Chapter 13 - A House Without a Door
"I don't know what Meredith felt," Julian finally said.
"I do know taking your mask away was wrong, and the adults are responsible for stopping it."
Lena nodded, but sleep came slowly.
The next morning, Ruth Ellis and the hospital team discussed a home-safety plan.
Meredith would have no contact with Lena while the investigation continued, and Julian would stay temporarily with Mae after discharge.
A visiting nurse would help with the revised care routine.
"Will I get my room back?" Lena asked.
"Eventually, if it's safe and you want to," Ruth said.
"Nobody will rush you."
Julian's lawyer delivered another uncomfortable piece of news.
Meredith had requested a protective order against him because of the assault.
"I'm not contesting that I hit her," Julian said.
"Then we respond accurately," Rachel said.
"And we keep Lena's safety separate from your anger."
At the hearing, Julian spoke plainly.
"I struck my wife twice. I should have stopped after securing the mask and calling for help."
The judge ordered him not to contact Meredith and set a later date for his misdemeanor assault case.
There was no triumphant speech, no cheering courtroom.
Julian left feeling smaller than when he entered.
Outside, Mae waited beside her car.
"You told the truth," she said.
"It's the least I could do."
"Then keep doing it."
When Julian returned to the hospital, Lena was looking through photographs on Mae's tablet.
Emma smiled from an old backstage picture, holding a half-sewn rabbit.
"Mom made him before I could even say rabbit," Lena said.
"She did," Julian answered.
"Did she know I would get sick?"
"No, honey. She just wanted you to have someone to hug."
Lena stared at the picture.
"Meredith said if I told you things, the doctors would take me away forever."
May you like
Julian went still.
It was the first time Lena had told him the threat in those words.
