Carter's Confrontation
"It's nothing"
"It's not
nothing, Abby, you have bruises up and down your body!"
"I
SAID IT'S NOTHING! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE! PLEASE, LEAVE ME
ALONE"
Abby started sobbing and ran away, out the door, and down
the street, struggling to get her shirt on. Susan, shocked from
everything she was learning, decided not to chase her. Instead she
sat down and sighed, trying to figure out what to do. 3 minutes later
Susan stood up and started walking over to Abby's apartment, just 3
blocks down the road.
"Abby, open the door. Please, it's
Susan just open the door!"
Abby didn't respond. Once again,
Susan's pager went off. She had forgotten that she was working.
Susan hesitated to leave, but figured she's been beaten by Abby for
now. She raced over to the hospital to find out what the emergency
was.
"Kerry was asking where you were for the past 45 minutes.
Sorry I had to interrupt you, but I thought you would want to keep
your job."
"Thanks Sam. It's fine, I found Abby. She ran
away from me and won't come out."
"Is she ok?"
"Not
really. I found her at an abortion clinic. And she had bruises all
over her body. I'm worried about her, but she won't let me help
her."
"Who do you think did it?"
"I have no idea. I
don't think it would be Jake, but I really have no idea."
"But,
my God, she was at an abortion clinic?"
Carter walked over just
in time to hear Sam's remark.
"Who was?" Carter
asked.
Susan, without thinking that maybe Abby didn't want her
secret spilled, quickly responded "Abby."
"Are you
serious?"
"Yea, she doesn't want Jake to know though. So
don't tell him, ok guys?"
Carter was astonished. He continued
on his rounds and, within 20 minutes, spotted Jake. He stormed over
to Jake.
"How could you do that?"
Jake, confused, asked "Do
what?"
"Did you make her do it? Did you get scared that you'd
get in trouble? Did you decide you weren't ready? Or did you just
decide you don't love her?"
"What are you talking about?
Love who? Abby?"
"Yes, Abby!"
"I really don't know
what you're talking about."
"If you love her, then great,
you can have her. But don't go making her have an abortion. If you
love her, then show it."
"Abby's pregnant?"
"Not
anymore!"
"What! You mean she had an abortion?"
"You
mean you didn't know about this?"
"No I didn't know! …
um I have to go… I'll see you tomorrow."
Jake in a
fear-stricken moment ran out of the hospital into the ambulance bay
and threw up. After recollecting himself, he picked up his phone and
called Abby. She didn't pick up. He tried her cell phone. The sound
of Abby's crying voice was now on the other line.
"Abby?"
She
didn't respond, but he could hear her crying.
"Sweetie… you
had an abortion?"
Abby stopped crying with a huge gasp. Is it
a dream? Or does he really know?
Abby hung up the phone
instantly.
"Sweetie? Are you there? Abby?"
No one was on
the other line.
Abby fell back against the wall of the public
bathroom stall she's sitting in. She looked around as if looking
for an escape. Instead she just dug her eyes into her knees and
wept.
