Free Apache Heart by Amy J Miller Page A

in agreement.  “You all did an awesome workout today.  Tomorrow I want you to warm up with tiptoe and heel walking, body weight squats, and lunges, and, then run 5k at a nice easy lope.  Look at the pictures in the handouts, and try to check each other’s form, okay?  Friday, stretch out good, but take it easy, maybe just do a few push-ups and some crunches.  Sound like a plan?”
                  The group rumbled their assent, but Randi could tell they were into it.
                 
                  The runners waved and said thanks to her as they started to disperse, and Randi felt like she had made a good impression.  One of the girls came up to Randi and smiled, “You’re not Dr. Bitch at all, you’re pretty much Dr. Awesome.” 
                  “I’m glad you think that!  But I think you guys are pretty awesome.  I’m excited to be part of the community here.  We’re going to have some fun.”
                  The girl walked with Randi toward her truck, “Do you need a ride?”  Randi asked.  “I’m heading back toward the hospital, but I’d be happy to give you a lift.”
                  “I’m good,” she waved a hand toward a good looking boy with shaggy hair talking with a couple of the other kids, “That’s my brother, I’m with him.”
                  “Tell me your name again, it’s going to take me a couple of weeks, I’m great with faces, but terrible with names.”
                  “I’m Lynette.”  She paused before continuing, “I just want to say thank you for what you did for Maggie.”
                  “I’m afraid I didn’t do all that much.  Are you family?”
                  “Cousin.  My Uncle Russell told us you kicked Joe in the balls.” 
                  “Yeah, I guess I did.  It was kind of a reflex.  Might not have been the smartest thing to do.”  Randi didn’t want to be setting a precedent for teenage girls kicking guys in the nuts.
                  “Dr. Randi…what makes a woman stay with someone like Joe?  I don’t understand it.  She’s beautiful, she got good grades in school, and she got along with everyone.  Why would she stay with someone who was mean to her?”  Lynette picked at some imaginary lint on her shirt, avoiding Randi’s eyes.
                  Randi sighed.  “That’s a good question, it’s complicated.  But you know that if anyone ever abuses you or tries to control you, that you should tell your family, right?” 
                  “Oh don’t worry, if some asshole ever hits me, I’ll tell my family… after I kick him in the balls first.”
                  “Running might be a better option,” Randi smiled, “I have a feeling you can outrun most of the guys around here.”
                  Lynette laughed a little, “Yeah, I’m pretty fast.”
                  “But your question, about why Maggie stays, I can’t say for sure.  I don’t really know Maggie, or what Joe might have been like at one time, but usually there’s fear and shame in there somewhere.  Sometimes women don’t think they deserve better, because their self-confidence has been shattered in some way.  Sometimes, after an episode, there’s like a honeymoon, where the abuser is really nice, and then the woman believes that things will get better.  And sometimes there’s just a lot of manipulation going on, the man threatens to do something terrible if she leaves, or to tell people something that will shame her.  And sometimes they’re just scared that the person they love might kill them if they leave.”
                  “Wow…complicated is right.”   Lynette glanced at Randi from the corner of her eyes.  “I heard you went fishing with my cousin Lee.”
                  The switch of subject