Unscripted - Nicole Kronzer Page 0,86
worse. If I can’t make you laugh, then I’m only down to two things you like about me. Is that enough to sustain us?”
Trying very hard to push the laughter down, he gestured for me to join him.
“You must be Zelda,” the nurse said as she dried her hands. “You’re a brave one—coming to a place like this? Putting up with all this crap?” She stepped over to Jesse and ever-so-gently prodded his nose with her fingertip. “We’ll just have to see—broken noses have minds of their own.”
Jesse nodded.
“Okay now, Jess. I’ve got a clean T-shirt in my bag. Why don’t you step out and change, and I’ll check out Zelda here.”
“Where is he?” Jesse turned to me and squeezed my hand.
“In a rehearsal room upstairs. Roger and Dion took him after . . . he could walk.”
Jesse nodded. “Have the police been contacted?”
“Yes,” the nurse said. “The Pauls called me, and then I called the police. But you know how it goes—it’ll be at least two hours before someone can get up the mountain from town.”
I furrowed my brow. “Called you? From where? You aren’t our nurse?”
“She’s our nurse.” Jesse flinched again. I knew he wanted to smile.
“That’s right. I’ve known Jess since he was what . . . twelve? I’m Karen.”
“Hi.” I was a little taken aback. “We don’t have our own nurse?”
Did Ben know that? Had he taken me to the nurse’s office knowing the nurse would never come? I shivered in revulsion.
Karen raised her eyebrows and lowered her voice in a confidential tone. “No one will take the job,” she muttered.
My jaw dropped.
“So,” she continued, “I’m covering. The Pauls assured me they’d have someone by the first Tuesday. But, here we are in week two . . .” She shook her head. “Jess, hon, go change.” She patted Jesse’s shoulder.
He slid off the stool and squeezed my hands again. “I’ll be right back,” he promised, taking the BSA T-shirt Karen handed him.
I nodded, my heart somersaulting.
Karen waited until the door clicked shut before turning to me. “Okay, hon.” She took out a notepad. “Tell me everything.”
I told my story again from the top. And by the time I was done, I’d half filled the wastebasket with tissue.
She sighed, dated her notes, then flipped the cover shut. “I wish they’d listened to you the first time.”
“Me, too,” I said, letting out a shaky breath. “Jesse’s nose wouldn’t have been broken.”
“Sure. Among some other things . . . But adults don’t always think teenagers know what they’re talking about. And men . . .” She rolled her eyes. “Are you going to press charges?”
“I don’t know. The Pauls asked that, but I need to talk to my parents.”
She nodded. “Have you called them?”
“They’re hiking in the mountains for two weeks—no cell service. It’s not the kind of voicemail you want to leave, you know? If Ben’s gone, I can hang out for a few more days.”
Karen tucked her notebook back into her bag. “That makes sense . . . Okay. Let’s look at those bruises.”
I frowned and followed her gaze to my upper arms—bright blue circles had formed where Ben’s fingertips had gripped me.
Tears dripped off my nose as she clucked and murmured sympathetically. Then she asked me to hold out my arms, and she photographed them.
After she took the last photo, Karen asked, “You okay?”
I pursed my lips and nodded.
She pulled up a stool, a sad smile on her face. “Listen, hon. I’m just going to say this once, and then you do whatever you’re going to do—it’s your life. But . . .” She put a hand on my back. “I see the way you look at Jess. The way he looks at you. But are you sure this is what you want, right on the heels of this thing with Ben?”
I took a breath.
She held up her hands. “It’s really none of my business, but I’m just telling you. It might be good for you to be alone for a little bit first.”
Frowning, I considered this. “I . . . I can see your point. But—I’ve been alone. I know how to be alone. I—I want to be with Jesse.”
Karen nodded and put her hand on my back again. “I know you do. I knew you would. But I also want you to know it’s okay to ask Jesse for some time.”
“Okay . . .”
There was a tap on the door, and Jesse’s voice called out, “Can I come back in?”
I quickly dried my eyes