What It Feels Like for a Girl (Part 2)

Shaun drove to an all night clinic to have the deep gash in her scalp stitched closed. She could feel the blood slowly trickling down the side of her head to the collar of her t-shirt. Thankfully, it was black so that it would not show easily. 1

She parked her car near the door and went inside. There were no other patients there that night, so she wouldn't have to wait too long to see the doctor on duty. "May I help you?" the nurse behind the desk asked Shaun.2

"Uh, I need to have a gash in my head looked at," she quietly replied. 3

"Come with me," said the nurse, getting up from her seat to escort the young woman to one of the examination rooms. Once inside, she had Shaun sit on the exam table and looked at the wound that had been inflicted by on the young woman by her boyfriend. "How did it happen?"4

She wanted to tell the nurse that she had run into a door but she was tired of lying for him. It was all ending now. "My boyfriend slammed me into a wall."5

"Oh my God! Do you want to call the police and press charges?"6

"No," said Shaun. "I'm leaving him now and I just want to get my wound stitched up before I leave town."7

"I just need to get your information and then the doctor will be in to see you. Fortunately, you don't seem to have a concussion."8

"I'm just fortunate to be alive."9

The nurse took down Shaun's information before leaving the room. She laid down on the padded table and sighed deeply. Her body craved rest but she would not be able to sleep until she was far from him. A few minutes later, the doctor entered the room. After examining the wound, he injected local anesthesia in several points of the jagged edged wound before threading the needle and sewing it closed.10

Strong inside but you don't know it11

Good little girls they never show it12

When you open up your mouth to speak13

Could you be a little weak?14

~**~15

Her head continued to throb painfully as she left the city, distination unknown. She was bent on driving until she was far, far away from the lights of New York and the hands of the man who had hurt her so. Shaun was not going back now that she was free. 16

Not too long after she had got onto the interstate, her cell phone began to ring. 'Oh God, please don't let it be him,' she thought as she fished her phone out of her purse. Gazing at the caller ID, she sighed with relief when she saw that it was Alexander Riley, her best friend and Irish rock star. 17

"Hey, Alex," she said when she answered the phone. "I finally left Daniel."18

"You did?" he asked quietly. "Shaun, I am so proud of you. I knew you had it in you to leave the rat bastard."19

"Yeah, I guess I did."20

"Where are you now?"21

"On the interstate. Why?"22

"Do you need a place to stay while you sort out things?" he asked her.23

"Yeah, but doesn't Daniel know where you live?"24

"No, Shaun. You know I never liked the bloke. Keep north on the interstate for the next five miles then exit on 1568. Take a left at the stop sign. There's an IHOP on the right hand side. Meet me there and I'll take you home with me."25

"Alex, you don't have to put yourself out for me," Shaun started to protest.26

"Shaun, don't worry about it. I have more than enough room for you to stay, I want you to stay. Meet me there and we'll talk over a stack of strawberry pancakes, your favorite if I remember correctly."27

A smile played across Shaun's lips as she thought of her friend. "Okay, I'll meet you there in thirty minutes."28

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," said Alex. "Especially to see you."