A few days later, I awakened once again at a strange hospital. I was informed that I was transferred by request to Chicago Loyola Hospital. When I asked who placed the request, no one could find the answer. At first, they kept me in a light coma due to the swelling on my brain, yet I was getting better by the day. A week before my antic.i.p.ated release, an elegant blond woman entered the room. With a blinding smile, she introduced herself.

"h.e.l.lo, Violet, my name is Dr. Claira Thomas. I am a neurologist here at Loyola. I have been following your case a may we talk?"

Her name sounded familiar, but I couldn't place it. Perhaps she came to a lecture at the school or was connected to the Doc somehow.

It was too painful to do anything more than nod, but it was enough for her to perch along the edge of the hospital mattress. With a clipboard in hand, she glanced at the colorful pages before speaking.

"Do you know why you are here?"

Closing my eyes for a second, the pieces started to fit together. Nodding my head to indicate I understood, she wrote a note on the chart and looked back at me with the emotional indifference required in hospitals.

"Now that you are awake, the police are here to meet with you. Although your incident occurred in Cincinnati, they are able to take your statement in order to prosecute William Leone. Right now, he's there in custody. Thankfully there was a neighbor outside who witnessed the entire altercation and called for help. If you were out there much longer, it could have been much worse."

She stood and walked to the door, calling in the two blue uniformed officers. Rather than leaving as I expected, she sat in the corner and took notes the entire time. Protocol normally indicated that it wasn't a physician's place to become involved in domestic affairs, but she seemed curious. After they left, she told me to rest and she would be back in the morning.

The next day, she arrived with a handful of attorneys in tow. They were dressed too well to simply be court appointed. When inquiring who was paying my fees, I was told a benefactor had stepped forward and insisted I be taken care of. Before I could investigate more, the unthinkable happened. Dr. Thomas came back into the room, looking solemn. I raised the bed to find out what had shaken this supposedly impenetrable woman.

"Violet, I am sorry to tell you this, but William Leone committed suicide today. You will be released tomorrow."

She exited immediately without saying another word, leaving me alone to process the information. Suddenly, I wished for them to put me back into a coma where nothing existed, not even dreams. Shepard's father was dead and it was my fault. Sharp bolts of pain stabbed my brain as the blood vessels filled from my crying. I hit the call b.u.t.ton and begged the nurse for more drugs.

"I am sorry, Ms. Phillips. We have to hold off until the lawyers leave, and you have to be of sound mind."

I felt sorry for the woman when the pain exceeded my threshold. The anger only exacerbated it, causing me to spiral even more out of control.

"Screw those lawyers; I didn't even hire them anyway. A man, who is now dead, beat the s.h.i.t out of me and took his own d.a.m.n life. I don't know where my boyfriend is and no one wants to tell me! Give me some f.u.c.king drugs!"

She looked at me with pity as Dr. Thomas raced in the room at my outburst. Holding a syringe full of sedative, she pushed the plunger down quickly into the IV.

Before the world went black, I looked once again to the nurse and smiled.

"Now was that so hard?"

My eyes opened to a room full of people, including the high price lawyers and my father. He walked over to my side and clutched my hand with misty eyes.

"When did you get here? Is Shepard with you?"

He looked to Dr. Thomas then back to me before shaking his head.

"Where is he?" My patience had disappeared with the avoidance of the topic. Surely he had to know where I was and what happened.

"Honey, his grandparents are in Nashville with him right now. He's getting help through the school. Everyone thinks it's best if you don't have contact with him anymore." My dad regretted telling me this. His voice conveyed the tenderness I had grown up with whenever he was giving me guidance. He knew I was in love with Shepard and that this would devastate me.

"No! Who are you to decide what's best for me? I am not a child!" I stared contemptuously at every face in the room.

Dr. Thomas stepped towards me holding up her hand at the others.

"Violet, this is a very delicate situation. His family is blaming you for William's death and is filing a lawsuit against you. You cannot afford to compromise your integrity by pursuing a relationship with him."

Sharp pains began to slice through my body as I jerked upwards too quickly. The adrenaline in my veins was pounding full force, as my mind struggled to take in something so ludicrous.

"With all due respect, Dr. Thomas, you have no idea who I am. You have gone way beyond your scope of practice when it comes to me. I want to be released."

Her mouth gaped slightly at my response but she remained unmoved. "I know you don't believe this now, but I really do have your best intentions in mind. You will be released soon enough, but you should know that the Beacon agreed to cover your legal fees with the understanding you would not be returning to the university, due to circ.u.mstances. With everything that has happened, UC would prefer to avoid another scandal. Rest a.s.sured though, you are not going to be left out in the cold. Mr. Gladstone here is the CEO of Beacon and a dear friend of the late Dr. Robertson. I am sure you remember him."

My anger towards this woman was growing at inexplicable proportions. Who the h.e.l.l was she? I didn't care about anyone else in this room with the exception of my father and the man who was now approaching me. My benefactor. I was so distracted by everyone else that I failed to recognize his face. I accepted his outstretched hand, which he covered with his other and patted it lightly.

"I know how much you have been through. I heard what happened and I am here to help. I have a place for you in my lab and I promise it will be worthwhile. David loved you very much; it would be an honor for me to take care of you."

I tried to smile at his kindness but there was nothing happy about this moment.

"I suppose I don't really have a choice, do I?"

Looking around at the room full of people, I was completely disgusted with what was transpiring; there was something seriously wrong here. The only thing I could be sure of was that this had something to do with Doc and that I should keep my mouth shut and play along until I discovered the truth. If someone wanted to play a game with my life, I would show them how this game was played.

Chapter 11 - The Guest of Honor.

~ 6 years later ~ "Answer the door, hooker!" I could hear the rapping get louder and louder as Alessa shouted unnecessary profanities through it. Less than a full minute had pa.s.sed from the first tap until I touched the metal lock and twisted the k.n.o.b. The door opened to none other than the knockout who was Alessa Saxton. Her waist length auburn hair was pulled into a purposely disheveled knot while her lithe figure wore a perfectly tailored, strapless, crimson c.o.c.ktail sheath, finished with a large gold and gemstone crusted bracelet cuff and matching necklace. Looking at me as if nothing were wrong, she batted her eyelashes innocently at my frustrated stance.

"I have neighbors, you know."

Ignoring my comment, she walked past me into my small studio and looked around with disgust. "I still don't know why you live in this s.h.i.thole when I know you make good money."

I tensed at the honest observation. Alessa was the closest thing I had to a best friend, and even she did not know why I kept this place. I always responded the same. "What's the purpose of paying a lot for something you don't use often?"

She never bought it. Here was the woman who was wearing an outfit worth more than eight thousand dollars for just one night. Shaking her head, she walked over to my bed as I grabbed two wine gla.s.ses and opened a bottle of Shiraz. I handed her one and she took a sip. "At least you pay for decent wine." She smiled at me, then grabbed the first garment bag.

"Marc, Narciso, or Christian?"

Not knowing what she was talking about at first, I looked at the labels on the bags. I raised my eyebrow, feigning interest. I hated getting dressed for events. I had one black dress that managed to make me look nice enough, but not enough for anyone to notice I wore it every time. That is, except Alessa. Her face would always take on a form of pity, yet she never said anything...until later, that is.

Style was her strong point; mine was ingenuity. Living under the radar meant being low key in all things. We worked together at Beacon; she was the director of the marketing department and I was now working in product development. Gladstone paid me to finish my PhD in Pharmacology. After working with his chemist, I became extremely fascinated with the process. Having access to large pools of research and development dollars didn't hurt either.

Alessa and I met at mandatory work retreat, sitting next to each other at the bar one night. I was thankful for her friendship, especially during moments like this. Tonight was the investor's dinner where I had to present a speech, thanking them for their millions of dollars and faith in my talent. Beacon had been in a decline until I was brought on. Being offered such a prestigious position after losing my job really was divine intervention after all.

"Let's look at Christian or Narciso first, since it's the closest a man has come to touching me naked in a while."

Alessa couldn't hold back the snort that burst out of her. "Let's not fool ourselves; your lack of male attention is completely self-induced. You are about as interested in men as I am in becoming your neighbor."

I took another sip of my wine to keep from saying something foolish. She moaned in pleasure as she pulled on the zipper of the fabric garment bag, revealing a stunning fuchsia pink dress. There was a long slit that came up the front to the middle of the thigh. The back dropped low, with accents of fabric draping off the shoulders. My jaw dropped at how incredibly beautiful it was. The satin material was free of any fuss and looked as though it might actually be comfortable for a few hours.

"Wait, let's see what else I brought, then try them on. I think you still might pick this one, though."

She was thrilled at the opportunity to be dressing me up like a window display at Saks. The other two were indeed nice, but she was right, I was smitten with the first one. She was smart enough to bring shoes and jewelry, leaving nothing to chance with her creation. It amazed me the perks someone in marketing managed to acquire. I could never imagine wearing something so sumptuous. I marveled in how the dress clung to my body in all the right places.

"That needs to come off, at least for tonight." She was pointing at the coin necklace I only removed when having it professionally cleaned.

I held the coin hesitantly, and then unclasped the back. Setting it down on the top of my dresser, I suddenly felt very bare, even though she handed me a strand of black Swarovski crystals. Giving me a few more tweaks, then being satisfied with her handiwork, we slipped into the chauffeured town car that was arranged for tonight and immediately popped the cork on the chilled bottle of Veuve Clicquot waiting for us. The champagne bubbles danced lightly on my tongue, leaving a sweet aftertaste.

We were in the car for less than thirty minutes before arriving at the hotel where the dinner was being held. Asking the driver to take his time in order to enjoy our bottle and moments of peace before the chaos began, we toasted success, friendship, and of course, overpriced bottles of booze on the company dime. We were allowed to indulge tonight; at least, that is what I told myself to justify such excess.

The valet attendants interrupted my thoughts, pulling me back into the moment. They opened the doors and extended their hands to a.s.sist us out of the car. I held the front of my dress to prevent stepping on it and attempted to exit as gracefully as possible. Alessa laced her arm around mine and elbow to elbow, we descended upon the room full of impeccably dressed socialites ready to go.

We had intentionally missed most of the c.o.c.ktail hour and were seated promptly for the dinner. A small podium had been erected next to the projection screen that illuminated the brand design Alessa created towards the back of the room. As the first course was being served, the company president, Michael Gladstone took the microphone and started the presentation. I sat next to Alessa and swapped remarks about how terrible some of the outfits were on the women in the room, how some of the creepy older investors whispered propositions before sitting down, and the boring tone of the evening.

During the second course, I heard my name called loudly over the booming system and blushed through the clapping while making my way forward. Gladstone had made sure a speech was typed out and given to me the previous week so I could remember the names of key investors. Although the financial details of the company were not my concern, I had taken a chance and invested early, keeping a keen eye on the decisions the board made.

My arrival created an upswing of revenue; no doubt to Gladstone touting that he now employed Doc's protege a another reason I was forced to play my part. The speech was straightforward and brief, thankfully not requiring any impromptu lines. Alessa magically had a fancy shot waiting for me on my dessert plate when I was done, much to the chagrin of those seated next to us.

"Love you!" I mouthed before swallowing the sweet liquid.

I felt my clutch vibrate in my lap as it had been for most of the evening. I had ignored it up until now, but excused myself to the ladies room. Heading out into the hallway, I checked to see what was so urgent. I had five missed calls from my sister.

"That's weird," I thought to myself.

She normally would call and wait for me to get back to her, rarely leaving a message. I called her back, not bothering to hear what she said.

She picked up instantly. "Vy, you need to get to Colorado, now!"

There was no hi or h.e.l.lo. I could tell she was crying. "What's wrong, Vivienne?"

"Grandma's gone. She pa.s.sed a few hours ago and I can't leave until tomorrow. Can you get there sooner?" I leaned my back against the wall and slid down the cold tile to the floor.

I knew this was coming. She was in her late eighties, which was surprising for a woman who smoked over a pack of cigarettes a day. My sister had been made executor of her estate and knew I was the only person who would be able to help her figure everything out and settle our grandmother's affairs.

"I am leaving now. Have you started taking care of things?"

Her voice cracked with her response. "Yeah, the money has been moved, everyone has been called; we just need to meet with the bank and the lawyers."

I breathed out deeply as my chin started to tremble. My eyes burned and I squeezed them tightly shut, trying to hold the tears at bay. "I'll call you from the airport, okay, sis?"

She seemed to calm a little bit, knowing she was not alone. "See you in the morning, Violet. Thank you a I love you."

My heart started to sink as I hung up the phone. I sent a text to Alessa, asking her to meet me in the bathroom. A short while later, she burst in frantically to see what could possibly be wrong. Rushing over to me still curled on the floor, her arms wrapped around me tightly.

"What's wrong? What the h.e.l.l happened?"

I looked up, mascara now running down my face. "My grandma died. I need to go home now."

She used her fingers to wipe my cheeks. "Go, I will take care of everything here. The car is still outside; just tell him to come back for me, okay?" I stood up and tried my best to gain composure. "You sure you don't need me to come with you, Violet?"

"No, no, I will be okay. You know the code to my place and have a key. I will leave the dress and stuff."

An annoyed expression crossed her face. "V, I am not worried about the dress. I am worried about you. Do what you need to; let me know how I can help."

I looked to the side, still holding back tears. "Gladstone is going to be so p.i.s.sed. The initial launch is this week." I started to chew my thumbnail, deliberating how I could possibly take care of everything, knowing it was impossible.

Alessa placed one hand on my shoulder and used the other to move my chin to face her. "You do not need to be here. You did your part. Now go to your family." I slumped under her hands; she was right. Pulling me into a tight embrace, she whispered in my ear, "You so could have gotten laid tonight."

I couldn't help but laugh at her way of lightening the mood. "d.a.m.n, maybe next time."

She left me for a moment to get the car ready, allowing me a few moments to straighten up in case I ran into someone in the hall. Thankfully, I was able to escape unnoticed and return to my apartment to pack. It was for times like this that I always kept a suitcase full of things ready for travel. The chauffeur was nice enough to wait and offered to take me to the airport after seeing me in distress. He called in another car for Alessa, leaving me grateful for the kind gesture. I was able to book a flight leaving in a few hours, getting me into Colorado Springs Airport before dawn. I sent a message to my sister who I hoped was getting a little sleep.

"On my way out now, arrive at 4:30 am. Call me to come get you, love you."

Chapter 12 - The Long Road Home.

I boarded the red eye flight to Colorado Springs, feeling as if a bowling ball was in my stomach. I opened the pill bottle in my purse and cracked one of the small white circles in half. Flying itself did not make me anxious; however, everything else did. A low dose of Valium would be enough to get me through the four-hour flight, and perhaps the weekend of h.e.l.l I was heading into. I curled into my seat and rested my head against the window, waiting for the medicine to kick in. Once it did, I floated in a void the entire time, except when the flight attendant woke me as we were preparing to land. I imagined it would be the only sleep that would come for the next few days.

The plains were dark as we arrived at the terminal; very few people were around, making it easy to navigate. Dawn was creeping up over the eastern horizon; thankfully, the car rental was a twenty-four hour place, so I did not have to wait for them to open. The roads were free of any snow, so after acquiring a large cup of coffee, I chose to indulge in one of my favorite past-times.

I had enough time to cross the city and watch the sunrise from Garden of the G.o.ds Park. Although it was freezing, there was something transcendental about sitting on the crest of the hill, discovering the first slivers of gold breaking through. The sky blossomed in shades of purple, magenta, blues and oranges. Bright rays danced against the large stone outcroppings of rocks that towered all around me.

Vivienne would be arriving in a few hours. Not wanting to get caught in the morning traffic, I plotted my route around the city to check out some old haunts. First, I took a leisurely stroll through Manitou to taste from the natural springs that were scattered throughout the city. Then I went in search of some funky Native American jewelry and before I knew it, the time had flown by rather quickly.

Rushing to get to the airport, I crossed the street to get back to my car without paying attention. The loud sound of a car horn just a few feet from my body fully woke me up. All I could make out against the glare of the sun was the grill of a Jeep that just narrowly avoided hitting me. I probably scared the poor person to death. Unfortunately, mornings are not my friend and my middle finger went up before I could stop it. The driver raced off as soon as I was safely on the sidewalk. If my nerves were not already shot, it may have bothered me more. I decided not to tell Vivienne since I was okay and vowed to pay better attention. Not even three hours back and I was already courting harm.

I made it back to the airport in one piece to pick my sister up. She looked just as bad as I did and was in dire need of sleep, too. We called the hotel and gave them our sob story. They graciously allowed us to do an early check-in since it was the off-season and they had plenty of rooms. Although we agreed to no more than five hours of sleep, twelve had pa.s.sed before I heard knocking on my door. Vivienne crawled into my bed and shut out the light once again.

A few hours later, we both awoke. She had contacted some of her friends to notify them she would be back in town and wanted to see them. I told no one, as there was no one I wanted to see. I wanted to get this done and get out as soon as possible. She headed for dinner, leaving me alone in the elegant room. It may have been beautiful, but it was claustrophobic. I had nowhere to go until the next afternoon, so I decided to take a drive past my old school, my old home, and old friend's homes.

I was a ghost revisiting history. Everything looked different, but the same. Earlier in the morning, I had seen how progress spread across the Front Range like a disease. Subdivisions and shopping centers sprawled as far as the eye could see. Magazines consistently ranked it as one of the best places in the country to live, but I disagreed. I saw him everywhere I went. Every memory tainted by the a.s.shole I spent years trying to forget. I needed a drink, or two or three. Before I knew it, neon lights reflected off the frost surrounding the edges of the windshield. Pulling up the club's website on my phone, I confirmed what I had suspected. Some things never change.

Chapter 13 a A Seed is Planted.