“Thanks.” Jenny was an amazing nurse. She knew exactly what people needed before they asked. But her departure from the room meant one less person to bear witness to Michael’s pain. Dani wished she could get rid of the interpreter and Kendra, too, but that wasn’t possible. She returned her attention to Michael. “Let me take a look at your shoulder now. Can you take off your shirt?”

He nodded, grimacing as he did so. Dani’s heart clenched. He was so thin. She’d felt his sharp edges when she’d held him, but she hadn’t realized how bad it was until she saw his ribs so very clearly.

And there were bruises on his chest. Faded, but still visible. She sighed. “I’m going to need to document the bruises, Michael.”

He narrowed his eyes. “I fell down.”

Right. If she had a nickel for every abuse victim to say those words . . . Especially because two of the darkest bruises had the distinct shape of the toe of a boot. She’d seen that before, too.

She met his eyes for a long moment. Finally he looked away. “Whatever.”

She snapped a few photos. “What happened here?” She pointed at healing cuts on his upper arm.

“Was running. Fell down.”

“Running without a shirt? In this weather?” she asked and he shrugged again. She sighed and probed his shoulder, listening for his sharp intake of breath. “Probably just a strained muscle. We can ice it when I take you and Joshua home with me. You’re a little underweight.” A lot underweight. “Have you been feeling okay otherwise?”

A one-shouldered shrug. “I’m fine. I just haven’t felt like eating.”

Oh, honey. “Okay. You can put your shirt back on.” It wasn’t bloody, at least.

He quickly pulled his shirt on. “Are we done?”

“No.” She drew a breath and looked him in the eye. “I need to get you some pants to wear,” she signed without voicing.

Behind her, Maria voiced her words quietly for Kendra’s benefit.

All the remaining color drained from Michael’s face. “No. Please.”

Dani’s heart shattered a little more. She knew he wasn’t refusing to change his clothes. He was begging for her words not to be true. “You’ve bled through these.”

Michael’s gaze flew to Kendra before returning to meet Dani’s. His eyes were wild and afraid. “No more doctors. Please.”

“I can’t promise that, Michael. Not without knowing a little bit more. How long have you been bleeding?”

He dropped his gaze to his hands. “Two weeks.” When he looked up, it was only enough to see Dani’s hands.

“Steady or off and on?”

“Off and on.”

“Is it worse after you have a bowel movement or is it random?”

Even with his head bowed, Dani could see his pale face flush with humiliation. “When I use the bathroom.”