The police officer entered the hospital room, where Cora was still in. She had asked Robert to stay with her.
Robert saw Cora’s lip tremble, carefully he reached over the table to touch her hand. Before he touched her, he looked into her eyes. She nodded and took his hand.
“Can you tell me what happened?” The officer asked.
“Anthony came home and I did something that upset him.” Cora started. “I remember him hitting me in the face, and his hands around my throat. But after that everything is gone. I woke up on the kitchen floor.”
“Who brought you to the hospital?” The officer asked.
“Robert did.” She looked at him and he squeezed her hand softly.
“And who is Robert?” The officer looked at Robert.
“He.” Cora hesitated. “He is a friend.”
“When did you find Miss Levinson?” The officer still looked at Robert.
“I didn’t. She came to my restaurant. I still don’t understand how she managed to walk all the way. When she knocked on my door, I saw she was covered in blood and rushed her to A&E.”
“Was this the first time Anthony hit you?” The officer turned back to Cora.
She only shook her head.
“Was this the first time you ended up in the hospital?”
Again Cora shook her head. She pulled her hand back out of Robert’s hand and rested them in her lap. “It happened a couple of months back. He broke my ribs.”
“Did you file a report?” The officer asked.
“No.” Cora said very quietly.
“Do you want to fill one now?”
Robert looked at Cora. He hoped she would say yes.
“I think I have to.” Cora said.
“Good, I see they didn’t clean you up. Only the blood of your face. Did they take pictures?”
Cora nodded. Before the nurse had cleaned her face, she took pictures of her.
“I will ask them to send them through. We will take samples, hopefully we will find his DNA on you. I will get my stuff and will be back soon.” The officer got up and walked out of the room.
Cora looked at Robert. “Thank you for being here. I didn’t know where to go. Adeline is my only friend here and she isn’t home.”
“Of course, I am here for you. I am so awfully sorry about what happened. And I am sorry for your loss.”
Tears started to form in Cora’s eyes. “I didn’t know I was pregnant.” Her voice broke.
Robert wanted to wrap his arms around her, but wasn’t sure if she wanted it. And with the evidence they still needed to take it wouldn’t be smart. They would already find his DNA on her, he was afraid.
+++
The report was made, and Cora was released from the hospital.
“Do you want me to bring you home?” Robert asked, while helping her in his car.
“I don’t know. What if Anthony is still there. I don’t know where he went. Oh Robert, I am scared.”
Robert made a sussing sound. “Do you have a friend where you can sleep?”
Cora shook her head. “Adeline is my only friend on this side of the pond.”
Robert got confused by her remark. “You can stay at my place if you want? I can sleep on the couch.”
Cora turned her face towards him. “Are you sure? I already took so much of your time.”
“Of course I am sure.” He drove to his home and let Cora in.
“You can take a shower if you want. I will leave a clean towel and some clothes, although they will be baggy for you.” He showed Cora his bedroom and bathroom and went downstairs himself.
When he heard the shower running, he sat down and poured himself a glass of wine. What a night, he thought. He remembered that evening in the hospital with John. It was Cora who dropped her cup of water. Was that the first time he had assaulted her?
Robert’s hands were itching, just thinking of this Anthony. How could he? And Cora who thought she did something wrong! What could a woman do to deserve a beating like this. He had kicked her in her abdomen after she passed out. He heard the nurse say, they found his DNA in her, so that meant, he had raped her.
He took a deep breath when he heard Cora coming down the stairs. She came into the living room in his tracksuit. It was indeed way too big for her. She had a very slim figure. Her face was starting to colour and there was swelling on her right cheekbone.
“Do you want something to drink?” He asked.
She shook her head. “I think I will try to go to sleep. I am so incredibly tired. Do you have some painkillers? I forgot to pick them up at the pharmacy from the hospital.”
“I only have paracetamol, you can stay here. I will drive back to the hospital and pick up the painkillers.”
“No, no.” Cora said, she leaned against the doorframe. “Paracetamol is alright. Do you mind if I go to bed?”
“Of course not. Do you need anything.” He saw her swallow visibly.
“I don’t know. But for now, I want to sleep.”
“I will be here, when you need something.”
+++
A couple of hours later, he got woken up by a bloodcurdling scream. He jumped right up and heard Cora yelling. He ran upstairs and found Cora was tossing and turning in bed. Crying and begging him to stop.
Robert touched her arm and said her name. “Cora? Cora wake up. You are having a bad dream.”
But his touch made it worse. Cora’s eyes shot open and she looked at him with so much fear in her eyes, that he stepped back.
“Don’t hit me. Please don’t hit me. I didn’t mean to. Sorry, I am so sorry.” Cora cried.
Robert stepped outside the bedroom, too scared to touch Cora again. She thought he was Anthony, what should he do?
He got downstairs to pick up his phone and he dialled Rosamund’s number.
“Rosamund, I am sorry to wake you up. But I really need your help.” He started the moment she picked up.
+++
“You can explain more in the morning.” Rosamund said when she arrived. “I will see if I can calm her down. Maybe she will be less scared because I am a woman.”
Rosamund went upstairs and Robert waited in the hallway. He heard Rosamund talk to Cora and he heard her cries. It broke his heart. Cora was such a sweet and wonderful woman, who didn’t deserve this treatment. If he was her partner, he would treat her better.
His thoughts were disrupted when Rosamund opened the bedroom door.
“She is sleeping again. I will stay the rest of the night, just to be sure she is alright. My God what happened to her? She looks like she is run over by a car.”
“Her boyfriend got mad, that happened.”
Rosamund’s eyes grew. “I am happy she is here now, he doesn’t know where you live right?”
“He doesn’t know I exist. So she is safe here for now.”
Verhalen van Traan 