Do you mind if we ask you a few questions? Do you live here? I see…so the incident occurred at your dad’s house? Okay, and how old are you? What were the circumstances of the night of October 4th? What time did the suspect enter your bedroom? Was there anything unusual about his behavior? So you think he might have been intoxicated? What was he wearing? When he came to give you your medication did he give a reason for lying down next to you? What did you notice about the pill he gave you? What did you say? After you took the pill, how long were you asleep? And then you woke up with him on top of you? Did you scream? So even after you woke up, you pretended to be asleep? Did you make any noise at all when you felt the pain or saw the blood? Did the suspect say anything about what happened?
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The cops are gone, don’t cry, it’s alright, you don’t have to testify, your father and I will work this out in court—there’s nothing for you to worry about, okay? Baby I know this is hard, do you think it’s any easier for me, watching you suffer? I just want us to be happy again, isn’t that what you want too? How’s your leg feeling? Soon it will be time to take that cast off, you’re looking forward to that, aren’t you? Is it easier now to get around on those crutches?
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I’m glad you came to see me, have a seat, do you want a cup of water? No? Alright, we’ll get started, first, my job is to protect your privacy, I want you to know this office is a safe environment and I’m here to help you talk through everything that’s been going on, so why don’t you tell me a little about yourself? I noticed you’re wearing a cast on your leg, was that a soccer injury? You still made the goal? Wow, that’s great, so how have things been going since the cast was put on? Mmhmm…right…well I’m sorry to hear about your parents’ separation…no problem…here, some tissues…can you tell me what happened?
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What do you mean, what did I do when I found out I got pregnant? I was never pregnant—seriously, what gave you that idea? I gotta go, I’m gonna be late for class, can we talk later?
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Have you told your mother about what your father did to you that night? Good, it’s very important that she knows what’s going on; and what did she say when you told her? Okay, very good, if you could tell her anything—not just about the incident, but about your feelings or about her leaving your father—what would you tell her? What would you tell your father?
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Okay okay, so I got pregnant when Mike and I were dating—it was an accident ya know? But what’s your story? Are you? Are you sure? With who? Whoa, that’s messed up, have you talked to anyone else about this?
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Thanks for coming to see me again—water?—no, okay, how have things been going? Okay, and how are you feeling? Right, let’s talk about this, when did you realize you were pregnant?
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Oh my god—I was afraid this would happen—are you okay? I know I said this before, but that’s it, neither one of us, you or me, is ever going back to that house again—I don’t care that he’s your dad, no dad in his right mind would ever…it’s probably to get back at me, that son of a bitch—I’m coming to pick you up, where are you now? If he ever touches you again I’ll…what do you mean it’s not that big of a deal?! That son of a bitch is supposed to be taking care of you and he…?! Okay don’t cry, I’m sorry…I can leave in twenty minutes, where will you be?
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It was different for me when I got pregnant, I mean, I can’t even imagine what you’re going through…I was scared as hell like you and throwing up every day and I wasn’t sure if that was because of the baby or because I was afraid, I knew I messed up big, but you, you didn’t do anything to deserve this, I mean it’s totally not your fault—you know that, right?
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When your mother started blaming your father, how did that make you feel?
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Maybe you should abort it like I did, what do you think? What are you going to do?
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You’re aware that your father was attacked at his house? Do you mind if we ask you a few questions about that? Where were you on October 26 around 12:45 pm? One of your teachers said he saw you leaving the school at the beginning of lunch break at 12:20…why did you leave the school? How long have you had that cast on your leg? What time did you arrive at the house? When you entered the house to pick up your homework did you notice anything unusual? How did you enter the house? Did you expect your father to be home? Did you check and see if anyone else was home? So you were in your room gathering your things and you didn’t hear anything? No gunshot? Why were your fingerprints on the weapon?
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Hi honey, sorry about the noise in the background, I’m still at the office, are you at home? Okay, I called the hospital, they said there’s a very good chance your dad will live…the bullet missed his heart, but he lost a lot of blood so he needs to stay there for a while…are you there? Okay, he’s not ready to see anyone right now…why do you want to see him anyway?
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So Miss, let me get this straight, you walked into the kitchen to get something to eat and you saw your father bleeding on the kitchen floor? How did your fingerprints get on the gun? You’re saying you picked up the gun, but didn’t shoot it? You just dropped it and left the house?
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That’s crazy that the cops came to the school to ask you all these questions, when you found me at the end of lunch break and I saw the look on your face I got scared…it was like you had seen a ghost, do you remember the principal talking to the police? I think that’s what happened right before you passed out—how are you feeling now? Are you comfortable? Do you want me to get you anything?
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I hate to tell you this, but you’re a suspect in your father’s attempted murder case, the medical report says we can assume that the victim was shot around 12:45pm on October 26th, a neighbor heard the gunshot and saw you leave the house…isn’t there anyone that can vouch for where you were at 12:45?
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I don’t know how to ask this, honey, well…did you? Did you shoot…? I don’t know, okay, I just don’t know, this is all too much, I don’t know who or what to believe anymore, maybe I should never have been a mother in the first place…I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that…I just don’t know what to do…will you promise me something? Promise me that you won’t go near that man ever again? Please?
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Look, it’s your choice, I got an abortion, safe and legal and all that, but I honestly don’t know if it’s the right thing to do, yeah it makes things easier, you go from being pregnant to being not pregnant, but I think about it all the time—like every time I see a baby I think about the one I didn’t have, I don’t know, it’s hard to explain, have you talked to your mom about this?
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All I ever wanted was for you was to graduate and go on to college and make something of yourself, I don’t want you to make the stupid mistakes your father and I made, can’t you see that? That man is poison, for both of us, that’s why I don’t want you going near him again, okay?
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If you saw him again, your father, what would you say to him?
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Your father will have to testify and unfortunately you’ll have to too, especially since you don’t have any witnesses…do you?
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I’m here to listen and be on your side, you know? No matter what actually happened you can tell me…did you try to kill your father?
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Don’t you realize that you have a chance to get out of all this? I mean, if your dad lives, he can tell everyone the truth—that you weren’t involved—I know he made your life a living hell, he’s a monster and all that, but, he’s still your dad, don’t you think that means something to him too?
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Use your head, honey, if he says you shot the gun—and at this point I have no trouble believing he would to protect his ass and his drug dealing loser friends—then there’s nothing you can do, right?
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What if you spoke for yourself for real? Told all? What you think and feel and what you did and didn’t do? What then?