"Your husband called me," Dr. Lerner said. He's been looking for you. He knows you were taken from the hotel last night in an ambulance. He wants to know if I'm attending you. I told him I didn't know where you were, but I suspect he'll be over here nosing around before too long."
"He can go rot. Just don't let him find me."
"He'll find you. He's a board member of this hospital. He'll pull rank on somebody to get the information. He's a powerful, violent man. You know he probably will never change. Rickie, you've got to keep in mind you have a right to live a life that is free of violence and abuse."
"I don't want to get Hershey in trouble. That'll only make things worse for me. I'll be like Nicole Simpson. With nobody believing me but my best friend. Go home, Doctor, you don't have to waste your Saturday night because of me."
Rickie, elevated in bed for the first time, felt a little woozy, experiencing at the same time a loss of courage when Dr. Lerner dropped in as predicted, briskly clearing Jesse Edwin and his AA sponsor Shank from the room before point blank starting in on her about the circumstances surrounding Rickie's being used as a punching bag by Hirschfeld, the end result of which nearly took her life, and did in fact claim the life of her unborn child.
"Nobody here thinks you're making it up," Lerner said. Lerner, a slim, crisp, efficient woman with a surgeon's direct demeanor, did not appear shocked or amazed by Rickie's situation. If anything, Lerner came across somewhat dry and matter-of-fact about the whole thing, as though the disposal from one's life of a battering husband was a matter no more complicated than taking out a sack of trash from the kitchen.
"You're a United States citizen, Rickie," Lerner continued. "You're entitled to be protected by law. So was your baby. Your son thinks we should notify the police. If he does, they'll be coming by later to ask you if you want to file charges. I think you should tell them yes. If you don't have the courage to do that, then at the very minimum you must find yourself a safe place. I can recommend a good shelter."
"We're not notifying the cops. Hershey has powerful lawyers. They’ll tell the court I'm a foolish, hysterical female. Another thing, Hershey controls all our assets. We married five years ago, and he's kept everything in his name--the house, the cars, and the stock portfolio. All I've got to my name is a Platinum Visa. He even controls that. If I threaten him, he could well leave me penniless, at least temporarily! No, I won't be filing charges. I don't want to go to a shelter. The thought of being in a place like that with those kind of women scares me. What I probably will do is stay with my friend Judy for awhile until things blow over."
Lerner made a notation on her chart. "Finances are the least of your problem. You need to get your priorities straight. Staying alive is the first priority. You should find shelter. It's time you realized you are one of those kind of women. I'm keeping you here for a few days. I want you to get some rest and think about what I'm saying."
"Thank you Doctor. You saved my life."
"Your son's quick action saved you. We were lucky this time. Next time, we may not be. I'm recommending you work with a counselor. If you don't already have one, I'll refer you to somebody who's good. We have a woman we work with who specializes in women's issues."
"I don't need a shrink."
"You're in a crisis, and you don't even realize it. That's why you need to talk to a counselor. You have to make a decision. You have to decide whether or not you want to live or die. Why don't you simply look at working with a therapist as a way to help yourself make that decision?"
"If only it were that simple. You know, Doctor, my husband, when I first met him, was a handsome man. He was funny and charming and rich. He's a respected member of the film community. He's also a beast, capable of beating me to death. I keep thinking there must be some way to help him return to his old self."
"You need to help yourself first. There's something else you might consider. Has it ever occurred to you Hirschfeld's safety is also at stake?"
"What do you mean?"
"The man contributed to the miscarriage of your unborn child and nearly killed you. Whether you want to admit it or not, you've got a strong case of rage going down deep inside you. It's possible you might wind up out of control."
"Out of control? What are you talking about?"
"Get the big picture, Rickie. Did it never occur to you it's highly possible you might wind up killing him?"
"That could never happen. I was raised Catholic. I don't believe in killing."
Lerner sniffed and raised a doubtful brow. "I can give you the names of a number of women currently serving hard time who could prove you wrong. I'm sure we can find a good Catholic among them."
"I’m not capable of hurting anybody."
"Neither were they until the moment arose. I'm scheduling you for a walk down the hall in a few minutes. It's time to get you up and get you moving."
"Dr. Lerner! It's too soon!"
Lerner regarded her intently for a moment. "Sorry, Rickie. I appreciate your frustration, but we need to get you moving to avoid the risk of blood clots forming in your legs. For the moment, try to calm down."
"If only it were possible," Rickie replied. "If only it were."