Chapter 4

It was as if an army of law enforcement ants descended upon our house.

A patrolman arrived first. At the time I wasn’t sure why. To make sure we were serious? Looking back on it, I realized his duty, as cliche as it sounds, was to “secure the scene of the crime”, and to start identifying who was who.

Next arrived two detectives from the sex crimes unit. Detectives Maya Sykes and Gideon Francisco.

There, at the kitchen table, they sat down with Laurie and had her reopen the wound for the second time that night. Mom and Dad were on either side of her, comforting her. She broke down several times, describing how her “boyfriends” had violated her over and over again. How they had broken her spirit until she submitted to each of their devilish desires.

Mom cried along with Laurie. Dad sat beside her, stone faced. I couldn’t imagine what he was feeling.

It was when Detective Francisco returned from Laurie’s room that everything became all too real for me and my tear started to flow. Laurie had directed him to where she had put her ripped t-shirt and bra. Now they were in a sealed plastic bag, with “EVIDENCE” emblazoned upon it.

It was the t-shirt and bra those bastards had torn off my sister while they were raping her.

She described how, after we had gotten home, two of the boys had tapped on her window in the night. She was so broken at that point, she had opened the window for them. They then came into her room and had sex with her on her bed.

That must have been what I had seen that night. The 2nd boy taking his turn on top of my sister.

My God. I felt like such an asshole. I could have stopped it. I could have helped her.

Instead, I just watched it happen. I was so interested in watching two people fuck, that I never considered that it was totally against everything I knew about my sister.

This was partially my fault.

My stomach suddenly lurched and I felt the bile rising in my throat. I ran to the bathroom and vomited up the dregs of last night’s dinner.

After I had emptied the contents of my stomach into the porcelain bowl, the dry heaves began. Over and over my system tried to bring up something that just wasn’t there.

Eventually, the spasms ceased and I flushed. After rinsing my mouth out, I went to sit on the staircase. I couldn’t listen to any more.

But, it appeared that Laurie had concluded her tale of woe. Now the detectives needed her brought into the ER for examination.

Dad finally piped up. “It that really necessary tonight? She’s been through so much already.”

“I’m afraid so, Mr. Hubbard. Even though it’s unlikely that any physical evidence remains, she needs to be examined by a doctor within a certain period of time after making her allegations. If this goes to trial, and from what she’s said, I can’t imagine it not, the defense would have a field day if we didn’t follow procedure.”

“I’ll be OK, Daddy.” Laurie said softly. “I’ll be brave a bit longer.”

“But,” she hesitated. “Can I have Gabe with me too?” she asked Detective Sykes.

“As long as he doesn’t interfere, yes. But are you sure? That would mean your mother or father couldn’t be with you during the exams. They might be better for you. During some of the exams they will be looking at your private parts...” the detective trailed off.

“He can just hold my hand and stay up by my head and talk to me.” Laurie replied.

“It’s your choice, Ms. Hubbard.” replied Detective Francisco, formally.

Laurie just squared her jaw and nodded.

When we got to the hospital, the nurse first drew some blood and had Laurie pee in a cup, then had her change into a hospital gown.

I made sure to hold her hand when it came time for her to put her feet in the stirrups.

I tried to distract her as best I could, though I don’t know how much actual help I was.

I tried to tell her jokes, or stories of what we did while in Ethiopia, but I could tell she wasn’t really listening. I guess, for a girl, there’s no way to not be aware someone is fiddling around with your lady-bits.