My Wife Was Seven Months Pregnant When She Stopped Leaving Bed—Then I Lifted the Blue Blanket and Realized My Mother Already Knew What Was Underneath

For several seconds, she could not answer.

Then she whispered:

“I need help.”

I pulled the blanket back only far enough to see her lower legs.

And froze.

Dark bruising circled both calves.

Her left ankle was badly swollen.

Above both ankles were serious contact burns, partly covered by improvised gauze and strips torn from what looked like an old pillowcase.