by Harmon, AJ
“Why did you want to get married?”
Katy thought about the question before she answered, but deep down she already knew why.
“Because I saw how happy Janie was and I wanted to be happy. She was married so I figured if I got married I’d be happy too.” Katy shrugged.
“But it didn’t make you happy.”
“No,” Katy said as she turned back to Dr. LaVaughn. “I wasn’t happy. I married someone who didn’t love me, only wanted to fuck me. And then after a couple of years, he didn’t want that either so he got it from someone else.”
“How did that make you feel?”
Katy rolled her eyes at the question. “Is this where I’m supposed to have some kind of breakthrough moment and realize that all the pain I’ve experienced is because my relationships have been based on physical attraction, on sex, and nothing else?”
Dr. LaVaughn looked at Katy but didn’t speak.
“Ah,” said Katy. Apparently it was.
4.
Mark arrived in Portland and rented a car. If he was going to spend a couple of days in Oregon at Janie’s request, then he was going to do more than sit in a hotel or office building. It was too early to ski, but not too late to windsurf in the Columbia River Gorge. He had tried it a few times in Mexico and loved it, so Hood River would be his destination for a day.
He texted Katy and let her know he had arrived. On a whim, he asked her if she wanted to go to Hood River with him.
The text came back quickly. ‘Sure. Do I pack a bag?’
Mark rubbed his chin and shrugged. We could make it a weekend, he thought. He texted her back and said he would be there in an hour.
*****
Katy sat looking at her phone. Why would I do that? she wondered. Why would I go away with him?
Katy grabbed her overnight bag and packed it for the weekend. She hadn’t been down the gorge in many, many years, so she was actually looking forward to it. And the late summer is the perfect time to spend at the river. She couldn’t remember the last time she just ‘got away’ for a day or two. Well, except for Janie’s wedding of course, but that didn’t count.
Mark pulled up and Katy ran out to meet him, locking the door behind her. He jumped out of the car and ran around to take her bag and open the car door for her. She smiled at him as she slid into the front seat. He stowed her bag in the back and they were ready to go. Mark followed the GPS instructions and pulled onto the freeway and they were off for a relaxing weekend.
“How do you know about Hood River?” Katy asked. “It’s just a little tourist town on the Columbia River. I can’t imagine you do any business there.”
Mark grinned and said that their company, MEL Holdings, did not own property in Hood River. “But I really like windsurfing and that’s the place to do it.”
Katy frowned. “You’re not expecting me to windsurf, are you?”
Mark chuckled and shook his head. “Only if you want to.”
“Well let’s hope for sun so I can work on my tan.”
The drive down the I-84 was smooth sailing once they got out of the Portland traffic. It was a beautiful drive and they talked about Mark’s previous adventures in windsurfing. He had been to Mexico and Tahiti and had tried it in both places, although he much preferred Mexico.
“I’m not really an outdoors kind of girl,” Katy explained. “I like to run outside, but that’s about it.”
“You do yoga outside,” Mark grinned. “Although you need to work on your balance, if I remember right.”
“That was not my fault!” Katy turned and snapped. “I wasn’t expecting anyone to creep up on me in my own backyard!”
Mark chuckled. “Then answer your front door! And I don’t ‘creep’!””
“I didn’t know you were coming!” Katy sneered.
“Then answer my damn texts and voicemails!”
“Hmmph!” Katy turned and looked at the river as they sped along the freeway.
Several minutes went by and she finally spoke.
“I guess I should have at least texted you. Sorry.”
Mark looked at her out of the corner of his eye. She was slumped over with her arms folded, her body language screaming ‘retreat’. The last thing he wanted to do was cause her more pain.
“You don’t need to apologize for anything. I’m not your mother. You don’t answer to me.”
“Damn right!” she said, but there was a lightness to her voice and Mark relaxed a little. “My mother died.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Mark replied.
“It was a while ago now. She was killed in a car accident. It’s weird not having a mother to go to. I can’t imagine not being there for Derek. Your mom is a riot.”
“She’s something,” Mark chuckled. “Actually, I would bet she was a lot like you when she was younger.”
“How so?” Katy was curious.
“Well,” Mark began, “she speaks her mind. She is fiercely independent and thinks she is invincible. She almost broke a hip last December trying to put up Christmas lights without any help.” He shook his head still remembering the call from Matt telling him their mom was taken to the hospital in an ambulance after falling off the ladder. “And she is kind and funny and would walk on fire for her boys.”
Katy smiled, appreciating the compliment, but not really believing Mark thought that about her.
*****
Mark had managed to get two rooms at the last minute in the hotel and he produced his credit card and took care of the bill while Katy stood and looked at the tourist brochures. He took the room keys, picked up their bags and started for their rooms. Katy jogged to catch up and offered to take her bag.
Mark scoffed at her request.
“What kind of man would I be if I made you carry your own bag?”
“You didn’t make me. I offered.”
“Well if I let you carry your bag then. It doesn’t make a difference to me.”
“Your mother raised gentlemen,” she grinned.
“Oh no. My father raised gentlemen,” Mark corrected her. “There was never a time that I can remember when my dad didn’t open a door for my mom, or pull out her chair at the table, or carry the groceries in. Men take care of their women. No argument!”
Katy sighed. Where have you been all my life?
Mark stopped in front of the hotel room and pulled a key card from his pocket.
“This can be your room,” he smiled. “It looks like I am right next door.”
He opened her door and held it for her as she entered the simple but comfortable room. The sun was starting to set and the river was capturing some brilliant colors. She walked to the window as Mark set her bag next to the closet. He stood behind her, watching her watch the rippling water.
“Shall I come get you in, say thirty minutes for dinner?” he spoke softly, not wanting to interrupt her.
Katy turned her head and smiled. “That sounds great.”
*****
Mark stood looking at the same view from his room next to Katy’s. He was conflicted to say the least. Katy was wounded, and extremely fragile. Oh she put up a good front but he knew better. Her bark was way worse than her bite. He wished he could have known her before; known her before she had been so violated. He had seen a glimpse of what she was like and he liked it. She was spunky and tough. But that bastard Danny had tried to break her. He had bruised her to be sure, and he didn’t know how long it would take for her to heal, but she wasn’t broken. No, he hadn’t broken her. He admired and respected her like no one he had ever met. He really liked being with her, even though she was totally unpredictable.
There was no sexual tension between them so there was no expectation of physical intimacy. It felt great to be with a woman and not have to worry about the ‘what next?’. He now had a female friend and she may very well be his first.
*****
“I thought you’d done this before!” Katy laughed as Mark fell of his board.
“Give me a minute,
” he growled.
Katy lay back on her towel on the beach of the Columbia River, content to lie in the warm sun while Mark played on the waves. It was a beautiful late summer day and Katy couldn’t remember the last time she had spent the whole day doing absolutely nothing. It felt wonderful. She leaned up on her elbows and watched Mark head off in the wind across the top of the water. He really did know what he was doing and she was enjoying watching his skill handling the massive sail. He skipped and caught a little bit of air and looked like he was having a ball. He had offered to teach her but she wasn’t interested. Lying in the sun was enough. Watching Mark was enough.
A little while later, Mark was still out on the water and Katy felt a presence. She opened her eyes and turned her head to see a man sitting down next to her.
“Hi,” he drawled. “I’m Vince.”
Katy looked at the man smiling at her. Oh shit! Here we go.
“I’m not interested.” Katy closed her eyes.
She heard him laugh, but knew he hadn’t moved.
“So do you live in the Gorge or are you just visiting?” he continued.
“Look,” Katy said, eyes still closed. “Please go back to where you came from. I’m not interested and I just want to lie here quietly by myself.”
“It’s a public beach and I can sit here if I want to.”
Katy took a deep breath and turned her head to him again, opening her eyes to see him ogling her body.
“Back off!” she hissed.
“You’re a feisty one,” he said.
“Get the fuck away from me!” Katy spat.
“What if I don’t want to?”
“Then you can deal with me!” Mark warned as he strode towards them.
Katy exhaled and unclenched her fists. Her shoulders relaxed and she was very relieved Mark was there.
“Fuck off!” Mark yelled. “Last warning.”
Vince stood up and walked away, muttering under his breath.
“You okay?” Mark asked Katy as he sat next to her.
“Yeah,” she said as she sat up. She grabbed her t-shirt and pulled it over her bikini. “I didn’t think he was going to leave.”
“I don’t think he’ll bother you again,” Mark smiled.
“No. I think you scared him,” she laughed.
“I like your laugh. You should do that more often.”
“Life isn’t always very funny,” she said.
“You sure you don’t want to try it out there? The wind is awesome!”
“No,” Katy shook her head. “It’s not really my kind of thing. I sit on the beach and drink margaritas,” she smiled.
Mark chuckled. “Let’s go get lunch.”
He stood and unzipped his wet suit and pulled it off his arms and let it hang from his waist. Katy looked up and saw the round biceps, chiseled chest and six-pack abs in front of her.
“Nice,” she said.
“Thank you,” he grinned. “I aim to please.”
“I bet you do.”
*****
Mark dropped Katy off at her house and headed back to the airport. He had fulfilled Janie’s request, got in some great windsurfing, and spent the weekend with Katy, whom he had grown to really like. He enjoyed spending time with her, and it was just as well because they would all be back in Portland in just a few days to testify in front of the grand jury. Even though he was required to attend, he would have come anyway just to be there for Katy. Now that Janie had left Portland and had married his brother, Mark realized that Katy’s support system had gone from one to none.
They had talked about a lot of stuff over the course of the past couple of days. He had told her about some of his adventures rock climbing and sky diving, and she had talked about her job and her family. With her dad walking out on her and never contacting her again, her mom’s death a few years before, and being an only child, Mark had come to understand some of her personality. And he realized how much he appreciated his big family.
Walking to the gate at the airport, Mark was glad he had made a new friend.
5.
The charges were extensive, and all felonies. Sarah, the ADA, had Katy, Mark, Janie and Matt in her office the day before and explained it all to them. First off she listed all the charges connected to Katy. There was kidnapping, assault, sexual assault, three attempted rape charges and a torture and inhumane treatment charge. But the one that really unnerved Katy was the breaking and entering charge.
When the police and crime lab searched Danny’s house after his arrest, they discovered several of Katy’s personal items that she did not have on her person when she went to his house that dreadful morning; items that had mysteriously gone missing one at a time from her home over the previous weeks, like her sunglasses and her favorite running shorts. They police crime lab had gone to Katy’s house and dusted for prints, only to find Danny’s all over.
“I can’t go back there,” she had whispered, horrified at the knowledge he had been in her private retreat. He had violated her person and her security.
“I’m so sorry,” Sarah had said, extremely frustrated. “I thought the police had told you.”
Janie had immediately booked her into the Monaco where she and Matt and Mark were staying.
Sarah had also listed off the charges associated with Janie. There were two felony charges: kidnapping and assault. They would all be bundled together and submitted at the same time. Now here they were in Sarah’s office, waiting for their turn in front of the grand jury.
Janie sat with her hand gripping her husband’s, each of them waiting for their turn to answer Sarah’s questions. She was obviously nervous, chewing on the inside of her cheek. Matt leaned over and kissed her forehead.
“All you have to do is tell them what happened. Sarah will ask the questions and you just answer them. She’s going to make it really simple. Just breathe.”
Janie nodded at Matt and took a deep breath. She glanced over to Katy, sitting next to Mark, looking calm and collected. She smiled at Katy as their eyes locked and the door opened and a man asked Katy to follow him as she had been called to testify. Katy did as she was asked and left the room.
“Now we wait,” said Mark.
*****
By lunch time, both Katy and Janie had appeared before the grand jury and answered all of Sarah’s questions. Both women were relieved it was over.
“It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be,” Janie had said over lunch.
“Sarah certainly knows what she’s doing,” Katy added. “I was impressed.”
Mark had put his arm on the back of Katy’s chair and he patted her shoulder.
“I’m sure you ladies did exactly what you needed to do.” His words were comforting to Katy and she turned to smile at him.
“Thanks for being here,” she said.
“Well, I didn’t really have a choice,” he chuckled. “I was subpoenaed!”
“I know, but thanks anyway.”
As the four of them headed back across the street to the courthouse, Katy realized how much she had come to rely on Mark in just a matter of days. It had been terribly quiet after they returned from their weekend to Hood River and he had gone back to New York, and she found herself counting down the days ‘til his return for his grand jury testimony. She had told herself that she was missing Janie and that Mark somehow filled that gap. Dr. LaVaughn had told her in their last session that it was good she was able to connect to a man in a non-sexual way. Katy had not even thought about Mark like that. In fact, she really didn’t think she could ever think of a man in that way again. Danny had taken care of that.
They met Sarah upstairs and waited for the men to take their turn answering questions. Janie and Katy sat together and talked non-stop as Mark and Matt were each summoned to testify. By three o’clock they were all done and able to leave. Sarah told Katy she would be in touch in a few days with an update.
“So what shall we do tonight?” Mark asked.
Matt looked at Ja
nie, eyebrows raised. “Honey?”
“Oh, really? You’ve been married how long now and you’re calling her honey?” Katy pretended to poke her finger down her throat.
“There are other things I call my wife, but I do it in private,” Matt grinned.
Janie blushed beet red and looked at the elevator floor.
“Well, dinner for sure,” Mark said, trying to change the subject. “Let’s get back to the hotel and we can decide.”
Katy looked uncomfortable. “At some point I’m going to have to go home.”
“We don’t have to think about that now,” Janie grabbed Katy’s hand.
“Well you don’t,” Katy replied. “But you leave in a few days and I need to figure out what I’m going to do. I guess I just need to go back and get it over with.”
“I’ll stay with you,” Mark said. “I’ll stay and I won’t leave until you feel safe again.”
*****
Three days later Janie and Matt flew back to New York and Mark and Katy checked out of the hotel and went to her house.
“First thing? We change all the locks,” Mark said, pulling out his smart phone and looking for a local locksmith. “Then we add an alarm system and get you a Doberman,” he smiled.
“I can’t afford an alarm system and I don’t want a dog!”
“Okay,” he grinned. “No dog, but at least let me do some research on alarms.”
Mark carried their bags into the house, depositing Katy’s by her bedroom door and his in the guest room.
“I’m not going to leave until you’re so sick of me you throw me out.”
“So tomorrow then?” Katy smiled.
“Make some lunch and I’ll get the locks changed,” Mark grinned.
With the new locks and deadbolts installed, added security on the windows and the alarm company scheduled to install in three days, Mark was content with Katy’s home being safe and secure, even though Katy was really pissed off that Mark insisted on paying for the installation and twelve months of the alarm contract.