"So, I've changed my mind." Kristina sat down at the table where Olivia and Carly were eating.
"About?" Carly asked.
"About my future. I'm going into Public Relations." Kristina shared.
"That is a perfect choice for you." Olivia decided.
"Thanks. But that's not all I've changed my mind about." Kristina told them. "I know it's short notice and the benefit is less than two weeks away, but I want to see about having some survivors talk about being beaten at the benefit. And I think I know a few that will volunteer."
"You have done an amazing job." Carly told Kristina. It was the night of the benefit and they were making sure everything was done before the first guests arrive.
"I just helped. Thanks for the opportunity Carly." Kristina shared. "And thanks for the dress."
"We all had to match." Carly shrugged. "And we do look so good." Carly wore a white dress that fell from a straight neckline to the floor with a plunging back. Olivia had on a strapless dress that curved to her body and flared out like a mermaid's tail at her feet. Kristina had a wide strapped sweetheart neckline white dress that was fitted to under her bust then came out in a simple A line, floating to just above her knees.
"Ladies, can I get a picture of you before it gets too crazy?" The photographer asked. "The power ladies behind the magic." The photographer grinned as the three ladies got together. With Kristina in the middle, Carly and Olivia leaned in and smiled widely. "Say 'magic'!"
"Magic!" They all called out together.
"Kristina, the one thing that I have learned over the course of all of these events is that you should enjoy them." Carly started.
"She's right. For goodness sakes, make sure everything happens but please, have fun tonight." Olivia reminded her. "Soak up every single compliment because there will be tons. Get your picture taken as much as you can and above all else, make sure you dance with handsome men tonight." She twinkled.
"Ladies, here come the guests. It's game time." Carly announced as the elevator doors slid open.
"As the Official spokes person of the Coalition for Battered Women, I have to acknowledge the efforts of the women that organized this amazing event. Please help me in thanking Carly Jax, Olivia Falkenari and Kristina Corinthos." The spokeswoman started a warm round of applause. After a moment, Carly smiled and took the mic.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you. Your kind applause is misguided however. It needs to be for the survivors who have worked hard to get themselves help and are on the track to getting through what has happened to them and continue with their lives." Carly pointed out. "This evening we invite you to reach into your pockets and give generously to this worthy cause because every penny you donate is a penny towards these women's future." She waited for the applause to wind down again. "During this evening, you will meet some of these survivors who are sitting among you and you will hear their stories. This is very hard for these ladies however they are empowered by talking about it and taking back their lives is an important step to moving forward. Please join me now in beginning to make donations. I am starting off the donations by donating the hotel's services and the cost of the ball, as well as a personal ten thousand dollar donation." Carly's announcement prompted more applause.
"Are you ready?" Olivia asked, stepping into the stages' eves and squeezing Kristina's shoulder.
"As I'm ever going to be." Kristina had decided only this afternoon to share her story. She had been struggling with the decision since she had changed her mind about the women sharing. She was wondering if it was appropriate to share as an organizer, if it was too soon or even if her family would be upset with it. In the end, she realized that she had to do this.
"Well, then, let's announce you." Olivia decided. She gave the girl a quick hug.
"Hello again." Olivia walked out onto the stage. She waited a beat for the chatter to die down and the lights focused on her. "I'd like to bring out our last survivor of the night." She turned to the eves and as Kristina walked out, the audience sat in a shocked silence. Alexis looked at Sonny and he sat forward with his hand on his face. Michael exchanged glances with Jason and Ethan stood up in the back with Johnny, shocked to see her walking out. Kristina pulled her stool up to the mic and her eyes dropped as she adjusted to the bright lights.
"My name is Kristina." She started like all the others. "I am a survivor of physical and mental abuse at the hands of my first boyfriend." She took a breath and continued, just like she had practised so many times. "I was so happy to have the most popular boy in school as my boyfriend that I accepted when he told me that he hit me because I made him mad. He controlled me by giving me a cell phone that only he had the number to, he picked out my clothes so that I was always looked like what he wanted and then if I said anything he didn't like, he'd hit me." She kept her voice from breaking for the first time and felt better for it. "I was so scared of him yet loved him so much, I took the beatings as if they were my fault. I was hospitalized twice." Kristina paused as the pictures of her bruises were displayed on the screens next to her. A few gasps at the graphic pictures came from the crowd. "It wasn't until my family and friends rallied around me to make me feel safe and understand that this was wrong. It took a long time, a lot of love, so many mistakes that I lost count and I'm still working towards getting my life back. I have survived and I want to help others who may not have the love of the family and friends by collecting donations so that they have somewhere like the Coalition to turn to. Domestic violence against women does not discriminate against age and affects women and children all over the world. What you have seen tonight, these women that you have been introduced to tonight are the lucky ones. Help us help the unlucky ones." Kristina let her hand holding the mic fall. She looked up at the screen at the picture of her, bruised and her eye so swollen she couldn't open it. This was her worst she realized as someone started the applause and as it grew, she finally realized it was in her past and she wasn't that broken and bruised any more. She quietly stood up, without acknowledging the crowd and hit the button on the monitor so the picture disappeared. She slowly walked off the stage.
"I am so proud of you." Alexis spotted Kristina approaching the table that her whole family had started to gravitate towards as soon as she came off the stage. Sonny sat with Carly and Jason, Sam was in between Jason and Alexis while Michael and Dante stood with Lulu and Olivia.
"We all are." Sonny stood up and hugged Kristina as soon as Alexis released her.
"That was pretty amazing." Carly reached out and grabbed her hand. "How do you feel?" She asked.
"I feel like I can now relax and enjoy the night. I'm just waiting for someone to ask me to dance." Kristina grinned.
"I get the first dance with my daughter." Sonny said, waving away both Michael and Dante's hands. "And I may just not let her go." He grinned, twirling Kristina onto the floor.
Kristina snuck out onto the terrace for a breath of fresh air. The benefit was still in full swing inside and the sounds floated out on the open air. She was proud of her involvement tonight. She was sure they had raised a large sum of money and when the total would be announced, she hoped to be right. Then Carly told her that they had made a third of that in the half hour following her share. She felt so good that she really made a difference.
"You are utterly amazing." Ethan spoke quietly from behind her.
"I'm nothing special." Kristina grinned.
"I said utterly amazing, not special." He walked up towards her. "I had no idea how brave you were to get up there and share that, in front of the whole town."
"It was time." Kristina shrugged. "It's taken a long time."
"And you've helped so many women with your story." Ethan reminded. "Not to mention young girls because I'm guaranteeing that you opened their mother's eyes in there."
"If I helped one girl not get beat up, then I'm happy." Kristina smiled.
"And, I haven't told you yet tonight how beautiful you look." Ethan added.
"You are full of compliments tonight." Kristina laughed.
"They're true." Ethan shrugged. "But I have one complaint."
"What's that?" She asked patiently.
"I haven't gotten to dance with you yet. Your family is monopolizing your time." Ethan shook his head. "It's not fair."
"Well, then, let's rectify that then." Kristina laughed. "Come on handsome, we'll hit the floor."
"I'm feeling like I'd rather have you all to myself." He pulled her into him on the terrace and they started to sway on the thin notes of the music floating out the terrace doors. Kristina settled into his arms and listened to the music and sounds while she relished the privacy they shared.
"Um, sorry to interrupt." Olivia cleared her throat from behind them. "We need to close the evening Kristina."
"I'm coming." Kristina stepped out of Ethan's arms. "Thanks for the dance."
"It was entirely my pleasure." Ethan grinned wickedly. Kristina and Olivia headed through the doors and joined Carly to climb the stage.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we'd like to thank you for joining us this evening and helping us raise so much money for such a worthy cause." Carly began.
"I'm sorry to interrupt but I have one more donation." A woman stood up. "I'd like to make it in my late son's name, Keifer Bauer." She walked towards the stage while others held their breath. "Kristina, I'd like to give it to you." Kristina was frozen in her spot beside Olivia and Carly turned to look at her. Alexis rose in her seat in the audience and the movement made Kristina blink out of her frozen state. She took a deep breath and stepped forward towards the edge of the stage. When she reached down to the paper that Mrs. Bauer held out she met her in the eyes. In that moment she saw the pain through Mrs. Bauer's eyes and felt sorry for the woman.
"Thank you." Kristina grasped the edge of the paper and it hung between the two women. Kristina saw the change in her eyes but the pain in her chest registered first. When she looked down in shock at the bright red stains spreading on her dress, she looked back at Mrs. Bauer who held a gun to her own head. Kristina cried out, squeezing her eyes shut and hearing the gun as it exploded and she knew without looking that Mrs. Bauer was gone. She opened her eyes in time to see the floor rushing towards her and the lights, blurring by as the sounds of the crowd and screams thundered in her ears.