and Victoria scooped up Aaron and his family for the drive, and once that was sorted, I made the rounds, shaking hands. Men I’d never played with, who’d come to help anyway. Dorian and Chelsea, who’d done better than I’d have imagined. They’d turned up, anyway, and turning up was fifty percent of life. And all the rest of them. Men and women I knew, and men and women I didn’t. All of them answering the call.
Finally, though, they’d all driven off, and Luke and Hayden and Xena and I headed into the house. A house I didn’t have to worry about anymore, because Mum would be safe here.
Daisy and Oriana had taken Frankie upstairs, I guessed, because Mum was making tea and saying, “Seven people for breakfast. Hayden, you and Luke had better go to the supermarket and buy more eggs and toast.”
Hayden said, “Right, but don’t say anything interesting while I’m gone.”
Luke said, “I’ll go,” and did.
That was it, then. Except—where were the others?
Daisy
The first thing Honor said, when we got Frankie into the house, was, “Cup of tea all around, I think. And a cold pack for that poor face.” She gave Frankie a gentle cuddle and said, “I’ll let your sister check you over, but is one cold pack enough?”
“No,” Frankie said. “I need more.” The tears were bright in her eyes. The ones she wouldn’t have shed yet, because she couldn’t stand to give Gilead the satisfaction.
A man could take your freedom. He could take your body. But he couldn’t take your mind, and he couldn’t take your soul.
“Chilly bin, then,” Honor said. “A couple of Panadol as well. And tea.”
She headed out the door, and I asked Frankie, “Can I see, love?” My heart ached at the sight of her. Pain, and relief. All this time, the girls had felt as much burden as blessing. Only now did I realize how much I needed that burden, because helping them had been healing me.
She didn’t answer, just lifted the brown dress and pulled down the white undies.
Red wheals with clearly defined edges crisscrossed her buttocks, her upper thighs. The marks left by a leather strap, wielded with force. They’d be burning still, hot as fire, and they’d hurt for days. She’d have heard the terrible sound of the strap landing, have jerked with every blow, and have wondered in despair why nobody cared. Why nobody came.
I looked at them and could feel them myself, because I’d been there. I’d have wondered how she’d sat in the car without crying out in pain, but I knew. You did what you had to do.
None of us had slept last night, but none of us had hurt like this. I’d been scared, but Frankie had been terrified. She’d have been going on adrenaline, but now, she was feeling every bit of the pain, and every bit of the fear, too.
Oriana said, “I’m sorry, Frankie. I’m so sorry.”
Frankie said, “I’m sorry, too. I shouldn’t have gone. I was stupid.”
I took a deep breath. She wouldn’t want to hear any of this. It was the very last thing she’d want to do.
I asked it anyway. It was important. “Did he rape you?”
“No,” Frankie said. “He just had sex with me. Like always. You can’t rape your wife.”
I said, “Yes. You can. And we have to take you to the doctor. We need the evidence. Of the beating, and the rape. It’s not going to be fun, but we need to do it.”
“Why?” she asked. “What does it matter? I just want to take a shower and … and go to sleep. I just want to forget it. It’ll feel better tomorrow. It’s not like it’s the first time.”
I said, “Do you want to see him in prison?”
“Yes,” she said.
“Then we need to go. You need to give a statement. They have to take pictures, and to take samples. If we let them do that, Gilead will be in a cage tonight. He likes to lock people up so much? Let’s see how he likes it.”
“All right,” Frankie said. “If that’s why—all right.”
I hugged her and said, “You’re strong, and you’re brave. You can do this. I’m with you all the way.”
Honor came back with the tea and the ice. When I told her, she nodded and said, “I’ll drive you. Wait. No car.”
“Gray can drive,” I said. “Frankie will feel safer then.”
“Will you stay with me?” Frankie asked me. “While they do … whatever?” She clutched my hand. “I’d feel