(The next morning, in bed. Rachel pecks Robin on the lips. He smiles.)
Rachel: Fancy a go before work? (Robin kisses her gently and then leans back to admire her beauty in the little bit of dawn light that peeks through her shades. He runs his finger slowly down, starting at her shoulder down to her elbow then to her side and back up to the ribcage near her bare breasts. She closes her eyes relaxed by his gentle touch. His fingers move back to her ribs and the small space of skin beneath her arm that the side fabric of a bra would normally cover. His finger traces back and forth on a dark line in her skin.)
Robin: What's this? (Rachel opens her eyes and leans forward slightly to see the dark spot he's referencing.)
Rachel: (smiles) Battle scars. (She leans forward and plants another kiss on his lips.)
Robin: Almost looks like a burn.
Rachel: In your expert medical opinion? (she kisses him again but he doesn't respond. He's fixated on the mark.) It was a burn but it scarred worse than it should have because I didn't treat it properly. If 'google' had been invented it would never have gotten infected. And maybe I'd be a doctor. (Rubs a hand on his bare muscular chest) But then I suppose we wouldn't have met because I'd be off being a doctor somewhere while you're out there fighting crime.
Robin: Still both saving lives.
Rachel: Every day regular heros. (She presses her body into his and reaches under the sheets to hold his penis. His "morning wood" is gone and she begins moving her hand back and forth, to liven it back up, but he takes her hand and brings it back out of the covers.)
Robin: It's an odd place for a burn.
Rachel: (Sighs) It's old. What's it matter?
Robin: How did it happen?
Rachel: I grazed it with an iron, ironing starkers.
Robin: And then this two second graze became infected and left a 5 centimeter scar? That doesn't add up.
Rachel: Am I being interrogated? (laughs)
Robin: No.
Rachel: Then what's it matter?
Robin: If it doesn't matter why not just say?
Rachel: Right, ok. I was plastered, completely off me head. And I blacked out with the curling iron on. (Robin's eyebrows lower and he fully sits up. She does too moving closer to him and rubbing a hand on his chest.) Are you... (she kisses his strong arm) Are you cross with me?
Robin: I'm not cross. I'd just rather you say "Robin it's none of your fucking business." Instead of bloody lying to me. We literally just talked about lying the other day. I want to trust you.
Rachel: Ok. Ok. (she pushes her body against his and kisses his neck and shoulder.) I'm sorry. I just (kiss) don't know why (kiss) you're always (kiss) asking (kiss) questions.
Robin: I'd like to know about ya. l'd like to know you. Is that ok? (Rachel shrugs and kisses his chest. She moves her kisses down his torso but he stops before she gets to his navel and takes her gently by the chin and moves her face back up to meet his eyes.) If you want to tell me it's none of my business, that's fine, say that. But none of this lying and then trying to distract me with- (he gestures to his private which is a little more excited than it was a few moments ago. She smiles and reaches under the cover but he catches her hand, locking his fingers with hers and bringing it above the covers again.)
Rachel: I said sorry.
Robin: I know.
Rachel: So?
Robin: Well?
Rachel: I said, it was a burn. What else? (He frowns at her exasperation)
Robin: Do you want to tell me how it happened?
Rachel: (pouts) Fine. You promise you won't blab about it to anyone?
Robin: Have I got to promise that over and over anytime I ask you something?
Rachel: Maybe.
Robin: I absolutely promise.
Rachel: (exhales deeply and closes her eyes) Four fags. If you absolutely must know the details. One after the other. Same spot. It was probably 2nd, 3rd degree but I treated it myself so it got infected. (She opens her eyes and catches a glimpse of the shock on his face. He quickly replaces it with a non-threatening neutral expression.)
Robin: H. h. (clears his throat) How? Why?
Rachel: (sighs and pouts realizing he wasn't going to indulge her in a morning shag, and was far more invested in finding out the truth about her. If she was doing this, if he wanted the grisly details, fine. She thinks briefly about what her therapist's proverbial butterfly but then pushes it out of her mind. Speaks quickly with a bored tone,) Dom, me brother, he nicked some fags from the shop. I found him about to smoke one, in the sitting room, if you'd believe it. I gave him an earful. I was telling him off and then me Dad walks in. He slaps Dom and Dom, he could never handle being under pressure, getting a bollocking from me and then getting smacked by Dad, Dom just broke down crying. Then, Dad he starts in at me. Saying I should have been watching him and that. You know. But his thieving was getting out of control and I was fed up with it. Dad said "He's 11 you're meant to be watching him." and I said "Why? Who was watching me at 11? No one. You're either a thieving little git or you're not."
Robin: Right.
Rachel: So Dad, he starting hitting me, just slaps. Dom, he, well, like I said he'd get overwhelmed he couldn't handle it. He shouted and was crying. "I'm sorry Dad!" And he got between us and shoved the fags at my Dad. And you can ask Gill, or Janet, I speak before I think sometimes. So I shouted. "I'm sick of answering for his fuck-ups." So Dad said fine. He'd make a deal with me. I'd be off Dom duty, he wouldn't punish me for his nicking the fags-
Robin: Sounds like he'd already had.
Rachel: -Or anything else he might muck up, for as many days as I could handle, (points) without tears, fags to the skin.
Robin: He was a fucking sadist! (Robin covers his mouth not having expected the outburst. He was doing his best to keep his emotional response in.)
Rachel: I suppose. (shrugs) Anyway. I could only handle four.
Robin: Shit.
Rachel: It was a great four days though. So. (she rubs the skin on her ribcage and smiles at Robin who's failing to conceal his horror.) I did ask if there were any other options.
Robin: Other options?
Rachel: Yeah. If I tell you, you're not going to like, get weird and like need space for a bit are you?
Robin: Space?
Rachel: Yeah, I know sometimes, if, well, for other people it can be a bit heavy and sometimes other people- Sean, mainly, he'd get sort of bogged down with it. He couldn't handle too much of my nonsense and then he'd like, need a break, because he said he'd get angry any time he saw me because he was thinking of what I said, so he-
Robin: Can I ask you a favor?
Rachel: Uh, yeah, course.
Robin: Never, ever, put me in the same boat as this Sean bloke. He sounds like a right arsehole.
Rachel: I dunno. He might've been. (She looks at her fingers thinking about what her therapist said about protecting her "abuser".)
Robin: Go on. I'm listening.
Rachel: Are you sure you want to hear-
Robin: Yes.
Rachel: Well, I asked him if there was any alternatives. Like, well, he was a bit of a bully me Dad.
Robin: Sounds like an understatement.
Rachel: (laughs) Yeah, well, we used to play this game. I told you we played games sometimes. And, I asked if it could be fists instead of fags.
Robin: Fists? Like, punching?
Rachel: Yeah, well, I already knew how many I could handle without crying or falling over. I could've got maybe 2 weeks out of it. Or maybe half a year, if he let me choose the belt, which arguably was my preference-
Robin: Preference?
Rachel: Because, if you get really quiet, and just focus on the sound and your breathing, you sort of go numb and everything gets really peaceful.
Robin: Dissociation.
Rachel: Anyway, he wouldn't budge on the fags. He said the only choice I had in it, is what spot. So, I chose here. (Touches the mark) I reckoned no one would ever see it there. (Laughs) And I've literally never had anyone ask me before. (Shrugs again) So-la di da-that's all. Happy?
Robin: Happy? (He takes a long blink trying to process the enormity of grimness she just shared.) I'm happy that you shared with me, yes. But overall, I'm furious.
Rachel: You promised!
Robin: Not with you. You're amazing. Beyond amazing. (He pets her hair, marveling at how she didn't turn into a sociopath. She kisses him and he tastes her desperate need for his approval.) Just to think that happened to you, to think all of that, it went unnoticed, and to think of how many fucking sadists are out there right now getting away with that shit.
Rachel: We can't catch them all. but we can bloody well try. Can't we? (She smiles again pleased with the idea and the righteous indignation. Robin rubs the spot gently with his thumb before tenderly planting a soft kiss on the mark. Rachel smiles a warm-tight-lipped smile. He kisses her lips and she kisses back finally feeling his physical commitment to giving her what she wants.)
(After a morning shag and shower, Robin finally having gotten his belongings together, peaks in at Rachel doing her daughter's hair.)
Charlotte: Why is it raining?
Rachel: Do I look like the weatherman?
Charlotte: (leans back and smiles at her mother's face) Yes. Because you have a mustache! (Rachel's mouth drops open in false shock. Charlotte giggles.)
Rachel: Take that back. (she tickles Charlotte who giggles and squirms. Robin felt even more in awe of Rachel, a woman who experienced so little kindness and yet she was able to show tremendous warmth to her daughter. She smiles when she notices Robin.) Heading out?
Robin: Yes. See you there.
Charlotte: Why can't I come to work?
Rachel: Because you're a child. Kids go to school. Grown-ups go to work.
Charlotte: Why?
Rachel: Oh, I don't bloody know. Because despite hundreds of thousands of years of evolution, humans haven't found a better way to uphold society.
Charlotte: That's a lot of years.
Rachel: Yes.
Charlotte: You're 40years.
Rachel: Right, stop rubbing it in.
Robin: Have a good day at school Charlotte.
Charlotte: Will you be here for supper?
Rachel: Oiy. (Robin laughs) He might have other plans.
Robin: We'll see Charlie. May I call you Charlie?
Charlotte: Yes, that's good and fine.
Robin: Good. (He kisses Rachel's cheek and then begins walking away. He's practically to the door before Rachel rushes after him.)
Rachel: I know I coulda text, but I wanted to tell you before you get to the office, make sure you clear a good hour or so, for lunch.
Robin: (rolls eyes) Listen, just because we officially had sex, does not mean my rule about shagging in the office-
Rachel: No, not that you knob. (He laughs) I talked to Elise yesterday. She lives in France, did you know that?
Robin: No.
Rachel: Well, she doesn't go back for another week. I got her to agree to meet us for lunch.
Robin: Oh.
Rachel: So, we can talk to her about your case.
Robin: You did that, yesterday?
Rachel: Yeah!
Robin: During your party?
Rachel: (dismissively) Anyway. I didn't tell her about the photos. But I did tell her that there was a case that she might be able to help on and I'd appreciate her input. She was a bit, like, confused about how she could be a help, but she agreed. So, half past noon. Clear a spot. Yeah? She's probably worked it out in her head by now.
Robin: Thank you.
Rachel: Of course. (They share a smile and he quickly kisses her before leaving the house and she returns to her daughter.)