“Sure. Are you okay?”
“Yes, just a routine checkup.”
“All right. Should I walk or go by car?”
“You might want to bring the stroller for later but come in the car. It’s a good walk, and the weather doesn’t look too good right now, but I think it’s going to clear up later.”
“I’ll ring Jamison’s driver. I’m not sure how to get there. Can you send me the address in case the driver doesn’t know?”
“Okay. I’ll text you the code for the elevator and tell security to let you through. Just bring your ID. See you soon?”
“Yes. Be right over.”
We hang up, and my stomach shakes. If Chase brought Anna back to Chicago, something terrible happened. I arrange for the driver put Hope in the stroller and sling my purse and diaper bag over my shoulder.
It doesn’t take long to get to Vivian and Chase’s. When the elevator opens into their home, Chase’s voice booms. “How can you possibly defend him?”
“Chase, calm down,” Vivian directs.
“Look at your face,” he growls. “He’s lucky he’s still alive.”
My heart pounds, and I take Hope out of the stroller. “Hey, I’m here,” I shout out.
“Come in,” Vivian replies.
“What’s Harper doing here?” Anna’s shaky voice says.
“I called her.”
I make my way through the hall, turn the corner, and come to a dead stop.
Anna’s left eye is black and blue and swollen. She has a fat lip and cut on the bottom one. Dried blood is caked on it. Chase has a cast on his hand and a matching black eye.
I race over to the couch. “What happened?”
“That piece of shit beat up my sister,” Chase barks.
Vivian puts her hand on his chest. “We need to go. Harper will stay with Anna.”
Anna’s eyes are full of tears, and she looks away from me.
I glance at Vivian.
“We have to go,” she quietly says again.
Chase shakes his head, staring at Anna.
I shove Hope at Anna. “Hold her for a minute, please.”
She wipes her face and takes her.
I rise and step in front of Chase. “If you don’t leave, you’ll miss your baby appointment. You can finish this conversation when you return.”
His anger stays on his face. “Fine.”
Vivian takes his arm. “Let’s go.”
They leave, and I turn to Anna. Hope is cuddled into her chest, and tears are flowing everywhere.
I sit next to her and gently ask, “Is this the first time he hit you?”
She squeezes her eyes and turns away.
“How long has it been going on?”
“He’s under a lot of stress. I shouldn’t have...” she breaks down.
I embrace her. “This is not your fault. It will never be your fault.”
Her chest heaves with emotion, and Hope cries out.
“I’m sorry,” she weeps.
I take Hope and can feel a bulky diaper. “It’s not you. I need to change her.”
I hand her back to Anna and put a blanket on the ground, and take out the wipes and fresh diaper.
Anna sits next to me and puts Hope on her back. She strokes her head.
I unsnap Hope’s onesie and quietly ask, “Do you want to tell me what happened?”
“No. I really don’t want anyone knowing.”
“Did you get here this morning?”
“Late last night.”
“How did Chase get there?”
“He had a meeting in New York and came to check on me. I... I didn’t know he was coming.” She sobs, hard.
I finish changing Hope, flip her on her stomach, and put several toys out. I slide over and put my arms around Anna. “This isn’t your fault.”
“It is.”
“No, it’s not,” I sternly tell her.
Her phone rings and she freezes.
“Is that him?”
“Yes, I need to get it.”
I jump up and reach for the phone before she does and send the call to voice mail.
“What are you doing? He’s going to be even more upset now.”
“You are not talking to him or going back to him.”
“It wasn’t his fault,” she cries out.
I stick her phone in my pocket. “This is entirely his fault.”
“You don’t even know what happened.”
“I don’t need to know what happened. It’s not your fault. And this isn’t something you can just pretend didn’t happen. He could kill you next time.”
Her face crumples again, and I pull her shaking body into me.
Mitch attempts to call her another time. I turn her phone off. She gets upset again, but I don’t let her have the cell back.
We play with Hope. She won’t tell me anything else about what happened, so I stop asking her. For the next few hours, I try to take her mind off it.
Chase and Vivian come back, and Chase looks calmer until he looks at Anna, and his face reddens again. She avoids looking at him. He sits on the couch, and his voice is stern but quiet. “We need to talk, Anna.”
She sighs.
I rise with Hope. “I’ll give you two some privacy.”
Vivian and I go into the den. She holds her hands out. “Can I see her?”
“Sure.”
I hand Hope to her and sit.
Hope takes a fist of Vivian’s hair and yanks it.
“Ouch. I told you to stop doing that,” Vivian reprimands her with a smile and gently puts her hand on Hope’s to release her grip.
“Did your doctor’s appointment go okay?”
“Perfect.”
“That’s good.”
She makes a face at Hope and Hope giggles.
“Anna can’t go back to New York. She’ll go back to him.”
Vivian’s face drains, and her eyes widen. “I know. She can stay here in the guest quarters. When Chase was looking for places, he specifically wanted a place so she could move in.”
“He did?”
“Yes.”
“He knew Mitch was hurting her?”
Vivian scoffs. “Not physically, or Mitch would be dead right now. Chase is lucky the police who showed up when they did know him. The neighbors had already called them. The cops made it clear to Mitch if he pressed charges, then Anna would file against him. Who knows if Mitch will end up being stupid enough to change his mind, but Chase has a full report and pictures of Anna he made the officer take.”
“Did Anna say how long this has been happening?”
“No. She won’t.”
“So, she’s going to stay in Chicago?”
“As long as we can keep her here. Chase is trying to get her to agree to stay right now.”
Hope reaches for Vivian’s earring, but she intercepts. “No, you don’t.”
Hope tilts her head and says, “Ga.”
My phone vibrates in my pocket. I take it out. Steven texted me, “Do I have to send you a picture? I’m not a selfie type guy.”
I try to hide my grin and reply, “Yep. Naked would be best.”
“Do I get one back?”
“I’m at Vivian’s right now. I don’t think she wants to see me bare-skinned.”