CHAPTER 27
Mark arrived promptly at seven-thirty to pick Lacy up, and he frowned in concern when he noticed how pale she looked. He gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said, “Good morning. Ready to go?”
“Yeah.”
“Is something wrong?”
She quickly shook her head and followed him to his car, reluctant to tell him about the toothache she’d developed overnight. She’d tried everything from brushing to flossing to rinsing her mouth with mouthwash, and when none of that had relieved the pain, she’d come to the conclusion that nothing was lodged in her tooth. She knew it was the cavity she’d been ignoring, hoping it would miraculously go away, although she knew better than to believe it would. She herself had a phobia of dentists, so she understood completely why Lara always showed up pale, shaking, and terrified. It would be no different for her, and now that she and Mark were dating, she couldn’t imagine sitting in his chair and allowing him to do anything to her mouth. She didn’t want to kill their relationship before it even got off the ground, and she was certain that her reaction would do just that. Mark kept giving her worried glances as he drove to his office, and when he parked the car he turned to her and said, “OK, I know something is bothering you, so out with it.”
“I’m fine, Mark.”
“No, you aren’t.”
“I just didn’t sleep well last night, that’s all.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, Mark, I’m sure.”
“Well, OK. But I still think there’s something you aren’t telling me.”
Lacy simply sighed and got out of the car, and once she was settled at her desk Mark said, “If you need me for anything, you know where I am.”
“Yes, I know.”
“So who’s first on my schedule today?”
Lacy consulted the appointment book and replied, “Mrs. Hopkins.”
“Good thing she’s coming in first. That’s the kicker and screamer.”
Lacy simply laughed, then winced in pain as cold air washed over her sore tooth. Mark frowned and said, “What’s the matter?”
“Nothing.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“I’m fine, Mark.”
His frown deepened as he folded his arms across his chest, and Lacy swallowed hard as she glanced up at him. She already thought he was sexy as hell, and his formidable stance only increased his all-around good looks. She nervously cleared her throat and glanced toward the door, then felt relief wash over her when Mrs. Hopkins walked into the waiting room. She smiled up at Mark and said, “Your patient is here, Doctor Hampton.”
“I see that. I’ll talk to you later.” He turned and smiled at Mrs. Hopkins, and Lacy sighed as they disappeared down the hallway. So far so good, she thought as she quickly popped two ibuprofen tablets and washed them down with a glass of water.
Mark’s nurse appeared then and said, “Good morning, Lacy. Got a headache?”
“Yeah,” she lied as she smiled at the middle-aged woman who was Mark’s nurse. She was definitely the motherly type, and Lacy genuinely liked the woman. She was friendly and easy to get along with, and she always put Mark’s patients at ease when they arrived for whatever he had to do to them. Lacy’d learned a lot from Grace and Mark in the past year, and she sat with a pensive expression on her face.
The nurse inquired, “Are you sure you’re alright, Lacy?”
“Yes, Grace. I’m fine.”
Grace nodded and said, “Very well, then. I’m going down the hall to assist Doctor Hampton. I’ll be back in a little while for the next patient.”
Lacy nodded and watched Grace walk away, then spent the morning answering the phone, making appointments, filing insurance claims, and at eleven she prepared the bank deposit so Mark could take it to the bank on his lunch break. She was always impressed by Mark’s astute business sense, and that was one of the reasons she’d fallen so hard for him. He was also an extremely kind and compassionate man, not to mention drop-dead sexy, and she sighed as she thoroughly enjoyed her daydream. It distracted her from the constant throbbing pain in her mouth, and she nearly jumped out of her chair when Mark gently tapped on the glass partition that separated her from the patients. “Hi.”
“Oh, hi.”
“Busy morning?”
“As usual.”
“Good. Is the bank deposit ready?”
“Of course.”
He nodded and inquired, “Would you like to have lunch with me today?”
Lacy attempted a grin and teased, “Charlie’s?”
He grinned back and said, “Yeah.”
“Sure.”
“OK. I’ll be ready to leave in about an hour. I’m almost finished with Mr. Rainey.”
“OK.”
She watched him walk away, and moments later Grace appeared. She gave Lacy a tired smile and said, “Hey, honey. Busy morning?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Good.” She peered closely at Lacy and inquired, “Are you sure you’re feeling alright, honey?”
“Yes. Why do you ask?”
“You just don’t look well today.”
Lacy smiled and teased, “Well, thank you, Grace. You sure know how to brighten a person’s day.”
Grace ignored her teasing comment and peered closely at Lacy’s jaw, and in a concerned voice she said, “Honey, your jaw is swollen.”
“It is?”
“Yes.”
“No, Grace, I’m sure it isn’t.”
Grace frowned down at Lacy and replied, “Honey, I’ve been in this line of work for twenty years. I know a swollen jaw when I see one. Have you told Mark?”
“No, I…”
“Has she told me what?” Mark casually inquired as he stepped into the office. Lacy silently pleaded with Grace to remain quiet about her problem, and in a bright voice she replied, “That the universe is a vast and complex thing.”
He laughed and said, “I already knew that. Are you ready to go?”
“Yes.” She stood and followed Mark out to his car, then stuck the bank bag into the glove compartment and fastened her seat belt before she smiled up at Mark. “OK. All set.”
“How’s your headache?” he inquired as he drove out of the parking lot. Lacy gave him a puzzled look and replied, “What?”
“Grace told me that you had a headache earlier.”
“Oh.”
“So how’s your headache?” he repeated as he glanced over at her. She nodded and replied, “Oh. It’s gone.”
“Good.” He didn’t believe her for a minute, but he said nothing as he turned the radio on and tuned it to his favorite seventies rock station. He began singing along to a popular Moody Blues tune, and by the time the song ended they were at Charlie’s. He opened the door for Lacy and helped her out of the car, then put his arm around her shoulders and led her inside. They’d arrived shortly before noon, which meant that the usual lunch crowd hadn’t arrived yet. They took the same booth they’d shared the day before, and Lacy suddenly realized that she’d hardly be able to eat due to her toothache. Mark picked up the menu and glanced at it, then said, “I think I’ll have the cheeseburger. What would you like?”
“Just some soup.”
“That’s it?”
“Yes.”
He shrugged and gave their order to the waiter, and moments later he returned with their drinks. Lacy had ordered a steaming cup of hot chocolate, and as she carefully sipped it she tried not to wince in pain every time the liquid washed over her tooth. Warm liquid definitely felt better than cold, but it still hurt nonetheless. Mark was more observant than she gave him credit for, and in a gentle voice he said, “OK. What’s the matter?”
“Nothing. Why do you keep asking me that?”
“Because it isn’t like you to order soup and hot chocolate. Not after you devoured that seafood platter yesterday.”
Lacy blushed and took another sip of her hot chocolate, then shrugged and said, “I’m just not very hungry today.”
“Why not?”
She shrugged again and smiled up at the waiter when he returned with their food, and when he was gone Mark said, “Well?”
“Well what?”
“Why aren’t you hungry?”
“Jeez, Mark, I’m hardly what you’d call starving. If something was wrong, I’d tell you.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course I’m sure. Now enjoy your cheeseburger.”
He nodded and took a bite of his cheeseburger, and Lacy became more unnerved every time he looked at her. She was certain that he was going to notice her swollen jaw, but if he did, he said nothing about it as he finished his cheeseburger and leaned back in the booth. “What a morning.”
“Yeah, you’ve been pretty busy.”
“Yeah, but I like it that way.” He sipped his soda and added, “Have you talked to the mechanic about Sally yet?”
“Yes. She’ll be ready Wednesday.”
“That’s good, although I’ll miss our little carpool.”
Lacy smiled and finished her soup, then said, “You were right about the alternator.”
He nodded and summoned the waiter, paid the bill and said, “I guess we’ll go to the bank and then head back to the office.”
“OK.”
She followed him out to the car and settled herself in the seat, and after Mark went to the bank they returned to his office and sat in his car for a few minutes until Grace returned. He glanced at Lacy and inquired, “How’s my afternoon looking?”
“Busy, but not quite as busy as the morning was.”
“What do I have?”
Lacy smiled at him as she silently thought, Hmm, let’s see, thick, silky black hair, eyes the color of the sea, a body to die for, and I absolutely love your cologne…
“Lacy?”
“Hmm?”
“I said: what do I have for this afternoon?”
“Oh.” She blushed and added, “Two fillings, a cleaning, and a routine checkup.”
He cocked his head to the side and studied her for a few moments, then inquired, “Are you sure you’re OK, sweetheart?”
“Yes, Mark, I’m fine. If that changes I’ll let you know.”
“OK. I’ll take your word for it.” He got out of the car and opened the door for her, and moments later it was back to business as usual.
Lacy managed to get through the afternoon with a double dose of ibuprofen, and when Mark appeared at five he frowned when he noticed how much paler she’d become. He walked into the office and said, “Hi. Ready to go home?”
“Yeah.”
“Lacy, are you sure you’re alright?”
She bit her lip and averted her eyes as she nodded, but Mark wasn’t that easily fooled. He’d been a dentist long enough to know when someone wasn’t feeling well, and Lacy nearly jumped out of her skin when he gently slid his hand around the back of her neck and tipped her chin up. His concern deepened when he noticed how warm she felt, and in a gentle voice he said, “I think you have a fever. Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t feeling well?”
She shrugged and attempted to avert her gaze, but Mark shook his head and said, “Look at me, sweetheart.”
Lacy swallowed hard and glanced up at him, then flinched when he gently touched her swollen jaw. He frowned and said, “What’s the matter?”
“N-nothing.”
“Liar,” he murmured as he gently touched her jaw again. Lacy flinched and attempted to pull away from him, but Mark held her in place and said, “Your jaw is swollen. Why didn’t you tell me?”
She shook her head as tears shimmered in her eyes, and Mark could feel the tension emanating from her as he kept his hand on the back of her neck. “Let me guess, you’re afraid of dentists?”
“Well…”
“But you work for me, sweetheart. You should know that there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
Lacy simply bit her lip again as she stared up at him, and in a gentle voice Mark said, “Come with me so I can take a look and see what’s wrong.”
“No.”
“I’m not going to hurt you, sweetheart. What are you going to do in the meantime? Suffer?” He put his arm around her shoulders and led her to an exam room, and as she sat down in the chair she nervously inquired, “Where’s Grace?”
“She’s already gone home. I’m not going to do anything except take a look to see what the problem is. The fact that you have a fever means that there’s an infection somewhere, and I won’t do anything until that’s cleared up.”
“Oh.”
“Just lie back and take it easy. I’m not going to hurt you.”
Lacy gasped softly and gripped the armrests when he made the chair recline, and in a gentle voice he said, “Relax, sweetheart. This isn’t going to hurt.”
Lacy nodded and swallowed hard when he sat down beside her, then squeezed her eyes shut and dug her fingers into the armrests as he proceeded to examine her. Moments later he stopped and gently said, “Lacy?”
“Hmm?”
“I’m finished.”
“Oh. You are?”
“Yes.” He straightened and removed his gloves, then said, “You’ve got a pretty bad cavity and an abscess, which explains your fever. I can give you something to clear that up, as well as something for pain, but I won’t wait later than Friday to take care of this for you.”
“F-Friday?”
“Yes.”
“But…”
Mark shook his head and smiled, then said, “It isn’t going to be bad, I promise. I’ll even give you a Halcion, if that makes you feel any better.”
Lacy hesitantly nodded and said, “OK.”
“Did I have anything scheduled for this Friday?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Good. I’ll take care of this Friday, and afterwards I’ll take you home. How does that sound?”
“Awful.”
Mark simply laughed and put his arm around her shoulders, then murmured, “No, it isn’t awful. It would be even worse if you did nothing.” He led her out to his car, and said, “I’ll be right back, OK?”
“OK.”
He returned a few minutes later with two medication bottles, and after he’d gotten into the car he turned to Lacy and said, “Follow the directions on this bottle to the letter, and that abscess should be gone by Friday. As for these pain pills, take one every four to six hours as needed. OK?”
Lacy nodded and took the bottles from him, then said, “Thank you.”
“No need to thank me.” He started the car and turned the radio on, then drove Lacy home and said, “Don’t hesitate to call me at home if this medication doesn’t help. OK?”
“OK.”
“Now go inside and get some rest. And take tomorrow off.”
“But…”
“No buts. I can handle things for one day. I’ll get Grace to answer the phone and make appointments. You can file all the insurance claims Wednesday. OK?”
“OK.”
He gently embraced her and kissed the top of her head, then released her and said, “I’ll come by tomorrow to see how you’re doing. And don’t worry. You aren’t going to feel a thing Friday.”
Lacy could only hope he was right as she watched him drive away.
“Hey, guys,” Mark said as he walked into the living room and sat down on the sofa. Luke and Lara acknowledged his presence, and in a tired voice Mark inquired, “What’s for dinner?”
“We ordered pizza. There’s some for you in the kitchen.”
He nodded and got up, then returned moments later with three slices on a plate and a can of Mountain Dew in his hand. He sighed as he sat back down, and as he ate Luke said, “Rough day?”
“Kind of. My secretary has a nasty toothache, so I have to take care of that for her Friday.”
“You mean Lacy?” Lara inquired as she got up to get herself a drink. Mark nodded and said, “Yeah. She’s pretty scared.”
Lara nodded in understanding and disappeared into the kitchen, and when she returned she set another can of soda down in front of Mark, then handed one to Luke before opening her own. She was debating whether or not she should go and talk to the girl when Mark said, “Maybe you could talk to her, Lara.”
“What are you, psychic or something?”
He laughed and replied, “Maybe.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“I gave her tomorrow off.”
“OK. I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Did you go back to work today?”
“No, I’m supposed to go back tomorrow.”
“Have you talked to Marissa?”
“Not since Friday.”
“I see.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
He shrugged and picked up another slice of pizza. “Nothing.”
“Bull. I know you better than that.”
He grinned and said, “Think so, huh?”
“I would certainly hope so.”
“I think Marissa blames herself for your accident.”
“But that’s nonsense. I fell, pure and simple.”
“She has a tendency to blame herself for a lot of things.”
“Well, she shouldn’t. That’s just ridiculous.”
“I agree, but we just can’t convince her otherwise.”
“Guess I’ll have to talk to her tomorrow.”
“Do that.”
“And I guess I’ll go talk to your girlfriend tomorrow.”
“She isn’t my girlfriend.”
“Not yet.”
He simply laughed and finished his pizza, and afterwards everyone became engrossed in the Comedy Central channel. After the show Mark’s pager sounded, and he groaned as he unclipped it from his belt loop and muttered, “Now who could that be?” as he checked the number. He sighed when he recognized Lacy’s number, then stood and said, “I gotta go. It’s Lacy.”
Lara gave him a smug smile and teased, “See? I told you she was your girlfriend.”
“Yeah, yeah,” he teased back as he donned his jacket and headed out the door.
Luke raised an eyebrow and said, “Hmm. Seems to be getting serious pretty quickly.”
“Maybe.” She sat down on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck, then gently murmured, “I’m not squishing you, am I?”
He laughed and replied, “You? Never.”
“Good.” She snuggled against his chest and gave a contented sigh, and moments later she grinned when she felt the evidence of Luke’s desire pressing against her thigh. She smiled up at him and teased, “I see the beast has awakened again.”
“Yeah.” He smiled back and kissed her, and moments later she laughed when he suddenly stood and carried her to the bedroom. He stripped off his clothes and did the same to Lara, and after they’d snuggled under the comforter Luke teased, “Would you like another bedtime story?”
“No, that’s OK. I’m not sleepy.”
“Good. Neither am I.”
Lara laughed softly as he lowered his head to kiss her, and moments later she moaned softly as his fingers slid between her thighs. He gently stroked the sensitive little bud with his thumb as his fingers found and stroked the one spot that always left her trembling and breathless with pleasure, and tonight was no different as he tirelessly pleasured her. After her fifth climax she weakly gripped his shoulders and gasped, “Please, Luke, no more…”
He smiled down at her and teased, “Aw, what’s the matter? Am I wearing you out?”
“Something like that.”
He laughed softly and slid down to the foot of the bed, and Lara gasped in a mixture of anticipation and disbelief when he slid his arms beneath her knees and gently kissed the inside of her thigh. She shivered as his warm breath stirred the silky soft curls between her thighs, and moaned softly when she felt him gently lick her most sensitive flesh. She instinctively bent her knees and slid her fingers through his hair as he slowly pleasured her with his mouth and fingers, then gasped softly when she felt him push a finger into the shadowed crease of her derriere. She closed her eyes and arched against him as he brought her to yet another climax, and before her breathing had returned to normal Luke rose above her and plunged himself into her. Lara gasped softly with each deep, gentle thrust he gave, and when his arms began to shake she knew that his own release was imminent. She gently grasped his taut buttocks and pulled him even deeper into her, then cried out in pleasure as they climaxed together. Moments later Luke collapsed beside her and said, “I love you, sweetheart.”
“I love you too, Luke.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy in my entire life.”
“Me, either,” she replied as she gently wiped the sweat from his forehead and dropped a gentle kiss on his lips.
He suddenly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her onto his chest, grinned and whispered, “I think Mark just came home.”
“Uh oh.”
“Shh.”
Lara nodded and tried not to laugh as they both strained to hear what Mark was doing, but she couldn’t contain the laughter that bubbled up inside her. She giggled softly and said, “Why are we being so quiet? It isn’t like we’re teenagers afraid of getting caught in the act by Daddy.”
Luke laughed and said, “I’m hungry. Would you like some pizza?”
“Sure.”
She got up and pulled Luke’s robe on, then followed him into the kitchen, where Mark was helping himself to another slice of pizza. He turned when they entered the kitchen, then took one look at the grins on their faces and figured out the obvious. He grinned back at them and said, “Hi, guys. Been enjoying a little nooky?”
“Mark!”
Lara blushed a deep shade of red and began to laugh, then grabbed a slice of pizza and a can of soda from the fridge. Mark shook his head and laughed at her Cheshire cat smile, then said, “Ah, now there’s the picture of a completely satisfied woman.”
Her blush deepened at his words, which only caused him to laugh again as he inquired, “Say, isn’t that Luke’s robe?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Then that settles it. A woman doesn’t wear a man’s robe unless she’s fresh from his bed. That, or she has some serious emotional issues.”
Lara simply laughed and inquired, “How’s Lacy?”
“Sick, in pain, and afraid.”
“That’s not a good combination.”
“I’ll say.”
“So were you able to make it all better?”
“I tried. Hopefully she’ll be alright.”
“Do you still want me to talk to her?”
“That’s up to you. If you think it’ll help, then by all means, feel free to do so.”
Luke returned from the bathroom then, and Mark smiled at his brother before he said, “I think I’m going to call it a night. I’ll see you two tomorrow.”
“OK. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.” He walked down the hall to his room, and when he was gone Luke said, “Ready to call it a night?”
“Only if you’re going to tell me another bedtime story.”
Luke simply grinned and replied, “That can be arranged.”
“I thought so.”
Lara returned to work the next day, and when she saw Marissa she said, “Hi. Where’ve you been hiding?”
“I had to finish my Christmas shopping.” She surveyed the fading bruises underneath Lara’s eyes, as well as the neat line of stitches Luke had applied to her hairline, then said, “I’m so sorry, Lara.”
“Why? It wasn’t your fault.”
“I know, but…”
“But nothing. There is absolutely nothing for you to be sorry about, so stop blaming yourself. We have a Christmas dinner to plan.”
Marissa brightened and hugged her friend, and moments later they were discussing what to cook for the Christmas dinner. Lara absently tapped her pencil against her forehead as she thought of something, and Marissa eyed her with concern as she inquired, “What’s the matter?”
“I was just thinking…do you think we should invite Mark’s new girlfriend?”
“You mean his secretary?”
“Yes.”
Marissa sighed and said, “I guess so. How serious is it?”
“Oh, it isn’t what I’d call serious yet. But it’ll probably get that way before much longer.”
“What makes you say that?”
“He just seems crazy about her.”
“He’s just crazy about the poontang.”
Lara began to laugh so hard that the bruises beneath her eyes throbbed, and in a gasping voice she replied, “I don’t think he’s gotten that far yet.”
“Give him time,” Marissa quipped as she handed Lara a tissue. Lara wiped her eyes and said, “Good thing we weren’t in the cafeteria when you said that, or I would have definitely choked.”
Marissa simply shook her head and laughed, and moments later the two friends settled down and began their workday.
Lara returned to her own apartment after work, surveyed the pile of packages that she had to sort through and decided that a glass of sangria was in order. She plugged her Christmas tree lights in and smiled as they silently blinked and twinkled, then went into her room to shower and change before she began the pleasurable task of wrapping Christmas gifts. When she emerged half an hour later she felt much better, and as she popped a Christmas CD into her stereo she smiled as she thought about the upcoming Christmas dinner at Marissa’s place. She was definitely looking forward to it, and she sighed as she thought about how much her life had changed in less than a year. She had a great boyfriend and two great best friends, and she wondered if their acquaintance had been purely by chance or if some higher power had ordained it. She shrugged and silently thanked her parents, then wished them a Merry Christmas and began wrapping Christmas gifts. She smiled every time she withdrew a particular gift for Luke or Mark, and she was certain that they would definitely enjoy what she’d gotten them. She was treating Mark to a brand new video game system, some new horror movies, and even a pizza of the month club she’d stumbled upon on the Internet. Luke had been a little more difficult to buy for, but she hoped he would like what she’d gotten him. Marissa had helped her pick it out, but there was one other thing she’d gotten him when Marissa hadn’t been looking. All in all she’d gotten him a 24K gold stethoscope, which was his surprise, and the rest was what Marissa had helped her with. He had a new leather jacket, an entire collection of sunglasses from his favorite designer, and box set CDs from his favorite musicians. Lara had also gotten Mark the movie Tommy, complete with a CD box set of the Who and other groups from the seventies. She was almost certain that Luke was giving her a diamond ring for Christmas, and at the last minute she’d purchased an intertwined sterling silver and 24K gold necklace complete with a 24K gold token that was severed in the middle. The meaning of it was clear, as she had a matching necklace, but she would give that to him last, provided he’d gotten her a ring. She knew that jewelry was a tricky thing to give, and she definitely didn’t want to go overboard if he wasn’t reciprocating. That would make her look and feel extremely foolish, and she sighed as she forced the depressing thoughts from her mind and got up to refresh her drink. She’d even managed to get Marissa a surprise, which hadn’t been easy, considering that Marissa had barely left her side the entire time they’d been at the mall. She’d gotten her an entire case of sangria, all in different flavors, as well as numerous recipe books, a new cooking set, CDs, and a picture of herself and Marissa from the early days of their friendship. She’d had it blown up into an 8x10 and framed in a 24K gold frame, and Lara sighed as she studied it. In the picture, she and Marissa were grinning from ear to ear as the wind had whipped their hair out behind them, and their arms were slung around each other’s shoulders as they stood on the deck at Charlie’s. A cruise ship had been passing in the background, and the person who’d taken the picture had been kind enough to give them a copy. It made them appear to be on the ship, and Lara had treasured the picture from the moment she’d received it. She didn’t even know if Marissa remembered it, but she would come Christmas. She grinned as she imagined her friend’s reaction, then sighed and glanced around at the pile of bows, tags, tape, and wrapping paper that had to be picked up. She cleaned up and carefully tucked the gifts under the tree, then glanced at her watch and decided to keep her promise to Mark. She donned her jacket and whistled happily as she went to pay Lacy a visit.
Lacy cautiously opened the door after Lara’s gentle knock, and when she saw her she said, “Hi. You’re Lara, right?”
“That’s right. Mind if I come in?”
“No.” She stepped aside and allowed Lara to enter her apartment, and as she shrugged out of her jacket she said, “Nice place.”
“Thanks. Would you like a drink?”
“Sure. What do you have?”
“Milk, juice, tea, soda…”
“I’ll take a soda.”
Lacy nodded and went into the kitchen, then returned moments later with a soda and a cup of hot chocolate for herself. She sat down on the sofa and eyed Lara curiously, then inquired, “What brings you by?”
“Just thought I’d pay you a friendly visit.”
“I see.”
“Actually, I came to talk to you about Mark.”
“What about Mark?”
“It’s about your appointment with him on Friday.”
“Oh, that.” She glanced down at her hands and bit her lip, and Lara’s voice was gentle as she said, “There is absolutely no reason to worry. Mark is not going to hurt you. Trust me, I know.”
“That’s easy for you to say.”
“Actually, it isn’t. I was just as frightened as you are now. But I was in so much pain that I had to do something. Mark knew how terrified I was and treated me like a china doll. He’ll do the same for you.”
“How do you know all this?”
“Because I had to see him four times. There was a lot of work he had to do, and he never once hurt me. I didn’t feel so hot once I woke up, but I got over it. So will you.”
“I understand you’re very close friends with Mark.”
“Yes.”
“What’s he like?”
“Excuse me?”
“As a person.”
“You should know the answer to that yourself.”
Lacy nodded and sipped her hot chocolate, then said, “I appreciate your visit, but you also know that extreme terror, or phobia, or whatever you want to call it, just doesn’t disappear overnight.”
“I know that, but Mark will do everything in his power to make you comfortable. And he isn’t going to hurt you.”
“I hope not.”
“I know he isn’t, so stop worrying. Be glad you’ve got a great guy like him on your side.”
“I am.”
“Good. Would you like someone with you Friday?”
“What do you mean?”
“Just what I said.”
“You mean you’d volunteer to come hold my hand and sit with me afterwards?”
Lara shrugged. “Sure. Everyone needs someone.”
“I’m sure Mark is going to do that.”
Lara smiled and nodded. “I’m sure he is, too.” She glanced at her watch and said, “Well, I hate to cut this short, but I have to get back home. It was nice talking to you. I hope I was able to help you.”
“You did.”
“Good. Just tell Mark how you feel, and he’ll take care of you. OK?”
“You’re a lucky girl, do you know that?”
Lara laughed and replied, “Yes, I know that. And so are you. Mark’s a great guy.”
Lacy sighed dreamily and replied, “Yes, he is.”
The two women embraced like old friends, and moments later Lara was on her way home, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction at the thought that she’d been able to help another human being. That single moment settled everything for her, and she smiled as she wondered what Luke and Mark were going to say when she told them that she was majoring in psychology.