Thirty years ago, a woman showed up banging on my door at 4:30 in the morning. Completely nude, with nothing more than a blanket loosely wrapped around her, sobbing, and with a swollen face and 2 blackening eyes. I opened the door and she pushed her way in, screaming. Out in the street was a car driving slowly. I assumed she had jumped out of the car. I was wrong.
She had fled her apartment - on foot - from ONE MILE AWAY and ran up city steps, through streets, down sidewalks banging on doors ... while the whole time her guy, who had just beaten her in a violent fight, was chasing and following her in his car. Until she found a person awake with a door to get inside for help.
I got her clothing and tea. We called the police. They came and took her to safety.
Had she not found someone that just happened to be awake, he would have likely forced her back into his car and she may never have lived another day.
I keep thinking Heidi fled to safety with her baby.
But I fear I am, once again, wrong.