The Atonement Child Read Online Free PDF Page A

her shoulder and right hip, the bruises on her thighs, her throat, and her battered face.
    Spirit crushed, Dynah fell silent.
    Dr. Kennon looked at her sadly and said again that he was sorry.
    “You can sit up now,” the nurse said gently.
    “I’ll have admissions get all the paperwork going,” Dr. Kennon said, turning toward the door.
    “No!” Dynah said, heart jumping. “I want to go home!”
    “I understand your feelings, but—!”
    “No, you don’t! How could you?” For all his assurances of wanting to make sure she was all right, she felt degraded and reduced to just a recorded voice that would be turned over to the policeman waiting outside the door. “You don’t understand!” She covered her face and cried.
    “I’d like to keep you here overnight, for observation.”
    “No.” It was all she could choke out.
    “We would start you immediately on estrogen therapy.”
    She raised her head. “Estrogen—? Why?”
    “In case conception has taken place.”
    Dynah felt all the warmth drain from her. She stared at him in horror as full comprehension struck. “I might . . . I might be pregnant?”
    “The chances of that are extremely small, but it’s better to take precautions.”
    If she had conceived, it was already too late.
    “There may be some side effects to the estrogen. That’s why I’d like to keep you here for one night, possibly two.”
    Dynah sat on the edge of the examining table, her eyes closed tightly. She had attended several pro-life rallies with Ethan. She knew he was talking about an abortifacient.
    “No.” She shook her head. “I want to go home. Please.”
    Dr. Kennon glanced at the nurse, and she moved to his side. They talked in hushed tones for a moment; then the doctor left the room. The nurse put the blanket around her shoulders again. Dynah clutched it tightly.
    “I’m sorry you had to go through this, Miss Carey. Dr. Kennon was only trying to make things easier on you.” She offered her a cup of cool water. “I know how difficult this is. If you’d rather not take the medication right now, that’s fine. You can take it tomorrow.”
    Dynah shook her head.
    “You’ve been through enough tonight. You can wait a few weeks. If you miss your period, you come back and have a pregnancy test. If it’s positive, you can have a menstrual extraction.”
    Dynah didn’t want to think about what the nurse was saying. Being raped was horror enough without considering the possibility she might have become pregnant.
    Oh, God, You wouldn’t be so cruel. Would You, Lord?
    “You can take a shower now, if you’d like.”
    Down the hall, in a quiet room, Dynah stood beneath a hard, hot spray of water, scrubbing and scrubbing. Still feeling dirty, she sank down hopelessly in the corner of the stall and wept.
    God, why? I don’t understand. Why did You let this happen to me? Where were the angels that are supposed to be protecting me? What did I do to make You angry?
    Someone tapped on the door, making her start.
    “Are you all right, Miss Carey?”
    “I’m fine,” Dynah said in a choked voice, huddled beneath the hot, pounding water. “I just need to stay in here for a little while longer.”
    “Your roommate brought you a change of clothes.”
    Dynah pushed herself up. “Janet’s here?”
    “She just arrived. She’s in the waiting room. Officer Lawson is speaking with her now.”
    Dynah closed her eyes in relief and leaned her head back against the wall.
    “I’ll leave the clothes on the seat for you. Don’t feel rushed, Miss Carey. Take all the time you need. I’ll be right outside the door if you need anything.” Dynah sensed the unspoken message. The nurse would be far enough away to give her a sense of privacy but not so far she would be left alone.
    Dynah emerged from the shower and dried herself quickly. She donned the fresh cotton underwear, a lightweight white turtleneck, a pair of faded blue Levi’s, and a cable-knit pale-yellow sweater. Even after