"It was a year ago when she suddenly told me she was in a relationship with this guy. I was surprised because Andriana had never been in a relationship before ".
"Ahh,what do you mean never ?" asked David.
"I mean she had never been in any relationship " she said.
"Huh?". David frowned.
Mira glared and he fell silent.
"Right now that isn't what is important " she said.
I was surprised and curious about this man who was able to win her heart. We met, and he didn't seem to be anything special and he treated her so well that she was always in high spirits around him or even when she talked about him.
But then a month later, I started to notice something, she started visiting the emergency ward almost every week.
The first time she told me it was a bad fall from work ..then it happened a second time and she claimed it was an accident in the bathroom while taking a bath.
But the doctors had already told me it didn't look like she was falling but instead being assaulted.
Maybe she noticed that I was suspicious and so next time when she got hurt, she never called me. I only got to know when it happened the fourth time, but this time it was so bad that she spent two weeks in the hospital.
And all the times it happened, he never came in, to check on her , claiming he was busy to leave work. When I saw her condition this time I asked her to tell me the truth and she did , so decided to go to the police.
He was taken in, but when she was questioned, Andriana denied ever being abused by him, even though it looked evident she had been beaten up.
Mira sniffed wiping her falling tears.
The worst thing I discovered was that he wasn't only beating her up but also soliciting money from her, and every time she said no, he hit her so bad that she had to go to the hospital, which meant he was always hitting her but I only got to know on the times he was so rough on her she had to go to the hospital.
After he was let go, that bastard visited her in the hospital when I wasn't around. I don't know what he said to her, but after that, she stopped speaking.
At first I thought she was just angry at me for what I had done involving the police without her permission but she could react to things I did and smiled when she had to or frown but never said a word.
"That's when I told her doctor who explained what it was to me , he called it selective mutism".
This is where the brain shuts down to protect it self from further pain or threat . I
Andriana had suffered abuse as a child from her father and this triggered a coping or survival mechanism. He said it was a childhood trauma and it had been triggered again by the physical abuse she had suffered from her boyfriend.
That her brain felt unsafe sharing her thoughts or feelings . She thought staying quiet would keep her safe.
David's hands were on her back, trying to calm her, but her tears kept falling.
Mira went on ,
"I didn't want her admitted so I was told a change of environment and medication would help "
I moved her to my place where I could take care of her. After she was fully physically better, she resumed work, but I was told she didn't say a word there, either. But then one night I found her crying which made me break down too.
"The moment she saw that, she called out to me . We cried so much we had puffy eyes the next day but slowly she started talking again after that "Mira sniffed.
"The first time was from her father's abuse and the second from her ex-boyfriend ..then what is the trigger this time ?" stated David.
"She must have been traumatised by the events of the kidnapping " said Mira.
"But she called out my name back at the underground parking " said Karlye.
"Did she see you handle those men ?" Mira asked rememberijg the sound of the gun shoot.
"No, she was unconscious by the time. And only woke up when I shot that....." he stopped frowning.
"Don't tell me she saw you shoot him ?" David asked.
"I am not sure anymore, her head was down, and her eyes closed, she didn't seem to be aware of it..."
Mira cut in.
"Anything that involves violence can be a trigger for her. The moment her brain picks up on it, that's it "
"If she saw you kill or maybe saw the body of that manager then I think we have our answer ". David let out.
.....
"She spends most of the time in the garden gazing at the flowers, then when it gets dark she stares at the stars". Karlye sighed.
They were secretly watching Andriana, who was out on the terrace.
"At least she isn't locked up in her room or isn't refusing to eat, this is good for her and the baby ". said Mira.
"I hate seeing her like that, I'm worried about her and the baby ", he frowned.
"I know but maybe let her go back to work. Going back to regular life activities might help her " she suggested.
"No, I'm not letting her go back to that place or even think about working. I can and will take care of her myself "
Mira sighed.
"Just don't be too possessive of her, she isn't your property and as far as I know you both are not even dating "
Karlye turned to her.
Mira noticed the cold glare from his eyes and rushed off to the terrace.
"Bestie ... I'm back, she said, hugging Andriana.
Karlye sighed, his phone rang it was his mother.
"Hello mom," he answered.
"Come home, we need to talk " she said.