As Kris bounded down the stairs to the beach, she heard the door open briefly and then close once again. She picked up her pace, not wanting to argue with Howie. Especially not tonight, not on the night he had proposed to her, the night that was supposed to have been perfect.

From behind she heard Sarah call out to her. "Kris! Wait up!"

She stopped and turned to see Sarah sprinting across the sand. She quickly noted that her friend hadn’t changed very much in the time they had been away from each other. Her hair was a little shorter but it still held it’s vibrant shade of brown with natural auburn highlights and her skin was still as flawless as ever. The only noticeable difference she could detect was that Sarah seemed to be thinner than she had ever known her to be. A little too thin.

"I thought you were ‘D’" Kris said rolling her eyes.

"No, he knows that you are pissed off at him and he told me that if he followed you out here that it would only make things worse."

"Well, he was right about that! He needs to leave me alone for a while so I can cool off."

Sarah laughed as she linked her arm through Kristina’s and the girls walked to the shoreline.

"How’s your cheek?"

"It stings! Too bad we didn’t get all of that on tape. We could have given ‘Days of Our Lives’ a run for their money at the soap opera awards this year" she laughed.

Sarah giggled too, glad to see that Kristina wasn’t angry with her for reacting the way she did.

"Kris, I don’t understand why you let us believe you were dead for so long. I mean, I know how bad Stephen hurt you, but why let your mom and I think you were dead?"

"The police didn’t have enough resources to protect me during my rehab process OR my family. According to the information they received from the guy who witnessed the whole thing, they knew that Stephen would come back to finish the job. The guy was apparently just starting out with Stephen and part of his so-called initiation was to help get rid of me. Afterwards, he freaked out and told the cops EVERYTHING. He apparently knew all kinds of things to implicate Stephen in numerous illegal activities. The cops informed me that the only way my family and I would be safe from Stephen was to allow everyone to think that I had died from my injuries until they could bring him into custody. We never dreamed that it would take so long."

"Where did they take you?"

"I went to a rehab hospital in Sacramento first. I stayed there while they reconstructed my face and then I went to another rehab facility in Colorado where I stayed until a few months ago."

Hesitantly, Sarah asked, "Do you have any residual effects from all of the abuse or have you recovered completely?"

"I have a new nose, if you haven’t noticed. Just an added perk of having the old one shattered" Kristina smirked.

"It looks good on you" Sarah said quietly.

"Thanks. I think I like it better than my old one" she giggled nervously. "I have severe migraines too but I take daily meds for those and they seem to help. Otherwise, besides the stab wound scars and the mental scars, I’m okay."

"I’m so sorry, Kris. I can’t believe my own flesh and blood did this to you."

Kristina turned to Sarah, catching the single tear that slid down her cheek. "It’s not your fault. Stephen got mixed up with the wrong crowd and with drugs! I don’t think anyone could have anticipated him doing something like this. I’m just thankful that I lived and was given another chance at love."

Sarah took Kristina’s hand and examined the platinum engagement ring that sat prominently on her finger.

"When did this happen?" she smiled.

Beaming, Kristina said, "Tonight!"

"Tonight? Are you serious?"

"Completely! We had just stopped by the house so he could change clothes before we went dancing. Next thing I know, you’re standing in my living room and smacking the shit out of me!"

Sarah blushed and looked down as she mumbled, "Sorry! I don’t know what made me do that."

"It’s okay. I’m just giving you a hard time!" Kris laughed.

"Have you guys set a date?"

"Not yet. We have got to figure out how to handle this whole issue with Stephen before we can move forward with any hope of having a normal marriage."

Sarah sighed and shook her head. "More than a year later and he’s still interfering with you and Howie."

"I know. I’m SO over it, by now" Kris said angrily. "I need to move on and put all of this behind me."

"I understand" Sarah said as she wiggled her toes in the sand.

A few moments of silence passed as the girls pondered the situation at hand. Finally, Kristina turned to Sarah with a smile on her face and said, "So, what happened with you and Alex?"

Rolling her eyes, Sarah groaned, "Kevin happened!"

"Kevin? I don’t understand."

Sarah explained all that had taken place the night before at AJ’s house while Kristina laughed out right at the obvious frustration Sarah was feeling. When Sarah was finished, Kris sat there for a moment taking it all in.

"So, you guys didn’t actually..."

"NO! Unfortunately not!"

"You like him, don’t you?" Kris asked with a smile on her face.

"Oh great! Here comes the ‘I told you so’ routine" Sarah groaned with a smile. "Yes, Kris. I like him. And YES, you were right! I should have listened to you a long time ago when you tried to persuade me to go out with him."

Laughing, Kristina said, "I want details when it happens. FULL details! I bet he’s really good."

"Kristina Dawn! I can’t believe you" Sarah said in mock surprise.

"Yes you can" Kris said as she stood and dusted the sand from her shorts. Looking back at the house, she saw Howie turn and move away from the window. "So, did I hear you right? Are you staying at his place?"

"Yeah."

"Well, call me tomorrow and maybe we can get together and talk. I want to know everything that’s been going on in your life."

"You aren’t coming back to the house?" Sarah asked.

"Not yet. I need to think and Howie’s going to want to hold me and make it all go away. I’m still too angry right now for that. I know that it sounds stupid, but I have to get angry to stay strong. If I don’t, then I might crawl up in a hole and let the world pass me by."

Sarah stared at Kristina for a minute before hugging her. "You know, you look wonderful. Blonde hair and all."

"So do you, Sarah. I’ve missed you more than you could ever know."

"I think I DO know, Kris. I’ve missed you too."

Sarah kissed Kristina quickly before turning and walking away. Kris watched her until she disappeared into the house. She turned and began walking down the beach to put her anger to rest.

Chapter 68       Index