Chapter 5: The Report
The next morning, we went to the police station.
I sat in a small interview room with a female detective named Ramirez while my father waited outside. She was patient and professional. She didn’t rush me. She let me speak at my own pace.
I showed her the photos on my phone. I played several voice recordings. I described the incidents in detail — the night Grant shoved me into the wall, the time Evelyn twisted my arm so hard I couldn’t lift it for two days, the constant gaslighting.
Detective Ramirez took notes without interrupting. When I finished, she looked at me with a serious expression.
“Dr. Bennett,” she said, “this is a strong case. The fact that you have recordings and photographs makes it much harder for them to deny. Combined with the fact that you’re pregnant, this will likely be treated as aggravated domestic violence.”
She paused.
“I need to ask you something important. Do you want to press charges?”
I didn’t hesitate.
“Yes,” I said. “I want to press charges against both of them.”
Detective Ramirez nodded.
“We’ll also need to speak with your husband and his mother. Would you like to be present when we do?”
I thought about it.
“No,” I answered. “I don’t want to see them right now.”
After I gave my statement, my father went in to speak with the detective as well. When he came out, his expression was grim but satisfied.
“They’re sending officers to the house to speak with Grant and Evelyn,” he told me. “And they’re issuing an emergency protective order. He won’t be allowed anywhere near you.”
We left the police station and went straight to the hospital for a full medical examination. The doctor documented every bruise, took more photographs, and confirmed that the baby was still healthy. That was the only thing that truly mattered to me.
By the time we returned to the military housing that evening, I was exhausted.
But for the first time in months, I also felt something close to relief.
May you like
They couldn’t touch me here.
Not yet.
