Chapter 7
The next day, once Kim was safely out of the house, Christy picked up the phone and dialled the switchboard at County.
She smooth-talked her way past a series of harried receptionists, using the old 'it's personal' trick to get through to the right department. Hampered only slightly by ignorance of her supposed 'friend' 's last name, she was soon waiting apprehensively for a reply.
"Hello, Rose Carrol speaking."
"Hello Dr Carrol, this is Christy Thomas."
Christy hadn't really planned this far. She struggled on nonetheless;
"I'm sorry if this sounds a little weird, but a friend gave me your name, and I was hoping you could help me."
"OK..." Rose frowned, perplexed, "How can I help, Ms Thomas?"
Sitting there at home, Christy babbled on, hoping she sounded convincing,
"Well, I was in an accident last month, and I need help getting back on my feet. It's really quite urgent - I'm a lawyer, you see, and I'm losing all my clients here. I mean I could pull off speaking in court with a sling, but crutches as well - no-one would take me seriously!"
Rose laughed indulgently.
"I see your point. Well, I'm free Monday afternoon - how about you come in and we can talk."
Christy tried in vain to sound nonchalant, coming off more as slightly manic.
"Great, what time?"
"Three thirty all right with you?"
"Sure, see you then. And thanks."
"No problem."
Dr Carrol put the phone down, wondering what she'd got herself into.
- -- - -- - -- - -- -
That weekend, Kerry woke early to the thoughts that had filled her days and disturbed her nights ever since a certain blonde had reappeared in her life. First and foremost, the guilt that had resurfaced on Legaspi's return. With her ex miles away out west, it had been easier to forget - forget the betrayal, the contempt she knew Kim must have felt. But now, knowing she was back in town, the thought of meeting her at the hospital, on the El... Kerry told herself that wouldn't happen.
She looked across at the woman sleeping peacefully next to her. Pretty, thoughtful, fun to be around - Sandy was everything a woman could ask for. Kerry'd really thought this was the real thing...Was it?
After breakfast, Sandy suggested a day out. Maybe a walk in the park, lunch someplace nice. Kerry, however, said she'd rather stay in. They'd been doing rather a lot of that lately. Not that Sandy minded the extra attention, but that was just it. Kerry was more distant, if anything - distracted, preoccupied even. At first her partner had put it down to work pressures, tiredness, the heat perhaps. But lately she'd been worrying it was something more than that.
Anyway, neither of them felt up to much right then. Sandy settled down in front of the morning news, while Kerry sat ensconced in the study, burying herself in receipts and paperwork.
Dr. Weaver was the kind of person who filed everything away carefully. Unfortunately, that morning her system had failed her. She searched everywhere for one bill she was sure had been paid. Thinking it might have slipped under something, Kerry opened a drawer and riffled through a stack of folders. Her fingers touched something right at the bottom. Something hard, with sharp corners. Ever so slowly, Kerry pulled it out, put it on the desk in front of her. It was a picture taken the year before - of her and Kim.
Her eyes misted over as she thought back to those times. She recalled vividly the night it had been taken, they'd splashed out on dinner at a fancy restaurant. Kerry had been nervous about a date in such a public setting. But Kim had been the perfect gentlewoman throughout - patient and understanding. They'd enjoyed themselves so much that they'd planned to return for Thanksgiving. Of course by then it was long over.
- -- - -- - -- - -- -
Back in the lounge, Sandy stood up and stretched, figuring it was time to fix lunch. Her feet bare, she padded softly towards the study, stopping short at what she saw there. Her girlfriend sat completely absorbed, staring at what looked like a framed photograph. And from what little she could see over Kerry's shoulder, one Sandy never knew existed. Biting her lip anxiously, the fire-fighter turned and walked away, unable to intrude. Who was in the god-damn photo?
That question wouldn't go away. Why had Kerry hidden it away, why had she got it out that morning? However she looked at it, Sandy could only come up with one answer. She really wished there was another. In the end, she couldn't take not knowing. When Kerry was tied up on the phone, Sandy went into the study and hurriedly looked around. The only place it could be was in the desk. And sure enough, there it was, stuffed away in a drawer.
Sandy set the picture face down, and thought she'd best take a seat. She pushed the chair back, as if afraid of what she'd see. Her heart pounding, she turned it over.
There was Kerry, and with her...Sandy knew that could only be Kim Legaspi.
Blonde, blue eyes - she was everything Kerry had described her to be. But so young, and - Sandy struggled to say it, even to herself - so beautiful. And Kerry, she looked so...happy.
The next day, once Kim was safely out of the house, Christy picked up the phone and dialled the switchboard at County.
She smooth-talked her way past a series of harried receptionists, using the old 'it's personal' trick to get through to the right department. Hampered only slightly by ignorance of her supposed 'friend' 's last name, she was soon waiting apprehensively for a reply.
"Hello, Rose Carrol speaking."
"Hello Dr Carrol, this is Christy Thomas."
Christy hadn't really planned this far. She struggled on nonetheless;
"I'm sorry if this sounds a little weird, but a friend gave me your name, and I was hoping you could help me."
"OK..." Rose frowned, perplexed, "How can I help, Ms Thomas?"
Sitting there at home, Christy babbled on, hoping she sounded convincing,
"Well, I was in an accident last month, and I need help getting back on my feet. It's really quite urgent - I'm a lawyer, you see, and I'm losing all my clients here. I mean I could pull off speaking in court with a sling, but crutches as well - no-one would take me seriously!"
Rose laughed indulgently.
"I see your point. Well, I'm free Monday afternoon - how about you come in and we can talk."
Christy tried in vain to sound nonchalant, coming off more as slightly manic.
"Great, what time?"
"Three thirty all right with you?"
"Sure, see you then. And thanks."
"No problem."
Dr Carrol put the phone down, wondering what she'd got herself into.
- -- - -- - -- - -- -
That weekend, Kerry woke early to the thoughts that had filled her days and disturbed her nights ever since a certain blonde had reappeared in her life. First and foremost, the guilt that had resurfaced on Legaspi's return. With her ex miles away out west, it had been easier to forget - forget the betrayal, the contempt she knew Kim must have felt. But now, knowing she was back in town, the thought of meeting her at the hospital, on the El... Kerry told herself that wouldn't happen.
She looked across at the woman sleeping peacefully next to her. Pretty, thoughtful, fun to be around - Sandy was everything a woman could ask for. Kerry'd really thought this was the real thing...Was it?
After breakfast, Sandy suggested a day out. Maybe a walk in the park, lunch someplace nice. Kerry, however, said she'd rather stay in. They'd been doing rather a lot of that lately. Not that Sandy minded the extra attention, but that was just it. Kerry was more distant, if anything - distracted, preoccupied even. At first her partner had put it down to work pressures, tiredness, the heat perhaps. But lately she'd been worrying it was something more than that.
Anyway, neither of them felt up to much right then. Sandy settled down in front of the morning news, while Kerry sat ensconced in the study, burying herself in receipts and paperwork.
Dr. Weaver was the kind of person who filed everything away carefully. Unfortunately, that morning her system had failed her. She searched everywhere for one bill she was sure had been paid. Thinking it might have slipped under something, Kerry opened a drawer and riffled through a stack of folders. Her fingers touched something right at the bottom. Something hard, with sharp corners. Ever so slowly, Kerry pulled it out, put it on the desk in front of her. It was a picture taken the year before - of her and Kim.
Her eyes misted over as she thought back to those times. She recalled vividly the night it had been taken, they'd splashed out on dinner at a fancy restaurant. Kerry had been nervous about a date in such a public setting. But Kim had been the perfect gentlewoman throughout - patient and understanding. They'd enjoyed themselves so much that they'd planned to return for Thanksgiving. Of course by then it was long over.
- -- - -- - -- - -- -
Back in the lounge, Sandy stood up and stretched, figuring it was time to fix lunch. Her feet bare, she padded softly towards the study, stopping short at what she saw there. Her girlfriend sat completely absorbed, staring at what looked like a framed photograph. And from what little she could see over Kerry's shoulder, one Sandy never knew existed. Biting her lip anxiously, the fire-fighter turned and walked away, unable to intrude. Who was in the god-damn photo?
That question wouldn't go away. Why had Kerry hidden it away, why had she got it out that morning? However she looked at it, Sandy could only come up with one answer. She really wished there was another. In the end, she couldn't take not knowing. When Kerry was tied up on the phone, Sandy went into the study and hurriedly looked around. The only place it could be was in the desk. And sure enough, there it was, stuffed away in a drawer.
Sandy set the picture face down, and thought she'd best take a seat. She pushed the chair back, as if afraid of what she'd see. Her heart pounding, she turned it over.
There was Kerry, and with her...Sandy knew that could only be Kim Legaspi.
Blonde, blue eyes - she was everything Kerry had described her to be. But so young, and - Sandy struggled to say it, even to herself - so beautiful. And Kerry, she looked so...happy.