Returning Injury (19 page)

She thought about how she had kept progressing in her life. Except for the mess with Roy, Rebecca was really happy, and she was energized about her future. She believed she was ready to either ask for a promotion or branch out on her own. Her mom had a lot of connections and offered her assistance many times, but Rebecca hoped she could do it on her own.

When Rebecca wasn’t at work, she was home working to create a business plan for her own PR firm. She had a detailed design created
for a website. She had her letterhead and business cards designed in lavender and brown. And she had a direction helping women—but she didn’t have a name or logo yet.

Rebecca stood up and looked out over the courtyard of The Mansion. She could see a beautiful swimming pool with a fountain. There were lemon trees and flowers scenting the night air. She breathed in deeply and exhaled slowly. She thought about how she kept moving forward in her life, learning and growing every day. There it was, she knew the name of her future PR firm—Women Going Forward. “Women Going Forward,” she said out loud. She liked the way it sounded. She would create a community of women who fight for change in their lives and the lives of all women. She sat back down on the chaise and stretched out. “Women Going Forward,” she murmured closing her eyes and visualizing her success. She fell asleep outside on the balcony dreaming about her future business.

Jack woke her early the next morning with coffee and fresh Krispy Kreme donuts. He had a little gift for her, a small turquoise box from Tiffany’s. She couldn’t believe it.
“Breakfast at Tiffany’s
is my favorite book!”

Jack smiled. “Open it.”

Inside was a little silver ring with a raindrop attached. Rebecca loved it. “Thank you so much,” she said, trying not to cry. She reached for him and gave him a hug.

“You’re welcome.”

Just then, they looked at each other in shock. “I felt a raindrop.”

“So did I, but it doesn’t rain in Vegas,” Jack said as the downpour started. They stayed outside in the rain holding hands. Rebecca
knew the ring and the downpour were a sign of good things to come.

Rebecca twisted her ring while she sat in the bath deep in memories of that Vegas trip with Jack. She was glad they got to know each other better before making love. They waited almost eight months and the memory of that first night flooded over her.

They were at a dinner party with Jack’s friends and co-workers. Jack put his hand on her leg, and she could feel the intense heat and passion in his touch. He wanted her and made no secret of it. He moved his hand up on her thigh and his strong hands and fingers caressed her inner thigh, making her catch her breath and feel lightheaded. Her body was reacting in ways she never thought possible. She wanted him so badly that if he kept touching her with his hand that way, they would be making love in the bathroom in a few minutes.

After moving his hand away, Rebecca stood up and walked across the room. She grabbed a bottle of water from the table and turned to look at Jack. He had his eyes on her, but kept talking to his coworker. Rebecca watched his lips move as he spoke. She desperately wanted to kiss him and feel his body against hers. She loved him, and she knew he loved her too.

At her place after the dinner party, Rebecca had the sexiest, most stimulating conversation of her life. Jack turned her on with his words, his eyes and his touch. He sat across from her with his hands
on her knees. He told her that he wanted her. “I’ve never wanted anybody as much as I want you right now,” he said softly. His words were strong and sincere.

Trembling with anticipation, Rebecca had never felt sexier, more beautiful or more desired.

“I don’t want to rush you, but I want you to know how much I love you, and I’m hoping we can take this relationship to the next level.”

Rebecca gently nodded her head.

Jack knelt on the floor between her legs and began kissing her. Holding her face in his hands, his hands gently slid down across her breasts and rested on her hips. Rebecca wrapped her arms around his shoulders and as they stood up, he lifted her and carried her to the bedroom. Jack and Rebecca made love that night, and it was beautiful.

The next morning while lying in bed together, Jack reached over to his jacket on the floor and pulled out another turquoise box from Tiffany’s. Jack proposed to Rebecca.

And Rebecca began her perfect life. Until she received that letter in the mail stating that the state had caught up with Roy and they needed her in court. After listening to her 9-1-1 call, she decided to follow through, arriving at the courthouse only to learn that Roy had run again and he was still out there roaming the streets. Rebecca didn’t go into much detail when explaining the situation to Jack. Her life before had been so different; she didn’t want to think about it or talk about it. She just wanted to let it go and move forward with her perfect life with Jack.

Jack and Rebecca waited only a few months before going to Las Vegas to get married. They chose Vegas for two reasons: it was convenient to fly people into, and their first real date was in Las Vegas. They had a small, elegant ceremony in The Mansion with twenty of their family and closest friends. Like in the fairytales, Rebecca wore a beautiful white wedding dress and Jack, a black tuxedo. Rebecca walked herself down the aisle, and Jack walked up the aisle to meet her half-way—the perfect metaphor for their perfect marriage.

Rebecca got out of the tub, dried off and got into bed. Warm under the covers, she was grateful for her life so she decided to pray. Rebecca rarely prayed when things were bad. She liked to pray when her life was good. She wanted to give thanks for her blessings. She hadn’t prayed for a long time, but a few nights before Jack left town, she had remembered her special childhood prayer and ritual.

Rebecca was in bed lying next to Jack when she could tell that Lily was antsy. She decided to take her outside in case she had to go potty. Rebecca sat up and looked at the clock. It was a little after one in the morning.

Jack asked, “Do you want me to take her?”

“No, honey, that’s okay. I’ll take her.” Rebecca yawned as she walked down the hall to the stairs. She heard Lily jump off the bed. At the door, Rebecca attached Lily’s leash and they headed outside. After Lily peed they went back inside and crawled back into bed.
Jack wrapped himself around Rebecca, his warm breath on her shoulder. She felt blessed. Rebecca clasped her hands in prayer. Her hands felt thin compared to Jack’s. She was more used to holding Jack’s hand than her own. Her own hands felt awkward; it had been too long.

She used to pray every night before bed, a ritual that meant everything to her. Prayer kept her on track. She didn’t remember when she started her ritual, but she knew she was very young. After saying the, “Now I lay me down to sleep…” prayer, she would pray for everybody she knew and loved. She also prayed for anybody she felt needed a little extra prayer, people she heard about, strangers. But it was the next little piece of her prayer ritual that she missed the most. Rebecca would kiss her folded hands, then use her hands as healers and gently glide her hands over her body not touching, just hovering over. She blessed herself and her body. She started at her face, going down the front, then up the back. Once she was finished, she would imagine her body as a pebble in a pond. She would visualize the healing vibration from her body going out and reaching the world. It started with everybody in her house. When she was little it went out to her dad and sister, but on this night the loving energy went to Jack and Lily, then out to their neighbors, the town, the state, over every state, through the ocean, to other countries, the world and into the universe. Once her ritual was done, she slept well.

Rebecca decided to do her childhood ritual while snuggled in with Lily. She said her prayer in her mind, and prayed for everybody
she knew and loved. She prayed for Melvin and his new tires. She prayed for Angie and Leslie and Christy. She even prayed for Roy. She kissed her hands and covered her body with healing power. Next she imagined this power penetrating Lily, the neighbors, all the way throughout the universe. She drifted off to sleep, content and happy.

Rebecca woke from her nap thirsty for some cold water. She had turned the heat up too high in the bedroom, but she had had a great rest and she felt better; she could breathe through her nose again. She wasn’t sick.

She called to Lily, and she turned the alarm off. She attached Lily’s leash and they stepped outside heading toward a hill where Lily seemed to like doing her business. It was still light out, but the sun was going down and the air was chilly. At least it wasn’t raining. Lily sniffed around and Rebecca yawned. Rebecca thought she heard something, but Lily didn’t seem concerned. Rebecca looked up toward the hills expecting to see deer, but there was nothing there. Finally, Lily peed but she kept sniffing around so Rebecca figured she had to poop as well.

Again, Rebecca thought she heard a sound. Nervous, she pulled Lily’s leash, and they headed down the small hill away from the trees toward the front door. Stepping off the grass and onto the driveway, Rebecca heard another sound—there stood a coyote only thirty feet from them.