so long. The soft sound of the door opening roused her, and she lifted her head with an automatic smile that faded as soon as she saw it wasn’t Jay in the doorway.

It was Nick.