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10,000 Kisses
“You did?” Suz said. “Uh, huh,” Kevin replied. “Who is he?” she whispered.
Kevin stared at her trying to comprehend what she had asked him. She was
talking so timidly like someone was going to slap her if she talked to loud.
“Oh, Her name is Dr. Cassandra May,” he answered. Suz looked down at Kevin
holding her hands. She absentmindedly began to rub her thumbs over his
smooth large hands. Her thoughts began to wonder as she thought of running
her hands over his body. She could see the outline of his chest underneath
his t shirt. But the fear of what happened to her still held her wants and
feelings at bay. She knew that somewhere deep down, she didn’t deserve what
Scott had done to her. Or at least, some of the time in the past day, she
had thought that. But then the realization that MAYBE she had did something
to provoke this overwhelmed her. Had she not been a good enough child when
her parents divorced that God wanted to punish her? Is this why her dad
didn’t want any real relationship with her? Is this why she was fat? Even
though the doctor had told her that her weight gain had been caused by a
medical condition that was inflicting more woman everyday. She was tired of
being a victim. Not of only molestation but also a victim of ridicule.
“Can you make that appointment, Kevin, for today?” Suz asked looking at him
with dread in her eyes. Silently, he untangled his hands from hers, kissed
her on the cheek and picked up the phone. Laying back on the bed, Suz closed
her eyes knowing that she had to tell everyone what was going on. She could
hear him murmuring on the phone lowly as she drifted off into sleep.
~2 HOURS LATER~
“Suz,” Kevin said shaking her slightly. He was afraid that if he shook her
too hard, she would wake up screaming. He watched the beautiful movement of
her body as she rolled over and opened her eyes. “Hi,” she said softly
smiling. “Hi,” he said back like a little 5 year old. Suz giggled softly at
the change in Kevin’s serious mood. She knew there was a lot she wanted to
learn about this guy. “You’ve been asleep for 2 hours,” Kevin said as he sat
on the bed next to her. He stared at the room around him taking in the
beautiful oak furniture and green, earthy colors. He knew that is the look
at her, he’d be forced to kiss her…but he didn’t want that to happen. Not
yet. He was startled out of his contemplations when he felt her soft warm
arm go around his back. Looking to his left, he saw her staring at him. He
could still see the look of fear and shame in her eyes but now there was also
a hint of happiness. She laid her head against his arm. As if reading her
thoughts, he moved his arm allowing her head to rest in the crook of his arm.
Gently, she began to run her hand across his back massaging slowly. When
Kevin began to speak, Suz noticed the huskiness to his voice, “We have to go.
The appointment with the doctor is in an hour and it takes a half hour to
get there.” “Thank You,” Suz said amazed at Kevin’s wonderful disposition.
His mother had definitely raised a well-mannered, caring gentlemen. She
slipped out of his embrace going to the mirror and brushing her hair. He
watched her put her sneakers on. Sighing, he raised himself of the bed and
headed towards the door waiting for her there. He wondered just how hard
this was going to be on her, let alone him and Rachel.
~2 WEEKS LATER~
Suz had went to Dr. May 3X a week for the past two weeks. After the first
session, Kevin was a little skeptical if the therapy would work because Suz
had come out not speaking to anyone. She had holed herself up in her room
refusing to talk to anyone. But after a full day of being in her room alone,
thinking, she had joined the rest of them. No one else but Rachel and
Chrissy knew what was going on. No one pushed for information knowing that
when the time came, Kevin and Suz would tell everyone what was going on. Suz
had began to allow Kevin to hold her in front of everyone after she slowly
got over her fear that he wouldn’t do what Scott did to her. There were days
she cried or she screamed. There were days that she was angry…at Rachel over
stupid things…eating too loudly or watching TV too loudly. She would rant
and rave for 10 straight minutes only to collapse onto the couch crying and
muttering, “I’m sorry”, over and over again. Rachel, Kevin, and Chrissy
didn’t take any of Suz’s weird outbursts personally. They knew that she was
working through her pain…trying to see the light at the end of the long road.
And today, for the first time, Suz really could see that light at the end of
the long road. She wanted to tell the guys what was going on with her. But
she was still a little hesitant and feared they would turn her away.
Suz sat on the couch trying to read a book. Rachel had went out with Larry
and Chrissy was out with Joe. The two of them had gotten close since Chrissy
planted that kiss on him over 2 weeks ago! She realized that she had been
reading the same line over and over again in her book. Putting it down, she
closed her eyes and rested her head against the couch. Unconsciously, tears
were running down her face. She began to feel the wetness of them on her
face but made no move to wipe them away. She vaulted upright and snapped her
eyes open when she felt a hand brush across her face wiping the tears away.
Raising her face, she looked into Nick’s deep blue eyes. Holding his arms
open, she threw herself into them clinging onto him for dear life. His hands
smoothed her hair yet at the same time, he voiced his thoughts, “Let it out,
Suz. We all know something it bothering you. Do you want to tell me about
it?” The whole time, Kevin had stood at the entranceway to the house
watching Suz bawl her eyes out. Shooting past Nick and Suz, he bolted
upstairs to Suz’s room, lowering his tall, muscular frame onto the chair by
her bed and allowed himself to weep for the first time since a few weeks ago.
10,000 Kisses
Chapter 26
Suzanne let out a sigh mixed with relief and fear as she finished her
traitorous tale including that day’s events. All the while, Nick just held
her, listening and not saying anything. He watched her face as she told him
certain things about what happened to her. Though she didn’t go into
specifics, his anger boiled at the injustice Suz had been served. Shifting
his eyes, Nick saw Kevin race upstairs and towards Suz’s room. Quickly, his
mind had raced with thoughts that Kevin would be mad at him, but when he had
seem the look of his own personal pain on his face, Nick knew that Kevin
wasn’t even thinking of him.
Realizing Suz had fallen asleep against him from exhaustion, he leaned her
back against the sofa and covered her with a blanket. Hesitating for a
slight moment, Nick debated whether to go to Kevin. Even though all the guys
were close, Nick respected Kevin and loved him like his own brother, but
Kevin often regarded Nick as a teenager, rather then a full grown man. He
was afraid that Kevin would turn him away but pushed the thought out of his
head.
Nick headed upstairs to search for Kevin. Slowly, Nick’s ears began to
adjust to the sounds of someone weeping. With alarm, Nick couldn’t believe
that he heard Kevin crying. In all the years that he had known Kevin, he had
rarely heard him cry. Even when the anniversary of his father’s death
approached every year, Nick knew Kevin to go off by himself. They all
assumed that maybe he cried but never in front of them or even in the same
house. Just by this knowledge, Nick knew this was tearing Kevin apart
tremendously. Stopping at Suz’s door, his heart twisted at Kevin’s wretched
sobbing. Laying his hand on the doorknob, Nick turned it slowly and opened
the door to reveal Kevin staring at his hands and sitting on the bed. He
didn’t even look up as the door creaked open. Nick almost burst into tears at
the look of utter torture on Kevin’s face. With a purpose in his stride, he
approached Kevin enveloping him in his arms. “Jesus, Nick,” Kevin said as he
took comfort in his friend’s arms.
After a few silencing moments, Kevin turned to look at Nick, “Thank you.”
Nick grinned lopsidedly. “What?” Kevin said looking at Nick’s face. “You
love her,” Nick stated softly. Laughing wholeheartedly, Kevin was
bewildered, “Geez, is it that obvious?” “Well, yeah, but also, Kevin, you’ve
never let any woman affect you the way Suzanne does,” Nick said. “Well, look
at her…geez, how could she not affect any of us?” Kevin went on, “You heard
what I told you about her. I don’t know how guys don’t find her attractive.
Hearing that only makes me want her more. Does that sound weird?” Nick shook
his head no, “She’s a beautiful woman…both inside and outside…but she now has
a lot to go through.” Sighing heavily, Kevin gazed around Suz’s room, “Don’t
I know it. Sometimes I don’t know whether to treat her like a fragile doll
or a bitpull dog.” “Kevin, just treat her like a woman, a person, a human
being. She’s not a doll nor is she a dog. She sustained telling me what
happened to her. She’ll get through the rest of it.”
As Kevin pondered what Nick had said, they suddenly jerked their heads as
they heard Suz calling for them, “Kevin? Nick? Anyone?” She bounded into her
room stopping as she looked at Nick and Kevin. She could tell that Kevin had
been crying. Kneeling in front of him, she took his hands in hers, “Don’t
cry, Kevy. No more crying, do you hear me?” Kevin looked at her quizzically
then nodded his head yes. “Good, because if either of us cry anymore, we are
going to have to tell Noah to build another ark!” She responded. Nick tried
to stifle a laugh. “What you laughing at, Carter!?” Suz said arching an
eyebrow. “Nothing,” he said as she also took his hand. “Nick,” she started
softly, “thank you. What you did down there, I don’t know if you know how
much it means to me.” She enveloped both of the guys in a hug. “Ok, now that
all that is over,” she announced standing up, “I’m freaking HUNGRY! I want
some grub, like yesterday.” She pulled both guys up by their hands and raced
downstairs.
10,000 Kisses
Chapter 27
An hour later found Kevin, Nick and Suz being seated at a table at Olive
Garden. “Gee, I wonder why we were seated right away? That woman acted like
you were some kind of celebrities,” Suz joked. She ran out of reach of
Kevin’s hands as he attempted to tickle her. She pulled Nick in front of her
placing her hands on his back, “Don’t move, Carter, or…or…” Nick looked at
Suz amusingly. “Ok, never mind,” she said laughing, “I’m not good with
comebacks.” A voice interrupted them, “Excuse me.” All three of them looked
up at their waitress. “We’re sorry,” Kevin said, “I’ll try to control the
children over there.” “Don’t worry, because I won’t…as long as I can get your
autographs,” the waitress said. “Kevin, give the kind lady your John Hancock
because I don’t want her to call my mommy,” Suz said as her and Nick started
laughing, “You too, Nick, or she might call Jane.”
After the guys were done giving their autographs, they were finally seated.
Two hours later found the 3 of them stuffed to the gills. “Geez, Nick, where
does it all go?” Suz wondered looking at his lean body. Nick shrugged his
shoulders, “I guess all the dancing helps.” “You can say that again,” she
said as her gaze ran over his body. “What?” Suz said as she noticed Kevin
looking at her with a pouting look. “What about me!?” he said sadly but
kiddingly. “Honey, you don’t need ANY help,” Suz said with a satisfied
smile. Kevin smirked as he looked at Nick. “Thanks Suz,” Nick groaned as he
laughed. “Ok, what is next on our agenda!” Suz said jumping around in her
seat. Nick and Kevin glanced at each other. They wondered if Suz was
putting up a happy front for them or if she was really happy. They quickly
looked away from each other but not before Suzanne saw the question in their
eyes. “Guys, look at me,” Suz commanded gently, “Believe me when I tell you
that I’m fine and happy. Honestly. Talking to Nick today released something
in me. What happened to me isn’t going to run or ruin my life. I’m not
going to let it, do you hear me?” “We hear you,” Kevin said regarding her
beautiful face.
“Good, now, what are we going to do now?” she said again.
An hour later found the threesome at a grape vineyard. “Suz, what are we
doing here?” Nick said as the climbed out of the car. “You’ll see,” she
said. Another five minutes later found them trampling through an aisle of
grapevines. Stopping mid way, Suz turned to hand them each a basket. “What
are we doing?” Kevin said looking around. “Picking grapes,” she said as she
bent down and plucked some grapes from the vine. The guys looked at each
other then back at her. “Sure, make us work. That’s a whole load of fun!”
Nick exclaimed. “Oh, come on, I guarantee you that you won’t regret this,”
Suz pleaded as her hazel eyes twinkled. “Alright,” Nick grumbled as he
kneeled next to Suz. Kevin followed suit. After asking her for help
initially, they all plucked grapes in silence enjoying the bask of the sun
and the smell of the breeze sweeping over them.
The first time it happened, Suz ignored it. The second time, she mumbled
something under her breath, but finally, the third time she felt a grape
plummet into her hair, she fought back. Carefully watching the guys, she
took aim when Nick turned his back towards her. Within moments, a full blown
grape throwing fight ensued. When Kevin smashed a handful of grapes in
Nick’s long blond locks, Suz giggled as she steadied herself against a large
vine. “Oh, Kevin! My hair better not turn purple!” Nick exclaimed. Suz
giggled even harder not seeing Kevin run towards her smashing grapes in her
face. “Oh, you devil,” she answered as Nick and her ganged up on him. Suz
tackled him knocking him down as she stuck her hand up his shirt smearing his
chest with grapes. “Darn, girl, that’s freaking cold!” Kevin yelled out.
Suz stared him in the eyes watching as the green of his irises brightened.
Taking a fleeting chance, Suz quickly lowered her head quickly outlining his
lips with her tongue and then kissed him. She pulled her head away
hurryingly. Smiling at him widely, she climbed off of him offering her hand
to him. They noticed that Nick had busied himself with picking more grapes.
Within a few minutes time, they decided to call it a day as they saw the sun
drooping behind the valley.
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