“What do we need to do?”Tania said, turning around to face Taylynn.
“I need to take pictures of every bruise he left.”Tania pulled a phone from the pocket of the oversized flannel shirt she wore open over a t-shirt.“Let’s start with those we can see with your clothes in place.Here, stand in front of the door so there’s nothing to distract from your injuries.”She used a gentle hand on Tania’s arm to get them to trade positions.
After the other woman took photos of her black eye and the marks on her neck that Tania was sure Smokey hadn’t spotted, though she knew Raven had seen them.
“Now we need to look at the ones under your clothes.Would you be more comfortable if I got one or two of the other old ladies to join us?”
Tania shook her head.It was bad enough that this woman saw what she’d let happen to her.She didn’t want to humiliate herself further.
“No problem.Are you wearing anything under your sweater?”
“A-a camisole.”
“That’s fine.That will keep everything important covered for now.Do you need help getting your sweater off?”
“No.I can get it.”Tania felt stupid enough having let this happen to her, she didn’t want the added humiliation of not being able to dress herself.Moving slowly because of her sore ribs, she pulled her arms out of the sleeves, then lifted the sweater off over her head.
“I know you haven’t been here long but you’ve obviously known Smokey for a while.Did he tell you how I got to be here?”Taylynn asked.Tania wasn’t sure if she was being friendly or talking to distract her from what they were doing.She didn’t care, but was grateful for the distraction.
“No, I don’t think so.I haven’t really seen Smokey in over a year.”Or at least she hadn’t been close enough to speak to him.She’d seen him several times, across the street while she sat at a traffic light and across the room at some event Rod had insisted she attend.But she hadn’t seen or talked to him, even for a moment, since her wedding.And it had been even longer since they’d had a meaningful conversation.
“Then you likely haven’t heard.I don’t know how much of the story has made it around town, or how accurate the tale may be.”Taylynn took her sweater and laid it on the bed before turning back to her.“The Fallen Angels found me naked, beaten, and nearly dead on the side of the road.”She took pictures of the bruises that went from her neck down to her shoulders.The multiple bruises on her arms, then stepped back.“Okay, camisole off, leave your bra on, at least for now.
Tania worked her way out of the snug top, then tossed it to the bed with her sweater without bothering to hand it off to Taylynn.
“Oh, he did a number on your ribs.”Taylynn directed her on how to stand so they could get the best pictures.“When I first got here, I was bruised head to toe.I had broken bones and there was nowhere I didn’t hurt.I’d been through things I couldn’t wish on anyone, ever.There were no other women here then, at least not anyone other than the mamas, and they’re not exactly the nursemaid kind, if you get what I mean.”She repositioned Tania so she could get pictures of the bruises on her back.She continued talking as snapped photos.“Raven barely left my side for days and when he did, he made sure I wasn’t alone.As I healed, they all looked after me.Most of the men treated me like a little sister.Someone to take care of, but that they would never hurt and they all jumped to make sure I wasn’t hurt again.”
She turned Tania to face her once more.“Lift the edge of your bra right here.”Gentle fingers brushed across the skin of her ribs, right over where Rod had kicked her.“Just one more,” Taylynn said after a moment.“At least on the top half.Then I’ll grab you a shirt and we’ll look at your legs.This is easier if you’re at least partially dressed.Now show me your back and unhook your bra.I don’t know how you can stand to wear it.Those bruises look excruciating.”
“It wasn’t easy.But I had to go get diapers and a formula.I couldn’t let Carter suffer because I screwed up.”
“I understand that but you don’t have to do it all now.You’re with the Angels and we’ll do everything we can to help.”She snapped a couple of pictures then Tania heard a drawer slide open.“Here.put this on.Lose the bra.No one around here will say anything, and if they do, come to me and I’ll put them in their place.Or I’m sure Smokey will take care of them.”
Tania dropped her bra off her arms, and pulled on the t-shirt, pausing for an instant to inhale Smokey’s scent off the fabric.The ball of tension that sat like a rock in her belly started to unravel.She finished pulling it on, glancing down at it as she settled the hem around her hips she realized it was a black shirt with the Fallen Angels logo over her right breast.She’d seen Smokey wear one of these before and knew there was a larger version on the back.She didn’t care.She was covered, she was safe and it smelled like Smokey.That was what she cared about.
“Now the pants,” Taylynn said from behind her.
Tania pressed her lips together as she sat on the edge of the bed and shed her boots and jeans, as well as the leggings she wore beneath them.It was cold out there and she’d wanted to be warm, hoping it would help with some of the soreness.She didn’t know if it helped but it had made her feel better at the time.Now, peeling them off, it didn’t seem like such a good idea.She was so caught up in what she was doing, she wasn’t paying much attention to what Taylynn was up to until she managed to get the last of her layers off and stood letting Smokey’s t-shirt fall to her hips, mostly covering her panties.
“Back in front of the door?”
“That’s the best place to do it.”Taylynn followed her over and took several more photos, having Tania hold the shirt up or her underwear out of the way for some of them.She had just taken what she said was the last photo, stood and stepped back when a knock sounded on the bedroom door.
Tania jumped and took several steps back.
“It’s okay.I texted Smokey to bring Freud up.A couple of those bruises are bad enough that I’d like to have them checked out.Especially the ones over your ribs.Have a seat.”Taylynn motioned to the bed as she stepped past Tania and to the door.She opened it, just a crack at first to make sure who was there, then wider.
Smokey was the first one through the door, Carter in his arms.
“I’ve got Freud with me, he’ll take a look and make sure you’re okay.Why didn’t you tell me there was more than just the black eye?”He moved into the room, coming for her.
Tania could see the moment he spotted more bruises.She didn’t think it was the ones on her arms that made his normally warm and friendly gold eyes turn cold and hard.When he brought a hand up to gently caress her throat, she knew which ones had done that.Tears pooled in her eyes and she looked away.She hated him seeing her like this.Weak.Wounded.But she hadn’t let the bastard hurt her son.He hadn’t tried, at least not yet.But that was one thing that would have had her fighting him like nothing he’d ever seen before.Maybe he’d known that.Maybe that was why Rod had threatened her, had hurt her, but hadn’t turned on Carter.
His fingers on her chin were gentle as he turned her to look at him.
“There’s nothing to be ashamed of, Shell.We’ll let Freud take a look.He’ll tell us if you need more care than he can provide, then we’ll go from there.It will be okay, Shell.”
“Shell, is it?”An older man asked, drawing her attention.
