His Silence - Chapter Eleven

HMP Belmarsh

Harvey’s glad when he at last, finishes with the prison doctor, although his nose is still stinging. He knew there was no need to see him really; he has no doubt the guards wouldn’t have cared less about him being looked at, but of course, protocol needed to be followed. Secretly they would’ve been urging Danielle on, he's sure of it. All the doctor did, was give him a few tissues to keep the pressure on his nose, to stop it from bleeding. The doctor had examined him with his small blue eyes, behind his spectacles balancing on the edge of his nose. He had to keep pushing his glasses back up, when they kept sliding down. 

‘First time you’ve got into a fight, haven’t you, Harvey?’ the doctor had asked him, after he’d sat.

‘Yeah, wasn’t really a fight though, I didn’t hit the person back,’ he’d replied.

‘Well, of course violence is never the answer to anything,’ the doctor had said, his voice stern.

Harvey had glanced up at him, a whiff of the doctor's sweat hitting him in the face, making him wince. He could see it shining on the doctor's forehead. Had he been referring to what he did twenty years ago? He’d opened his mouth to respond, but closed it again. He’d thought against reacting to him, it wouldn’t have done him any favours if he did. They’d spent the rest of their time together in silence, until the doctor said he was OK to go.

He thinks of Danielle on his way out of the room. Will she still be here? He wonders if the police will want to prosecute her for what she did, but doubts it; he certainly won’t be pressing charges. Everyone else’s visits were cut short after Danielle started pummelling her fists into him, he’s sure they won’t thank him for that. He doesn’t blame her, he’s sure he would’ve reacted in the same way if he was in her position.

Harvey edges back to his cell, keen to avoid as many people as possible. He hopes Danielle will see sense and go to the place he told her to go to. Jeremiah will make sure if it, he has to. Otherwise, what was the point in all of this?