--Later at Lu's apartment--
"I was in counseling because I'm a survivor Lu."
"A domestic violence survivor?"
"Yes, and attempted rape survivor."
"So you are doing okay now?"
"I can still stay in touch with my old counselor by phone and e-mail, I have been considering getting one here."
"You said you grew up here."
"I'm from Long Island, New York."
"You are?"
"Yes, I ran away from my boyfriend of six years / 5 months."
"No one here has to know I won't say a word."
"I'm just glad I'm still alive. I was with a guy who was physically, mentally, verbally, emotionally and attempted sexually abusive."
"Here I am talking to you about my problems and you probably don't need that."
"Lu it's fine, that's my job."
" You have the hotline to call, and Mariska."
"Now me, you don't have anyone from back home or any other friends?"
"I couldn't stay in contact with anyone from home, I don't want anyone to know."
"But you work with Mariska?"
"I don't go to her office, we are friends and we talk in our homes or in resturants."
"Oh, God Mariska, I'm going to be late for my appointment with her."
"Want me to come with?"
"Sure we can go shopping after if you feel up to it."
--At Mariska's office--
"Lu what do you want to talk about today?"
"I just, I didn't fight him the whole time, I gave up trying because he wouldn't stop..."
"Lu it's okay."
"He was making demands and told me that I could make it easy or I could make it hard."
"He made demands?"
"Yeah, the more I fought him the more violent he got."
"What did he do?"
"I don't even want to go there..."
"Lu please tell me, or at least write about it."
"It's funny how I try to get my patients to open up to me and yet I feel I can't open up to you."
"Lu you can talk to me about anything."
--At Rittenhouse--
"Lana how is doctor Delgado's suicidal patient?"
"She has been reading a book most of the afternoon."
"I got her to open up to me, she told me she's an Alchwitz survivor."
"PTSD?"
"Check her chart."
"Thanks."
"She has had a long night, lots of nightmares."
"I'll go check on her."
"She has been asking for Lu all morning."
"Any word from Lu?"
"She'll be in later this afternoon."
"I need to see doctor Stowe right away please!"
"Doctor Stowe you have a patient out here."
"Leah what happened?"
"I think I broke my stomach."
"Leah you have got to get away from him."
"Doctor Stowe can you get me a pregnancy test?"
"Yeah, lets get you cleaned up after I take pictures."
"Pictures?"
"I need to take pictures of your injuries Leah."
"No."
"Leah please let me treat you, and we need to talk."
"Wait a darn minute where is Lu?"
"One moment."
"Lana this is Lu's patient."
"She needed urrgent care."
"Leah have you thought about going to a friend or relatives house to stay?"
"I don't have anywhere to go except maybe my friend Maureen's house."
"Do you talk to Lu about this Leah? You know she has chat room."
"Lu has confronted me about the abuse and I have been considering chat room."
"Leah just let me help you."
"Okay."
--Back at Mariska's office--
"My mother died when I was sixteen, she had breast cancer."
"And your father?"
"I haven't seen him since I was real little."
"Lu how did you deal with your mothers death on top of being raped and ending up pregnant?"
"Well it wasn't easy, I just did what I had to do. My first job was a cock tail waitress."
"At least now you are a doctor and you started a women's health clinic."
"All I have is Marc and my work."
"You are so strong Lu."
"Bill would always tell me we can do this the easy way or the hard way, like I had a choice."
"When I was alone with him I didn't it just depended on how much pain and blood I was able to take that time."
"What did he do?"
Sighs "He was very jealous and possessive of me. Sometimes he was even nice. Bill could be a barrel of
laughs if it was a good day. It was so easy in the beginning, he didn't use to be that way mean / violent.
Then one day he changed, as if over night."
"Lu we have to wrap up now, I'll see you next week."
"Okay thanks."