Hi Everyone – Happy 4th of July
Another little bridge chapter for you, but the next chapter is definitely what people are looking forward to so I decided to put them up back to back! Enjoy!
Chapter 18 – Pain and Loneliness
It was midafternoon and Dick was taking refuge at Dark Night Farm. He stood with his hands resting on the top rail of the fence, the heel of his left boot hooked onto the bottom rail. For the umpteenth time over the past few days he was thinking about Kori, worried that she was hurting both physically and emotionally from Cooper's attack. He had called a couple of times and she seemed distant. He wish he knew how to help her.
"Dr Grayson..."
"Dr Grayson..."
"Dick, what's up with you?" Manny asked walking up from behind Dick.
Manny's words finally registered. "Sorry, Manny, lost in thought."
"Anything you want to talk about?"
"Nah, not really." Dick turned to face his friend. "So Manny, do you think that the training plan'll work?"
Bruce's top show horse Nightwatch, or 'Bully' as he was called at the barn, had been pulled out of some major show jumper competitions due to poor performance.
"Can't hurt. The only thing that the vet came up with for why Bully isn't jumping well was some weakened back muscles, and we better come up with something to address."
"Bruce is having a fit with this guy home. How much do we pay that trainer?"
"Too much obviously, but lets not worry about that. Like we discussed, I need you to just trot hills, up and down. We will start off with 45 minutes today and work up five minutes a day, and see if we can't get a hind end built back up. No galloping, no jumping. Just let him move and carry you. At least he won't bounce you off like Buster would."
"Yeah don't want that to happen again." Dick said, his thoughts of course returning to Kori who had helped him with her acupressure treatment after his fall off one of their other horses. Is there anything I can do for her? Should I try to see her? I don't even know where she lives. Would it be acceptable to send a card or flowers?
"Dick?"
"Sorry. Yup, riding Bully will help. I can definitely use the time to clear my head."
"Sure you don't want to talk about anything?"
"No thanks, its just been a tough week."
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"Excuse me, Koriand'r?"
"Yes, Frank?" Kori looked up at her butler when he appeared in the upstairs hallway outside the anteroom of her bedroom.
"There's one of your coworkers from the hospital to see you."
Kori paused, could it be...? and then asked, "May I ask who it is calling?"
"Dr. Roth," Frank responded much to Kori's relief.
"I join you downstairs in a minute. Thank you."
Kori checked herself in the mirror. She definitely did not look as vibrant as she usually did. But then again, she had been through quite an ordeal just a few days before. She tried out a brave face for the mirror and satisfied that she wasn't looking completely vulnerable, she made her way down to the foyer of the Tamaranian embassy.
Walking across to meet Kori as she decended the stairs, Rachel Roth said, "Hello Kori, sorry to intrude, its just you haven't returned my calls. I was just getting a bit concerned."
Kori kept an arm in front of her, guarding a bit because of her sore chest.
"I did not mean to worry you, it is just the whole experience has been so... embarrassing." Kori admitted. She was feeling ashamed. She hated all the attention.
"You shouldn't be embarrassed at all Kori," Rachel replied emphatically. "But I can certainly see how upsetting it could be."
"Thank you Rachel, and yes, it certainly has been upsetting." Kori replied as she began to nervously twist her fingers.
"Anything you want to talk about? It would probably do you very good."
"Oh, I do not know if there is anything to say." Kori made a small smile and tried to make eye contact.
"Oh, my apologies. Where are my manners? Please, Rachel you are already here, so come in. We can sit out back. Can I have Frank get us some tea?"
"I'd like that if you have the time."
"Time is something that I do have." Kori said as she requested that Frank prepare tea for them to have in the back sitting area by the garden.
"I'm glad you've taken some time off work." Rachel said as they sat down on the white wrought iron chairs.
"You know I did not want to and only did because I was forced to. Although I must admit am actually still very uncomfortable."
"Not surprising. Rib injuries are notoriously painful but I know you already knew that. You apparently took quite a hit. That was quite a contusion on Friday and I can only imagine that they look and feel worse now. Have you been taking Advil and applying heat?"
"Yes. It does seem to help."
"Be sure to continue then. I'll take another look if you want later...
"Thank you but that is not necessary." Kori said more sharply than she had intended, adding, "I will let you know if I have concerns later on."
There was a brief silence which Rachel broke by asking Kori, "May I ask about you and Dick?"
Kori was surprised by the straightforward question. She blushed and paused briefly, not sure how to react.
"Where did that come from?" she finally managed.
"Its none of my business and Dick hasn't said anything to me directly, its just that I know he cares about you and is taking things pretty hard."
"It was not his job to protect me."
"Of course not Kori, but what happened in the ER happened while Dick was there and Cooper was under his supervision."
"He should not take it 'hard' as you say. When had an intern ever assaulted anyone before? It was completely unforeseen."
"True, but you can let him care about you..."
"I do not know. He obviously has other women to take care of, or to take care of him..."
"Look Kori, I'm not sure what he is up to with Kitten or anyone else. I've just known him awhile and I think that he truly cares about you and wants to get to know you better."
Kori paused. Perhaps it would be good to talk to Rachel, at least about Dick.
"I thought there was something there, I truly did." Kori admitted. "It is just that now with all this, I think I would like to do the laying low for a little bit."
Again with her embarrassment, Kori's English began to slip up a bit.
"Maybe you shouldn't." Rachel said plainly.
"But even if there was something before, things have changed.... because of what happened... I was so weak."
"Why would you say that Kori? You were very strong, we had to make you stop working and leave the ER that night."
"I should have worked, I should have never let anyone know I was hurt. Like I said, I was weak. Plus," Kori lowered her voice, "I am ashamed, so ashamed. Cooper struck me in my chest. I feel violated."
"You have every right to feel violated but do not feel ashamed. You are not weak and you had no choice but to let us know you were hurt." Rachel said emphatically. "It was a very unfortunate thing that happened, and it was absolutely not your fault! Its not going to affect how anyone feels about you."
Kori considered this carefully and said, "It is very difficult. Please do not say anything to Dick. I did have my hopes up at least, that was, before. I mean, he spent time in my homeland Tamaran. He knows my language. Not something I come across everyday even being connected to the Embassy. He is of course very handsome and intelligent, ugh, I feel like such a schoolgirl. I believe he would only want to be friends now anyway... "
"Again, you can let people care about you Kori. I know you don't want to discuss all this with your uncle. Even if you don't want to talk to Dick about it, you've just moved down here and if you need to talk, I will be sure I'm available. Tara, Karen, and even Gar are here for you too."
"Gar, he is very nice and very funny, you two must have a lot of fun together." Kori said with a smile.
"Funny, if you say so..." Rachel deadpanned.
Kori made a slight frown. "Am I confused, are you two not a couple?"
"Oh, we are most definitely a couple, I just don't always think he's that funny."
"I don't believe you." Kori countered.
"You shouldn't. He is funny. I just don't want him to think that I think so." Rachel said and both girls shared a laugh.
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Will I ever get Dick and Kori together – of course! Actually, the next chapter starts real honest to goodness fluffage and should be loaded immediately after this one.
Reviews make me write faster!
Have a wonderful and safe holiday weekend everyone!
LJ