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Ms. Jacobsen:
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Sir, she's sleeping right now...
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Dr. Balis:
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I'm Dr. Charles Balis. A man called me and said that Eliza had been asking for me?
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Ms. Jacobsen:
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Oh, I'm sorry. That was Stan, my ex-husband. Yes. Bethy was asking for you. Let me wake her up. You see, she was just drifting off. Bethy? Bethy, honey. The Doctor is here.
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Ms. Raven:
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Not another shot.
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Ms. Jacobsen:
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No, Honey. Dr. Balis.
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Ms. Raven:
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Oh, Dr. Balis. Well let him in, Mom. And may we have some privacy?
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Ms. Jacobsen:
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Yes, Honey. Of course. Thank you for coming, Dr. Balis. She doesn't really want to talk to the rest of us.
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Dr. Balis:
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You're welcome.
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Ms. Raven:
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Hi.
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Dr. Balis:
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Hello.
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Ms. Raven:
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Confused?
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Dr. Balis:
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A little.
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Ms. Raven:
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Crissy says she has a lot to tell you on Thursday. Do you treat the entire San Francisco area?
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Dr. Balis:
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No. But apparently, all of my patients are running into one another.
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Ms. Raven:
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That's funny.
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Dr. Balis:
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How about we start with you telling me why you're here.
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Ms. Raven:
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It was supposed to be a wonderful evening, you know, a Memorial Day party. Chris was coming over. She was going to meet Peter. We were all going to sit around drinking iced tea and playing backgammon, or whatever.
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Dr. Balis:
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Then I take it that the evening didn't turn out wonderful?
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Ms. Raven:
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It started that way. Chris and I were setting up, making the place nice and everything. Peter was on his way. I was nervous beyond belief, and Chris kept telling me to calm down.
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Dr. Balis:
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Where were your parents?
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Ms. Raven:
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Ben adores privacy, so he took Mom out to a movie during my "little soirée," as he put it.
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Dr. Balis:
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Oh.
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Ms. Raven:
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The doorbell rings and I'm busy with the cookies. You know, taking them out of the oven and all. So Chris answers the door. I heard this awful thud, and Chris is yelling something. I don't remember what she was saying, but before I could do anything, there was Luke in the kitchen. He grabs my shoulders and pins me up against the nearest wall, babbling incoherently about coming back to him or he was going to do something drastic. I was scared to death. I think all of my hair turned gray.
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Dr. Balis:
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It didn't.
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Ms. Raven:
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I guess that's something to be thankful for.
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Dr. Balis:
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Please continue.
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Ms. Raven:
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Sure. Well, I'm pinned against the wall. I can't say anything, I'm too scared. My knees were knocking. I almost urinated all over myself. I saw Chris, stumbling toward Luke, lurching along and holding her right eye. Apparently, Luke had punched her. So she jumps on his back, trying to get him off of me. He doesn't let go, even though she's clawing at him. Next thing I know, Peter is in the room, hollering at Luke to let me go, and that he was the one Luke wanted. Believe it or not, Luke releases his hold on me, at which point I faint dead away. What happens next is a blur that I got secondhand from everyone involved. Luke got Peter pinned against the other wall, and was punching him over and over in the gut. Chris is trying to revive me, and at the same time is calling 911. When who saunters in but Malcolm, Chris' ex-boyfriend. He sees me passed out, Chris with her black eye forming, and Peter getting the snot beat out of him. He goes into a rage, tore Luke away from Peter, and then beat the holy snot out of him.
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Dr. Balis:
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And this all happened in...
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Ms. Raven:
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As far as I know, probably two minutes. When the police arrived, Malcolm had Luke pinned on the floor. Chris had me partially revived. And Peter was helping Chris. Reports were filed, Luke was arrested, and I got that goddamned restraining order.
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Dr. Balis:
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Well...
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Ms. Raven:
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I really don't want to hear "I told you so," Doctor. That would be the worst thing you ever said to me.
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Dr. Balis:
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I wasn't going to react that way, Eliza. But I'm thankful that you finally got the restraining order.
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Ms. Raven:
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Yeah, a little late though. Late enough for my new friends to get beaten up by my ex-fiancé. Great. Wonderful. Happy. Joy.
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Dr. Balis:
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I'm sorry, Eliza.
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Ms. Raven:
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What for?! It's my own damned fault that they were hurt by Luke. It's all my fault. And you know what? Life is very, very unfair!
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Dr. Balis:
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I don't know what I can say that will make you feel better.
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Ms. Raven:
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Tell me that I would be better off dead.
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Dr. Balis:
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Would that make you feel better?
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Ms. Raven:
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No.
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Dr. Balis:
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Then why should I say that to you?
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Ms. Raven:
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Because I deserve it.
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Dr. Balis:
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Well, Eliza, let's stop laying blame for a minute and look at the decisions you made.
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Ms. Raven:
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Okay.
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Dr. Balis:
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Now, Luke chose to come into your home and harm the people there. He could have done that whether or not you had a restraining order.
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Ms. Raven:
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He wouldn't have.
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Dr. Balis:
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I'm not sure about that. But he certainly could have. A restraining order just means that you can call the police and have him arrested for something more serious than trespass. It doesn't stop him from doing something criminal.
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Ms. Raven:
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Okay, okay. I see what you mean.
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Dr. Balis:
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That's good. Now, why are you in the hospital? From your story, it didn't sound like Luke hurt you badly enough for you to be here.
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Ms. Raven:
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The unexplained pain returned, and the parental units thought it would be a good place for me to calm down and maybe get fixed. So they are keeping me overnight.
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Dr. Balis:
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I see.
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Ms. Jacobsen:
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I'm sorry to bother the two of you, but a nurse is here to check Bethy's vital signs.
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Ms. Raven:
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Okay, Mom. Let me say goodbye.
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Ms. Jacobsen:
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Okay. I'll give you a minute.
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Dr. Balis:
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So I'll see you tomorrow?
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Ms. Raven:
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Tuesday as usual.
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Dr. Balis:
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Okay. Goodbye, Eliza. Take care of yourself.
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Ms. Raven:
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Thank you. I will. Goodbye, now.
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###
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Doctor Balis' Notes on this Conversation
Transcripts of Eliza Raven's Communications
