Friday morning, Katie was back in clinic. She had seen a hypertensive truck driver, a second grader with strep throat, two diabetics, and a sprained ankle by ten o’clock. And the stack of charts didn’t seem any shorter than when she had arrived.

She was standing at the counter outside the patient rooms, writing a quick note to herself about remembering to check the X-rays on the sprained ankle patient, when she looked down the hall and spotted Emmett Hawkins leaving the records room. He was tall and lanky with a full head of white hair that never lay flat. He had a stack of charts in his arms, and there was something about the furtive way he moved that reminded Katie of a shoplifter. Emmett was usually off on Friday mornings. She wondered what had brought him in. He was the reason she’d chosen this practice right out of residency. It was exactly the kind of place where she’d imagined working when she’d decided in high school to pursue medicine. She still felt that her mother would have lived longer if her doctors had paid more attention. Emmett had a gentle way with patients, and his use of practical solutions rather than always running tests and prescribing drugs appealed to Katie. She hoped to learn a lot from him.

Katie took a deep breath and grabbed the chart hanging outside the next exam room. Lynn Swanson. Again.

Katie had seen Lynn multiple times in the few months she’d been working in Baxter. Lynn had headaches, stomachaches, back pain, and recently a sprained wrist. At thirty-two, Lynn was only a couple years older than Katie, but she already had four children and a world-weary manner. She looked ancient. Katie had suspected depression on the first couple of visits, but recently she’d become worried about abuse. Previous attempts to talk about it had led to Lynn getting defensive and quiet.

Katie sighed and knocked on the door.

She walked in to find Lynn hunched over a People magazine as if it held the secrets to the universe. Her light-blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and she wore jeans, sneakers, and a red plaid shirt buttoned at the neck and wrists.

“Hello, Lynn. How’s the wrist?” Katie sat on the wheeled stool by the small desk.

“I think it’s almost better,” Lynn said. “I’ve been taking the brace off for longer and longer every day like you said, and it feels okay. I forgot to bring it with me.”

“That’s probably a good sign if you don’t feel you need it.” Katie scooted forward on her stool and took Lynn’s hand. She turned it over and felt along her wrist for swelling and tenderness. “Where are the kids today?”

“The oldest ones just started school, and my little one is at my neighbor’s house.” Lynn flinched a bit when Katie pressed on her wrist. “That part is still sore.”

Lynn had always brought at least two of her children to every visit, adding to the chaos and diminishing any chance of confrontation. Katie decided to try again.

“It seems much better, though,” Katie said. She scooted back to the desk to give Lynn some space. “I’m glad you came alone today. I’d like to talk about your frequent headaches and injuries.”

Lynn looked at the floor. “I’m sorry about last time. I didn’t know what to say when you asked me if I felt safe at home.”

Katie waited. Silence was often the best way to keep a patient talking.

“That’s why I left Austin with my neighbor; I didn’t want him to hear. Not that the kids can’t see what’s happening.” She cradled her sore wrist. “My oldest in particular—he’s so protective of me. But he’s only a boy . . .”

“Are you saying you don’t feel safe? I can help you, but I need to know what the problem is.”

Lynn looked at Katie then. Her eyes were red and wet.

“I don’t know what to do. It’s been going on for so long that I started to think it was normal. But after this”—she held her wrist up—“I know I have to do something. For my kids’ sakes.”

Katie nodded to encourage her to continue.

“I’ve been with Eric since high school. He was so romantic and kind.” A sad smile flickered on her face. “But even then he was real jealous, not just of other boys, but of anyone who took my attention from him. After we got married and had the kids, things stabilized for a while. I had to keep the kids quiet and cater to Eric when he was home, but things were okay. I thought I was lucky to have a husband who wanted me around and didn’t want to share me with anyone.” One large tear slipped down her cheek. Katie handed her the tissue box.

Lynn took a tissue and wiped away the tear. “Anyway, about a year ago, he lost his job at the garage. So Eric picked up work wherever he could. He was home more, and it was harder to keep the kids out of his way and harder to calm him down when one of them broke something or they started bickering. He started drinking more. It got so I hoped he wouldn’t come home and would just sleep it off somewhere. He started picking fights over anything.”

Lynn took another tissue and blew her nose. Her hands shook as she dabbed at her eyes.

“The first time he hit me, I thought it was an accident. But then it became a regular thing. He’s always careful not to hit me where a bruise would be noticeable. But the kids know.”

Lynn took a shaky breath. “I have to do something. Ellen Riley was helping me to make a plan, but now she’s . . .”

“Were you seeing Ellen as a client?”

Lynn shook her head vehemently. “No, I couldn’t afford to pay her. She volunteered at the women’s clinic where I go for my birth control pills. They can usually give them to me for free or for only a few dollars.”

Katie scooted forward and put a hand on Lynn’s shoulder. “I can help. I’ll get in touch with people who can help you.” Lynn nodded and tried to blot her tears, which only made her makeup smear.

“I’ll be right back,” Katie said. “I’m going to contact a women’s shelter. I want you to talk to them before you leave.” As she stood, Lynn grabbed her wrist.

“Don’t tell anyone else in the office, please,” Lynn said. “They all know me and Eric. My mother-in-law works here. It has to stay a secret.”

Mother-in-law? She must mean Marilyn. Was she worried that Marilyn would find out about the abuse or that she would tell her son what Lynn was planning?

Katie nodded and squeezed Lynn’s hand. “I’ll be right back.”