Two
days later Cosmetic And Plastic Surgery Centre
Sarah stepped into the entrance hall timidly and looked around. Her hands were quite clammy from the nerviness as she went to the reception, "good morning! I read your ad in a newspaper," she said with a trembling voice, "it said you perform procedures without having to speak to a doctor beforehand."
"Do you want a liposuction?" The woman at the reception didn't even look up from her computer once.
Sarah nodded, "when can I have an appointment then?"
The woman looked up, "if you only want a liposuction you can wait for it. Do you have the money with you?"
"Yes," Sarah took out her purse, "the ad talked about 1800 dollars or so."
The woman nodded, "all right. Then you only need to fill this form out," she shoved Sarah a set of papers above the receptionist desk.
Sarah took a pen and began. She came to a hold for a split second, when she got to the section with the complications of the procedure, "is it dangerous?" She asked fearfully.
The woman smiled with her obligatory beam, "don't worry about it. That is the same as it is with the leaflet you get with any medication. All the side effects must be specified there. But only a very small percentage of the patients has any of side effects that are indicated there. There were so far no cases with serious complications."
Sarah nodded disconcerted. She almost already regretted coming here. But she was too deeply caught up already with the thing. She had deceived her mother and Max and had simply secretly taken her whole savings off the account. Money that she should actually use for her studies. But Sarah's dream was now to once become a model. Even if her mother would never understand that. And she would do everything so that her dream comes true.
"When you're finished with that, you can wait in one of the rooms in the back," the receptionist said. She looked at the clock, "it's only eight o'clock. Normally the surgeons would start working at ten. Maybe you have something else to see to? Then I'll get the registration done, and you can come back later."
Sarah shook her head while she returned the form to the lady. "I do not have a car. I came with the taxi."
"I understand," the woman nodded, "now then sit down in the waiting room till then. There are some newspapers there that could make the waiting time seem shorter."
"Thanks," Sarah smiled tormented and turned around to go into the waiting room.
The woman was about to set Sarah's patient files to the side when her gaze wandered to the name on them. She suddenly remembered the two gentlemen who were there at the weekend and asked after the young girl. She found the business card that one of the doctors left behind at the end and started to dial the number.
Christian's apartment
Christian reluctantly opened his eyes when the phone rang next to him. He half sat up and grabbed after the receiver still completely benumbed, "yes," he muttered sleepily.
"Christian? It's Sean. I just got a call from the woman at the clinic in Fort Lauderdale. She told me a young girl with the name of Sarah Pollock just registered herself for a liposuction there. So swing your legs over the edge of the bed and come to the practice! I'm waiting for you there."
Christian was awake all of a sudden, "I'm coming!" He threw the receiver to the side in a slapdash fashion and jumped out of bed.
"Who was that?" Kimber murmured tiredly.
Christian froze for a moment and sighed. He hoped she wasn't awake. But now it was too late and he didn't wanna lie to her again, "Sean. Our fears were unfortunately justified. Sarah's at this clinic."
"Oh no..." Kimber sat up abruptly, "I'll wash myself quickly and get dressed so we can go."
"I can take care of it just as good with Sean," Christian tried to get round it.
Kimber looked at him incredulously, "it'd better if I come. Sarah at least trusts me."
"You mean she doesn't trust me?" Christian asked exasperated.
"You did not really pull off a good relationship with her," she answered shrugging, "and after you rejected her request to operate, her opinion about you did not exactly improve." She rolled her eyes and reached for her bathrobe, "believe me, if somebody can persuade her to come home then I am that."
Christian nodded sighing. He knew Kimber was right. He really didn't behave like a brother would. Quite the opposite, he avoided her and her problems. She would've never needed to go to this clinic if he would've taken her concerns and desires more seriously.
Kimber guessed what was going on inside him, "it's not your fault," she said encouragingly, "in your situation I would've probably also refused operating my own sister."
"That does not have anything to do with Sarah", Christian shook his head, "it's about the principle. I am simply against the fact that one should already perform cosmetic surgery on 16 year olds. That is unnecessary and wrong! And I cannot understand that there are surgeons who support this illusion", he said.
"Why didn't you explain Sarah the same way you just did to me? I think she would have perhaps even understood."
Christian shook his head, "you said nevertheless yourself that she's possessed by the idea to become a model. Nobody and nothing will be able to hold her back from adapting her appearance according to the needs of the advertisement industry." He looked at the clock, "we should hurry. Sean's waiting at practice for us already."
"Do you think we should let Gail know?"
Christian shook his head, "I don't want to worry her unnecessarily. We go to this clinic first and then we'll see what's next."
Kimber stood up and got herself a few clean clothes from the wardrobe, "let's hope we won't be too late," she cast Christian another worried look before she disappeared in the bathroom.
