"Samantha," I said, holding both her shoulders and looking in her eyes. "Remember what you told Doc this afternoon about how your mom died?"
She nodded. Jenna looked like she wanted to ask what I was talking about, but held her tongue.
"Officer Davis wants to come talk to you about that. You're not in any trouble, I promise. But your dad might be in even more trouble than he already is. Jenna and I can stay here with you. But you have to tell Officer Davis about what happened."
"I thought anything I said to the doctor, he couldn't tell anyone! HE LIED TO ME! YOU LIED TO ME!!"
I could see the rage in her eyes. I tightened my grip on her, ready for her to try to bolt.
"Samantha, we did not lie to you. Do you remember Doc telling you that if anything you told him put you or others at risk, he'd have to report it?"
"YOU LIED! YOU SAID HE COULDN'T TELL ANYONE!!"
I pulled Samantha close to me, turned her around and got ready to hold her the way I had the other day. I really hoped she wouldn't get to that point.
"Samantha, it's okay. I know you're mad, and maybe a little scared about having to tell that story again, but it's important. If you tell Officer Davis the story again, he can make sure your dad pays for what he did, and he can never hurt you again. Ever."
She struggled against me, as if ready to bolt. Jenna came and sat near her as well, and put her hand on Samantha's leg. Samantha tried to kick. I put my legs over hers.
"Samantha, you need to calm down. Please. This is important."
She was shaking and crying.
"I can't tell him again. My dad will find out. And then he'll definitely kill me. For real!"
She was quieter. Not screaming like she had been a second ago.
"Can I tell you a secret?" I said, calmly.
Samantha nodded. She wasn't fighting as hard.
"I'm scared, too." I said.
She stopped struggling entirely. Jenna nodded at me. I took that to mean the fire was out of her eyes and she wouldn't bolt. I let go of her legs. She looked up at me.
"Why are you scared?" She asked.
"Because I've heard the story once already. And you were so brave telling it. But I'm scared that you having to tell it again might be scarier for you. And the story made me really sad. We've come to love you so much, we don't want to see you hurt.
But, Samantha, it's very important that you tell Officer Davis exactly what you told Doc today. And I promise Jenna and I will be beside you the whole time. You can hang on to me like you did in Doc's office."
"I don't want to." She said.
"I know sweetheart. But if you do, your dad will finally pay for what he did. And your mom will get the justice she deserves. You can make it right."
"Okay," she said. "But after this, can I never have to tell it again?"
"I honestly don't know sweetheart. If your dad has to go to trial, you might have to tell it one more time."
"I'd have to go to court? Where he can see me? Where he could get to me?"
"I don't know. But maybe you could do a video and not have to go into the court. But we can't worry about that until we know for sure. Okay?"
She nodded.
The doorbell rang and Jenna went to answer it. Officer Davis came in with another man.
"I'll make coffee," she said.
The officers came into the living room.
"Hello again, Samantha," Officer Davis said to her, sitting on our coffee table and looking at Samantha. "This is Detective Rose. He's going to take notes, and maybe ask you some questions about the night your mom died. I know it's a hard story to tell, but I'd love if you could tell us everything you told the doctor."
"Everything?" Samantha asked, stiffening.
"Just about the night your mom died. Anything else you talked to the doctor about is between you and him. But we want to know about the night your mon died, because it could mean that your dad will finally be held accountable and you will be able to grow up and be safe. And healthy."
"Okay. But if this goes to court, can I tell the story on video and not in the courtroom where my dad would be able to see me and maybe hurt me?"
Samantha seemed so much younger than her 13 years right now. I was torn up by how emotionally stunted her father had made her.
"Well, we'll have to see what you have to say, and if we do take your dad back to court about it, we'll see what we can do, okay?"
She nodded.
Jenna came in with a pot of coffee, some cookies, and mugs on a tray. She handed Samantha her test kit.
"Check your blood sugar, sweetie. It's been a while since dinner, and you've been a little stressed."
Samantha looked at the detective and Officer Davis.
"Go ahead," he said.
"Tyler," she said.
"Yep?"
"Umm, can you let go of my arms so I can test?"
"Oh. Sorry honey." I said, releasing her from the hold.
"I take it we had a bit of an incident?" Davis asked.
"You could say that," I said. "But we're okay. She'll be okay."
Samantha showed me her monitor. 100.
"Is that good?" I asked.
"Not bad for after eating. A bit high but not out of range," she said and looked at Jenna. "Could I have a glass of water? Please?"
"Sure sweetie," Jenna said going back into the kitchen and bringing Samantha a glass of water.
"Okay now, Samantha, you mentioned to Dr Freud that your mom was shot. Can you tell me what happened?"
Samantha wrapped her arms around my left arm again and pressed her body against mine. She recounted the whole, painful story. I watched Jenna's face as Samantha recalled every terrifying and gory detail. She went white and tears filled her eyes as she heard what Samantha had witnessed the night her mother died.
Davis and the detective asked some questions that were hard to hear the answers to. Samantha got tearful and started crying.
"Do you have enough?" I asked. "She's had to relive it twice today now."
I tried to pry my arm back so I could wrap my arms around Samantha. Jenna moved closer to us and rubbed Samantha's back as she wrapped her arms around my torso and clung on to me, crying hard. I had my arm around her thin shoulders.
"I think we do. Based on the case notes, Samantha's story answers some questions that were left unanswered in the initial investigation." Davis said.
"Samantha," Davis said to her. She looked up.
"Thank you. I know how hard that was. You did a great job."
She didn't say anything.
YOU ARE READING
Running on Insulin
FanfictionSamantha's life had never been easy. Her abusive father was the only family she had left. Her mom had died when Sam was just a kid, and when she was eight, Sam had been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. The healthcare costs enraged her father and made...
