Date: Fri, 23 Sep 2005 18:47:48 -0400 (EDT) From: "bgold49@myway.com" Subject: Chapter 8 Choices - Respect Respect Donal/Gold Beth popped out the gym door, looking for her lover, Sally, in her usual spot. When she wasn't there, Beth started looking around. ***** She spotted Sally over by the bleachers, surrounded by four boys. One of the boys pushed Sally in the back, into another boy. He pushed her towards another boy. Beth leaned back in the gym door, "Somebody call `911'. Sally's being attacked!" She dropped her stuff and took off running. As Beth got closer, she heard one of the boys say, "Let a real man teach you about sex. When we're done, you won't be a lesbo anymore." He reached out, grabbed the front of Sally's blouse, and pulled. Beth heard the material tear. Another boy reached under her skirt from behind. She reached the group just as Sally was pushed to the ground. Beth kicked one of the boys in the knee and heard a satisfying `crack'. He dropped to the ground with a scream, clutching his leg. Continuing the movement, Beth dove over Sally, wrapped her arms around Sally's waist, and rolled them both out of the circle. Beth popped up, "Sally, get behind me," and faced the other three. She felt Sally against the back of her legs. "Well, well. The other lesbo wants to play. You'll regret hurting Jimmy." They spread out as if to come at Beth from three sides. Beth snarled, "Someone is calling the cops as we speak and they should be here soon. If you value your precious privates, I would leave now. If we continue to play, you might end up as girls." Sirens were just barely audible, "Big talk, Little Girl. Let's see if you can back it up." Beth's foot snapped out in a front kick. She caught one of the boys squarely in the crotch, who dropped with a scream. Pivoting without stopping, Beth hit one of the remaining boys across the cheek, spinning him around. Beth rounded on the last attacker. He looked at his three friends on the ground and the horde of people boiling out of the gym. Deciding that he didn't want to stay, he turned and ran off across the soccer field. Some of the people coming from the gym peeled off to follow him. Sirens were louder now. Beth looked for Sally, who was rolled up in a ball at her feet. Reaching down, she brushed Sally's shoulder, who screamed and tried to roll away. Beth caught her and hugged her, "Baby, it's me. You're in no danger. They're taken care of." Sally's eyes flashed open. She wrapped her arms around Beth's neck, her legs around Beth's waist, and buried her face in Beth's shoulder, sobbing. ***** Surrounded by police, EMT's, coaches, students, and staff, Beth sat on the ground. She cradled Sally's head with one hand and ran the other one up and down Sally's back, "Shhhh, Baby. You're Ok." They loaded the injured boys onto stretchers and handcuffed the other one. Officers circulated, trying to determine what happened. "Can someone lend me a cell phone?" An EMT approached Beth and Sally. He lightly brushed Sally's shoulder, who twisted away and tightened her hold on Beth. "Give me a minute, Ok?" The EMT nodded and stepped away. Beth squeezed Sally briefly, "You have to let them look at you, Baby." Beth heard a muffled, "No. I'm Ok," coming from her neck. "I'm not going anywhere. You don't even have to move, just sit back a little. I'm going to call home while they check you out so your mom and dad can meet us at the hospital." Sally's head flew up, "Hospital? Why?" "I saw what they did to you before I hit the first one. I'm sure your parents will want you checked out to be sure." "You'll go with me?" "Of course. I'll go with you in the ambulance and stay with you `til your parents arrive. Can they go ahead?" Sally stared at Beth with wide eyes. "Yes," she whispered. Beth motioned the EMT over. He moved slowly and carefully. Even so, Sally flinched the first couple of times he touched her. Beth flipped open the cell phone while the EMT worked. Dialing Sally's home number, she waited. "Hello?" "Stephanie? It's Beth. Are either of your parents home?" "No. Dad had a meeting and Mom's still at work." "I need you to get hold of both of them for me." "Why?" "Sally was attacked while she was waiting for me after practice." Beth heard Sally's sister gasp, "She's Ok. The police are here and the EMTs are checking her out now. They need to meet us at the hospital. I don't know if they're going to keep her overnight, but you should bring along a change of clothes." "Thanks, Beth." "No problem, Squirt." Hanging up on Stephanie, Beth dialed her home, "Mom, it's me. I'm going to be a little late. Sally was attacked while she waited for me after practice." Waiting a moment, "Sally's Ok, but we're about to go to the hospital. I took down three bad guys before the police got here." After a moment more, "I just talked to Sally's sister who's going to call her mom and dad. I'll call if I need you. Thanks, Mom. I love you too." Beth closed the cell phone to find the EMT waiting beside a stretcher. Sally was resting her head on Beth's shoulder. Handing off the phone, she gently raised Sally's face, "You need to lay down on the stretcher, Baby." Sally's arms and legs convulsively tightened around Beth. It was a few seconds before she could talk again, "It's for your safety. I promise you that I'll be right beside you all the way." Sally didn't say anything, just relaxed a bit. Beth got up and laid her scared lover on the stretcher. The EMT covered her with a sheet and strapped her down. Beth held Sally's hand as they walked to the ambulance. A teammate ran up and told Beth that hers and Sally's bags had been put in the ambulance and everyone hoped Sally was Ok. Beth thanked her. ***** A female doctor met them as the EMTs unloaded Sally, "Give me the bullet." "Patient was assaulted, probable attempted rape. No penetration observed." He relayed Sally's blood pressure and respirations. They were walking down a hallway as they talked. The doctor pointed, "Curtain 1." Stopping beside an empty bed, they helped Sally across, while the doctor pulled the curtain around them. One EMT gathered up their equipment while the other one got the doctor's signature. Turning to the bed, the doctor looked down at the two young girls holding hands, "Good afternoon, Ladies. My name is Dr. Black. What are yours?" Beth spoke first, "I'm Beth Wilson." Sally was very quiet, "Sally Ryder." Dr. Black took in the torn and disheveled nature of Sally's clothes, "Sally, can you tell me what happened?" Sally shook her head and squeezed Beth's hand to the point of eliciting a yelp from her. A nurse slid past the curtain and whispered in the doctor's ear, "That's fine, Julie. Tell them to wait and come back in here." Turning to the girls, "The police are here and waiting to talk to both of you." The nurse reappeared and waited as Beth started to tell what she'd seen. Dr. Black approached the bed and slipped the stethoscope into her ears, "Sally, may I listen to your heart?" Sally looked at Beth and nodded. The doctor moved the horn around Sally's chest, "Can you sit up for me?" Sally inched up and Doctor Black slid her hand under Sally's blouse. After checking a few places, "Thank you, Sally. You may sit back now." The doctor also checked Sally's eyes and reflexes. Someone spoke to the nurse by the curtain who relayed the message to the doctor, "Sally, your parents are here. Would you be more comfortable if you changed out of those torn clothes?" Sally looked at Beth, "I told Stephanie to bring you some new clothes. It probably would help Dr. Black, too." "Ok." Dr. Black held out a hospital gown, "Why don't you put this on `til we're done? That way, your clean clothes won't get messed up." "Ok." "We'll leave you alone to change while I talk to your parents. I'll bring them back in a few minutes." ***** Beth stood beside Sally, "Need some help?" Sally held up her hands, her shaking hands, "I think so." "No problem." Beth started by unbuttoning Sally's blouse. Shaking out the gown, Beth draped it over Sally's shoulders, "Don't try to help me. We don't want to make anything worse." "Ok." Beth slid the torn blouse down Sally's shoulders and set it aside. She unhooked Sally's bra and set it aside too. Helping Sally get her arms into the gown, Beth reached for Sally's waist. Not wanting to embarrass her, Beth continued to look Sally in the eye as she drew down her skirt and panties. Slipping her sneakers off, Beth helped Sally get under the sheet. Bending down to kiss her, Sally turned her head so Beth only kissed her cheek. "Are you Ok?" "Still shook up." "Are you going to be able to tell them what happened?" "I don't know." "Look, I took three of the bastards down and I think I know who the fourth was, but they need you to make sure they pay." "What if I was at fault?" Beth took Sally's face in her hands and looked her in the eye, "I won't believe that, ever. Nothing justifies what they did." Sally smiled wanly. "Listen to me. I...Love...You. I'm not going anywhere and we'll get through this together." Beth kissed Sally this time. "Do you think the doctor is done?" "Probably not. You know she'll want to look at your thighs and take an X-ray to check your ribs." "I guess?!" They both heard someone say, "Are you decent in there?" "I'm fine, Mom. You can come in." Sally's mom, dad, and sister appeared past the curtain with Doctor Black. Sally's mom kissed her on the cheek. Beth leaned over and whispered in Sally's ear, "I'm going to talk to the police. Be back in a few minutes. Ok?" Sally nodded. ***** Beth found the waiting officers and identified herself. She walked them through what she'd done and what she'd seen. The officers told her that the fourth boy had escaped. Beth told them who she thought it was. They thanked her and wished that Sally would be all right. ***** Inside the curtain, "Sally, I need to check the inside of your thighs. Is that Ok? I promise to try not to hurt you." Sally only nodded. The nurse held up a sheet to separate Sally and her family from what the doctor was doing. Doctor Black folded back the bed sheet and eased Sally's gown up. She saw the beginnings of some bruises and some inflammation around Sally's pussy and anus, like one of the boys had tried to insert his finger. Dr. Black pulled Sally's gown down and replaced her bed sheet. Beth stood beside the bed, holding Sally's hand again, "The police are ready for you. Can you talk to them?" Sally just nodded. "I'm going to schedule you for an x-ray as soon as they're done. If that's Ok, we'll probably send you home." Sally's dad held her hand briefly, "We'll leave you alone." ***** The police came in as everyone else was leaving. "Ms. Ryder, we're sorry you got hurt. We know it's difficult, but we need you to tell us what happened today." Sally squeezed Beth's hand and swallowed. She told the police how the boys had surprised her outside the gym and pulled her towards the bleachers. She continued with the boys pushing her around and tearing her clothes. When she felt a pain between her legs, she closed her eyes. She kept them closed until Beth said it was Ok and hugged her. ***** Sally's parents were talking to Dr. Black, "How is she, Doctor?" "I think she'll be fine. I think she was just bruised and scratched. Her friend's arrival probably kept her from being injured worse." "What kind of follow-up will you recommend?" "I want to see her in my office in a few days to be sure she's healing properly." "Do you advise she see a counselor?" "That's up to her. A lot of love and support from her family and friends may be all she needs. I'll give you a name in case she wants to talk to someone." "Thank you, Doctor." ***** Everyone was standing around, talking about inconsequentials, trying not to talk about what had happened. Dr. Black brushed past the curtain, holding an x-ray on one hand. "Good news! The x-ray is clear. There's no evidence of broken ribs." "That's good. That means we can take Sally home?" "Right. If Sally wants to get changed, I'll get the discharge paperwork started." Beth helped Sally slip into the shorts and t-shirt that Stephanie had brought. An orderly brought in a wheelchair and helped Sally into it. Beth picked up her book and gymbags and handed Sally her bookbag. They stopped at the nurse's station to sign Sally out. Dr. Black took Sally's hand, "It was good to meet you, Sally. I'm just sorry it had to be under these circumstances. You may hurt for a few days, but be sure to let someone know if it gets worse or feels different. You have an appointment to see me next week to make sure things are healing properly. Ok?" "Thank you, Dr. Black." ***** Beth called home when they got to Sally's place, "Mom, it's me. We're at Sally's." She was quiet for a moment, "I'm going to keep Sally company tonight." After a moment more, "That's Ok. I have clothes here and I'll be sure to stop by home tomorrow. Thanks, Mom. Tell Dad I love him." Sally was finishing a grilled cheese sandwich when Beth draped her arms over Sally's shoulders and kissed the top of her head. "Feel like doing anything?" "No. I think I just want to go to bed." "That's fine." Beth followed Sally up to her room. Sally sat on the edge of her bed while Beth put a cd in the player. Sally spooned up to Beth, who pulled the covers over them. Drawing Sally close, Beth leaned over her ear, "You're safe, Baby. Go to sleep." Very softly, Beth heard, "I love you." "I love you too." Beth woke when Sally started screaming and thrashing about. She tightened her arms around Sally and used her legs to keep Sally from throwing herself off the bed. Beth's sight blurred when the back of Sally's head met the bridge of her nose. Sally's mom and dad rushed in, "What's wrong?" "I think she's having a nightmare." Sally's mom took her by the shoulders, "Honey, wake up." "Hungh, Mom?" Beth released her hold when Sally roused. "You were having a bad dream, Sweetheart." "Yea, I thought I was being attacked again. I was trying to fight back. I think I even head-butted one." >From behind her came Beth's voice, "Yea, me." Sally whirled around, "Ohmygod! Beth! I'm so sorry. Are you hurt?" "I think I'll live. It may take a while before my nose forgives you, but I'll live." Sally's mom asked, "Do you think you can go back to sleep?" "I'll try." Sally tucked herself into Beth's chest and closed her eyes. Sally's dad pulled up the covers and kissed each of the girls on the cheek. ***** It took a while before Sally didn't flinch at shadows. She started going into the locker room with Beth after practices and games. She did a couple of sessions with the counselor Dr. Black recommended and it seemed to help. When she heard Sally insult her sister, Stephanie, Beth knew things were back to normal.