Rearview Mirror

by B L Clark

  “Hi,” they both answered.

  “How are you feeling?”

  “Better, a couple of tweaks of pain when I move wrong, but otherwise okay,” Amber said.

  “And the drainage?” He pointed for her to lie down on the table.

  “The first night, she caused it to bleed after having a nightmare, but there hasn’t been anything since then…well, not anything that you hadn’t warned us of,” Nicole said.

  The doctor tested the tenderness of Amber’s side, looked over the wound, and was pleased with the progress of the healing. He then took Amber to get an X-ray of her shoulder and collarbone to check the healing there. While they waited for the films to be developed and read, they sat close together, Nicole occasionally kissing the side of Amber’s head. Once the results were ready, the doctor took them back to the exam room to talk.

  “Well, I must say, you’re healing remarkably well, Ms. Knight. It’s as if your bones were trained to heal quickly,” the doctor said, seeing both women flinch at his statement.

  “She was abused by her father and brother from age four until eighteen when they almost killed her, and she got away,” Nicole said, her voice full of venom, sorrow, and pain.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t know. I shouldn’t have said what I did. Please, both of you, forgive my insensitivity and ignorance.”

  “It’s fine,” they said.

  “Well, with the way you’re healing, you have your wings back and can return to…um…New York,” the doctor said, reading her chart and where she was from. “You’ll still have work restrictions, but as long as you abide by them and keep up with the antibiotics, you should heal perfectly.”

  “How long will I be in the brace and sling?” Amber said.

  “With the way you’re healing, I would say the brace about three more weeks and the sling I would recommend starting to wean yourself off it in about a month. Most importantly, I want you to follow up with your regular doctor before anything. Have them check to make sure there’s no infection once you complete the antibiotics, then have your collarbone checked before taking off the brace and then get checked again before weaning from the sling. I know that sounds like overkill, but we want to ensure that your body has the best opportunities to heal and to make sure you don’t have issues in the future. Can I count on you to do that?”

  “She will.” Nicole looked sternly at Amber.

  “Yes, sir.” Amber knew that between Nicole and Zach, she wasn’t going to stand a chance. “I also need to have you put all those instructions into a note for my employer.”

  “Really?” he asked surprised.

  “Yeah, she’s a bit of a stickler for detail, and well, one of Nicole’s co-conspirators works with me and seems to have told my boss that I’m notorious for not following instructions, and that if they had them, they would make sure I followed them.”

  “Zach rocks,” Nicole said.

  “Did they want me to email them or mail them, as well?” The doctor smirked.

  “Yeah, here are the email addresses.” Amber pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it to the amused doctor.

  “I’ll make sure this gets off to them today. You’re free to leave as early as tomorrow.”

  “Thank you,” Nicole and Amber said.

  Everyone stood, and they shook the doctor’s hand. He handed Nicole the updated prescriptions for antibiotics and pain pills.

  “Oh, Ms. Knight. You’re healed enough that you can stop wearing bandages unless you notice leaking, and you can take baths again.”

  “Thank you,” Amber said, smiling back at him.

  The pair left the hospital and dropped off the prescriptions to be filled before heading to Nicole’s house to make the arrangements for Amber to return to New York and for Zach to take over the care and protection of Amber.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Making Plans

  After leaving the doctor’s office, Nicole and Amber headed back to Nicole’s house so Amber could call Zach and Lucinda and make her plans to fly to New York. The car was filled with mixed emotions from both women. They were happy that Amber was healing and that there was no infection or complications, but they were struggling with the idea that they were going to be apart.

  “What are you thinking about?” Amber asked as they entered the house and moved to the living room.

  “I’m thinking about a lot of things,” Nicole said, avoiding Amber’s question.

  “Nicole, please, don’t withdraw from me,” Amber said.

  “I’m sorry. I’m just trying to process the fact that yea you’re doing better and boo you’re leaving.” Nicole sat on the couch next to Amber.

  “Sweetie, I know how you feel. I’m conflicted, too.” Amber took Nicole’s hand and brought it up to kiss the back of it.

  “You need to call Zach and Lucinda. Do you want me to call the gang?” Nicole got up from the couch.

  “That’d be great. Um, Nic?” Amber waited for Nicole to turn and look at her. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.” Nicole turned and kissed Amber.

  After Nicole left the room, Amber took a deep breath and called Lucinda. Amber explained what happened at the doctor and that Lucinda would be getting an email from him. Lucinda was amused that Amber did ask for the email, and she was pleased to be getting her back before the show and that Amber was healing so well. Lucinda told Amber that although she couldn’t wait for her to return, she understood that there were things going on in Eagle Peak, as well. She told her that since it was Tuesday, she would expect Amber back at work on Monday.

  Once Amber got off the phone with Lucinda, she called Zach and gave him the news of her return and what the doctor had to say. Zach told Amber to let him know when her flight would be in, and he’d pick her up. She said she would take a cab, but he insisted on meeting her at the airport. Amber finally conceded and told him she would text him the flight details as soon as she got them worked out. They then talked about how things were going with Nicole and their decisions for the future.

  While Amber was making her calls, Nicole went into the kitchen and called Jill, Erik, and Heather, and told them that Amber had been given the okay to fly again and that she would be leaving soon. The group agreed they should have a farewell party once they learned Amber’s flight plans. Everyone was concerned with how Nicole was dealing with Amber leaving. Nicole said she wasn’t sure. At the moment, she was numb. She promised that if she needed to talk, she would call them. After she was done with her calls, she headed back into the living room where Amber was just hanging up with Zach.

  “So, how soon does Lucinda want you back?” Nicole sat next to Amber.

  “Monday morning,” Amber said, smiling.

  “Don’t tease me…”

  “I wouldn’t tease you about something like that.” Amber said before kissing Nicole. “She said she’d like me back sooner, but she understands that I have things going on here, as well.”

  “Yea me! I suppose that means we need to make your flight arrangements, so you can tell Zach and I can tell the gang. The rest of the time, I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

  “I’m okay with that.” Amber smiled.

  Nicole and Amber went into Nicole’s office and booked the flight for Sunday afternoon, getting her home around seven p.m. Nicole knew Amber was going to be tired, but she selfishly wanted to spend every possible minute with Amber that she could.

  Amber called and told Zach her flight schedule, and he said he would be there to pick her up. Nicole called Jill, and she suggested they have a sleepover whatever night worked best for Nicole and Amber. Nicole and Amber decided on Friday night. They both knew Saturday would be their last night together for a while, and there was no way they wanted to share that with anyone else. After they were done calling the others, the women made a late lunch together. As they finished lunch, Nicole received a call involving her work.

  “Baby, I have to take this,” Nicole said as she saw the caller ID.


  “I understand. I’ll be upstairs in my mom’s room.” Amber kissed Nicole’s cheek.

  Nicole smiled as she watched Amber walk away, and then she turned her attention back to her phone call. Nicole spent about an hour on the phone before making her way to the room that had once been occupied by Amber’s mom. She saw Amber lying on the bed holding a picture of Nicole and Karen.

  “We should go through the photo albums your mom put together before you leave. You can take the journals with you if you’d like,” Nicole said as she entered the room and sat on the bed next to Amber.

  “I’d like that. Is everything okay with work?”

  “Yeah, I’ll have to do some stuff a little bit later, but for now, I’m all yours.”

  “Yea.” Amber put the picture on the nightstand and turned toward Nicole. “I think that after your work is done, I want a candlelit bath with you, then I want us to go to the lanai and cuddle.”

  “I think that sounds like a good plan. Did you want me to see if one of the gang is around while I work? Not that you can’t just hang out or entertain yourself, I just know they’re going to miss seeing you, and I don’t want you to think that I’m monopolizing you. I know I want to spend every minute I can with you and…” Nicole babbled before Amber started to giggle. “You’re laughing at me.”

  “No, I have just missed your babbling so much. I love you, sweetheart, and I would like to see if Heather can hang out for a bit. If you need me out of the house, I can go to the hotel.”

  “I’ll call Heather quickly.” Nicole grabbed her phone out of her pocket and called. They worked out that Heather would swing by and hang out with Amber while Nicole worked. Heather was excited at the chance to spend more time with Amber.

  After Heather arrived, Nicole told them she would be as quick as she could, but the company she was making the changes for tended to be indecisive. Heather and Amber said they understood and told her to do what she needed to and that they would be hanging out. Nicole kissed Amber before leaving the room.

  “You two seem homey,” Heather said.

  “That isn’t a bad thing.” Amber smiled at the idea of being homey with Nicole.

  “I didn’t say it was. It’s nice to see her smiling and know that it’s because she’s happy and not just pretending to be.”

  “I’m sorry that I hurt her and all of you. I regret hurting Nicole the most, though…” Amber’s voice trailed off.

  “You weren’t left with a choice, we all know that. You also aren’t going to do something stupid like that again anyway,” Heather said.

  “No, I’m not.”

  “You don’t have to answer this, but how did you deal with getting over what your dad and brother did to you? Mentally, I mean.”

  “I didn’t for a long time, and then Zach left me no choice but to see a therapist. I’ve seen her pretty much every other week for five years now. Shit, I just remembered I never canceled my appointment with my therapist nor my dinner plans with Jessie. We usually have dinner after my therapy appointments.”

  Heather helped Amber find her phone, so she could call to cancel her appointment and dinner plans.

  “Hello, Amber?” the woman on the other end of the line said.

  “Hi, Jess,” Amber said.

  “Are you okay? Is something wrong? My receptionist said you wanted to cancel our dinner plans for tomorrow,” Jessie Burke said.

  “I’m fine,” Amber said.

  “Liar,” Heather said a little louder than she intended, and Jessie heard her.

  “It sounds like someone disagrees with you.”

  “Yes, she does. I’m in Eagle Peak.”

  “Now you need to explain some things to me,” Jessie said.

  Amber put Jessie on speakerphone because holding the phone up hurt after a while.

  “I have you on speakerphone, and my friend Heather is here listening. She’s the one who called me a liar.

  “I’m glad she’s there to keep you honest. Stop stalling, Amber. What’s going on?”

  “The short story is, I’m getting to do the art show coming up that we’ve talked about. I had to come back here to get some release forms signed. That led me to become reacquainted with Heather, Jill, Erik, and Nicole,” Amber started.

  “Oh, boy,” Jessie said.

  “Amber?” Nicole came into the room and saw Amber put a finger over her lips to silence her.

  “Yeah, there’s a lot we’ll need to discuss when I get back. After reconnecting with them, I had an unfortunate run-in with my brother. I’ll be okay, but again, more stuff for us to go through—”

  “Damn it, Amber, you’re stalling. Heather, what isn’t she telling me?”

  “She isn’t telling you that her brother hit her with the butt of a gun, and he broke her collarbone and part of her shoulder. Then the jackass shot her,” Heather said.

  “What?” Jessie exclaimed as Amber groaned.

  “I’ll be fine, I just got cleared today to fly home.”

  “Amber, I’ve been one of your best friends for over five years. Why the hell didn’t you call me sooner?”

  “It all happened so quick. I left New York fourteen hours after I learned about being in the art show. Then I got here and ran into Heather, then Nicole, then the others.”

  “How’d it go with Nicole?”

  “She’s here in the room, as well. She just came in. I’m staying with her until Sunday when I fly back.”

  “Hi,” Nicole sat next to Amber.

  “Hi, Nicole. Is there anything else I should know?” Jessie asked.

  “Amber’s mom lived with me for several years before she passed away,” Nicole said.

  “Oh, hell. Amber, you get back Sunday and go back to work Monday, correct?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Amber said.

  “Monday after work, you and I are getting together, understood?” Jessie ordered.

  “Yes, ma’am,” Amber said again.

  “Heather, Nicole, you are my witnesses that she agreed to be there.”

  “You know, you’re mean and evil,” Amber said.

  “That’s why we’re friends and you’ve dragged your happy ass out to dinner with me every other week for five years.”

  “No, it’s your sunny disposition.” Amber laughed.

  “Whatever. I have a someone waiting. I’ll see you Monday night. Nicole, Heather, it was nice to talk to you. I hope someday to meet you both.”

  “Goodbye,” they all said, and Amber hung up.

  “She seems interesting,” Nicole said.

  “Yeah, she was almost my therapist, but I found her business card taped to the bathroom stall in a gay bar.”

  “Seriously?” Heather said, her mouth gaping open.

  “I already had scheduled the appointment to see her when I found her business card one night when Zach and I went out dancing. It turned out one of her patients didn’t feel she had her attention, so she stole a bunch of her business cards and taped them up in random places.”

  “What’d you think when you saw it there?” Nicole asked.

  “I was ready to cancel the appointment, but Zach said he’d heard good things about her, so I kept the appointment. We didn’t mesh well as patient/therapist and then I ended up getting to know her because she lives in my neighborhood. Are you done with your work, sweetie?”

  “It’s compiling, so I had a few minutes and decided to come and see if Heather was behaving herself.”

  Heather stuck her tongue out at Nicole.

  “Sweetie, you know there’s a better way to get back at her, right?”

  “Huh?” Nicole said.

  Amber grabbed the front of Nicole’s shirt, pulled her in close, and kissed her deeply and passionately. Both women groaned from the sheer intensity of the kiss.

  “Mean! Cruel! Not fair,” Heather said, pouting.

  “You’re right, that’s definitely a better way to get back at her. I should get back to my program,” Nicole said before kissing Amber again.


  After Nicole left, Heather told Amber about the couple of short relationships she had, and Amber told her about New York and some of the bars she had gone to. It was about another hour before Nicole came out of her office and said she was finally done. Heather said she had to get back to the hotel, but they both suspected it was an excuse to allow them time together without them feeling guilty about it.

  Nicole led Amber by the hand upstairs and into her bedroom. Nicole went into the bathroom and started the water running for their candlelit bath. After lighting the candles, she went back into the bedroom where her breath caught as she saw Amber sitting on the edge of the bed. Nicole closed the distance between the two of them and kissed Amber before helping her to undress. Then she allowed Amber to undress her. They moved together into the bathroom. Amber pulled Nicole close and kissed her. Once the kiss broke, Nicole turned the water off and relaxed into the tub. After a moment, she motioned for Amber to have a seat between her legs. Amber sat and leaned her back to Nicole’s front and felt her arms wrap around her waist.

  “I’m going to miss my bathing buddy,” Nicole said before kissing Amber’s neck, trying to control her emotions and her thoughts.

  “I’m going to miss this, too. I’m going to miss just being near you.” Amber felt the reality of leaving not by necessity, but by choice.

  “Who would have thought that after ten years apart we would have fallen so in sync again?”

  “I knew from before our first kiss that you and I were meant to be together. I’m sorry it’s taken so long to get back to us.”

  “It wasn’t your fault what happened to you. I’d wait forever if I thought there was a chance that I could spend my life with you,” Nicole said before kissing her way down Amber’s neck.

  “Mmm, that feels good. Nic, um…” Amber’s voice trailed off.

  “What’s troubling you, baby?” Nicole pulled Amber closer. “Talk to me.”

  “I’m…okay…I’m not so much troubled as unsure how to ask you something.”