Chapter Thirteen

You Are Beautiful

"I'm sorry."

Those were the first words out of her mouth as soon as Woody came back to the witness holding room after testifying himself. "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, walking over to her, his hands on his hips.

Jordan swallowed hard. "I…It….wasn't like this attack…That time I wasn't….he didn't…" She still couldn't say the word…it was still too brutal and too fresh.

"Tell me, Jordan. What happened?"

Taking a deep breath and looking down at her fingers that were twisting themselves in knots, she started. "The guy that broke into my apartment….I know I told you I was at work when it happened. But I wasn't. That night after we were through dancing and you brought me home…when I went into my apartment, he was in there. I guess I surprised him. He….he….had a knife, but as he was rummaging through my dresser, he found my hand gun. He pointed it at me and made me…made…me take off my clothes. When he reached out to touch me, I fought back…and I guess I scared him because he ran off. I knew if the Boston PD ever caught the burglar, I'd have him…I could bring up the other charge of attempted assault.

But I didn't tell you because so much was going on…Devan was still alive then…and I wasn't sure if I fit into your life anymore. Then it just seemed there was case after case…and none of them were easy. Levithan, Dad coming back home…. the Albanian Mob….you and Cal…We went back to LA…and then everything after that….you wanting to hold me closer, me avoiding you…the ring…and then you were shot," she finished, drawing in another deep breath. "And at that point you told me to get out of your life. In the great scheme of things….the playing field that has been our life together … it just seemed it really wasn't that significant. Honestly, I rarely think about it. It wasn't until today…that it seemed important to anyone." She shut her eyes to fight back the tears.

"You never thought I'd want to know?"

"Things were just moving so fast, Woody."

He sighed and propped against a wall by her side. "I see your point…But I wish you would have told me."

"I have …now."

"But I should have known then."

It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him why he would even want to know then when he was seeing Devan at the time. But she simply nodded and whispered, "I'm sorry."

"Rene' said for me to tell you that you could leave for the day," Woody said abruptly She won't be calling you back to the stand again this afternoon."

Jordan once again nodded and went to retrieve her purse and jacket on the other side of the room. Woody followed her, and took her jacket out of her hands to help her put it on. "I don't care how often you told yourself it didn't matter, or under what circumstances you thought it wasn't important, it was…to me, especially. I never want anyone to hurt you, Jordan." He gently turned her around and lifted her chin with his thumb so she was looking him in the eyes. "You're too special…and beautiful….for that to happen. And I'd hurt anyone who tries to harm you…including that smart ass attorney defending that psycho in the courtroom." He smiled warmly down at her and lightly kissed her forehead.

She went back to her office in a daze. Despite everything, Woody still thought she was beautiful. Despite her attacks, despite her avoiding him, despite the scar that was still visible from her neck to her breast, Woody had never stopped thinking she was beautiful. She blinked back the tears as she touched her forehead where he had kissed her.

Woody may never know what he had just given her back. No one had called her beautiful in so long…and her treatment by her attacker and his lawyer had made her feel less than human…..no, less than a woman….And Woody had gone a long way in restoring her faith in herself. She made her way to the women's locker room and surveyed herself in the full length mirrors.

She was thinner than she was a year ago. Her clothes were between a size zero and a one. She needed to gain a little more weight back to emphasize her curves again. And maybe it was time to stop dressing like a nun. While she may never get her sexy self-confidence back, perhaps it was time to start putting back on her jeans and blouses once more.

Maybe…just maybe… it was time to stop acting like a victim and start acting like a survivor.

Woody hadn't said things were back to normal between them. He hadn't said that he wanted her back in his life.

But he had given Jordan her faith back in herself. He thought she was beautiful and special.

And for that, she would always be eternally grateful to her Farm Boy.

Someone has thrown a switch in that woman, Woody thought with amazement as Jordan took the stand the next day. Gone was the long, black skirt and scared appearance. The woman that took the witness stand the next day was standing tall and confident, dressed in a pin striped suit and blue blouse…opened two buttons, exposing her throat and the scar for the first time.

The gasp from the courtroom spectators was audible as Rene' questioned her about the long red mark that ran down the side of her throat and down the right side of her chest.

And Jordan never flinched. She gave detail for detail over what had happened and how if she had not been found by a Good Samaritan neighbor, she would have bled to death in the parking deck of her apartment. When Rene' had finally dismissed her from the witness box, Jordan had sought out Woody, sitting in his usual place behind Rene. She smiled softly. His eyes glowed with pride…and relief.

Jordan was becoming Jordan once again.