Alicia's Apartment

"He's sweet."

"Who?" Kimber came back from the bathroom with her toothbrush in her hand, looking at Alicia questioningly, who was in the middle of removing her make up in front of the big mirror in the bedroom.

"Your Dr. Troy," she answered grinning.

Kimber let the toothbrush down and looked at Alicia blankly, "you were only meant to take the suitcase back and not fall in love with him on the spot!"

Alicia laughed, "jealous?"

Kimber turned around without a word and went back to the bathroom. She started to work on her teeth with a feeling of blocked anger in her guts. She could only blame herself for sending Alicia to him. Of course, hardly a man could resist a woman like Alicia, with her well built sexy figure, long legs, suntanned skin and faultless face.

"Have I maybe stepped on your toe with that one?" Alicia had moved behind her without her noticing.

Kimber put the unclean toothbrush down at the side of the sink, "was it at least good?" She asked sarcastically. She rinsed her mouth and spat out the water a little hesitantly into the wash basin. For a second she really had the inclination to spit it all back into Alicia's face.

"Nothing happened between us if you still care."

"Who would've thought..." Kimber rolled her eyes.

"Stop that!" Alicia said energetically, "you know I would never do that to you, as my friend."

"Christian Troy is not my possession," Kimber said intentionally indifferent sounding, "he can do whatever he wants. You can have him if you want."

Alicia sighed, "he doesn't want me, he wants you!"

"Did he say that?"

"He didn't have to. I saw his face when I mentioned your name," Alicia turned Kimber towards herself so that she could look into her eyes, "my God Kimber, the man loves you! What else do you want?"

"And even if he came all the way on his knees and he would ask my forgiveness, I would still not go back to him!" Kimber said decisevely.

"Are you afraid he could retune you to the way you were?" Alicia asked.

"No, I am finished with him."

"So you wouldn't mind if I or another woman wanted something with him?" Alicia asked sceptically.

"No," Kimber turned away quickly and put her nighties on. She didn't want Alicia to see that she was fighting with her tears. Thinking about him was still painful.

"I have to pass on something from him though," Alicia said, "he wishes you all the best and hopes you will be happy."

Kimber gave up fighting with her tears. She dropped herself onto the sink and put her hands in front of her face, "why can't he leave me alone?" She sobbed, "why does it hurt so goddamned much?"

"Because you still love him," Alicia said calmly, "and love doesn't go away that easily," she sat down next to Kimber at the edge of the bathtub and pulled her into her arms, "go to him!" She said adamantly, "talk to him. Try to sort your differences of opinion. I'm sure you could find a way."

Kimber shook her head, "I can't do that. I can't live with him anymore. There is too much that happened," she pulled back a little from Alicia and cleaned her eyes with the back of her hand, "I realised how shallow we lived. I have wasted countless years with worrying over finding the right nail varnish and lipstick for my outfit. I gave out six hundred dollars a year on visits to the fitness studio. I had a liposuction just so I fit into my wedding dress. And what for?" Kimber answered her own question
continuing, "because I wanted to be a perfect ten and I thought that beauty is the only thing that counts in this world," she grabbed a paper hankie and blew her nose, "and Christian only reinforced the idea."

"You suffered horrible trauma," Alicia started cautiously, "maybe you should think about getting some professional help."

Kimber looked at her friend indignantly, "I'm not crazy!"

"No, of course not. Nobody said that. But I think you need some help to work through what happened to you."

"I don't need help!" Kimber said stubbornly, "I have done quite well all by myself so far."

"Really? Look at yourself!" Alicia shoved her in front of the mirror, "you don't eat anymore, you don't sleep anymore, you don't go out, you box yourself in completely, leave the curtains down almost all day and wake up every night shouting! You are only a shadow of yourself! Your captor might have left you alive, but your soul is dead!"

Kimber was still staring at her reflection when Alicia has long left the bathroom. She followed the line of the healed scars on her face carefully with her index finger. Christian really outdid himself, she had to admit ungrudgingly. Without him and his knowledge and experience as a surgeon, she would've remained a monster.

Alicia was right. She really looked daunting. Now wonder she got rejected at every job interview. She couldn't even hide it with make up, she was looking so badly off. She had hoped that time will heal the wounds her soul had suffered as well, but the memories of the horrifying events haunted her day and night.

Alicia said that Christian still loved her. Why did he sleep with another woman then? Kimber pressed a wet cloth onto her forehead. She didn't want to think about Christian. The memories hurt too much.

She closed her eyes. In her mind's eye, she saw Christian in front of herself, as he knelt down and recited his wedding wows. Kimber felt that once again, her tears threatened to overflow. She shook her head as if she could get rid of her thoughts this way. When it was already water under the bridge! And the sooner she accepts these facts, the quicker she can lead a normal life. Kimber switched off the lights and left the bathroom.