Kiss & Cry, Where Passion Awaits

by Lipson, Ramona

  “Dhalia Kennedy, thirty-two.”

  “Can you explain the events that occurred, resulting in the 911 call?”

  “I was with my boyfriend...we just got carried away. It was all consensual.”

  The police officer looked at her partner with disbelief and then back to Dhalia.

  “What’s your boyfriend's name and age?”

  “Bradley Hotman, he’s fifty-two.”

  “You’re thirty-two? So let me confirm that the activities that took place between you and this Mr. Hotman were consensual?”

  “That’s correct.” She nodded.

  Her partner looked at Dhalia and sarcastically said, “So you asked this Bradley guy to give you a black eye? Is that correct?”

  “Yes, in a manner of speaking,” she answered. “We got carried away, I accidentally upset him. It was all my fault.”

  “Did you have sexual activities with Bradley on the morning in question?” she went further with her questioning.

  “We did,” Dhalia verified.

  “Did you have sexual activities with anyone else on the morning in question?”

  “No. The night before I did.” She knew these cops didn’t believe that it was consensual.

  “Can you confirm you weren’t forced to do anything against your will?”

  “Yes,” Dhalia said.

  The officer looked into her eyes and asked, “Have you been threatened?”

  “No,” she confirmed again.

  “Do you want Mr. Hotman to go to prison for what he did to you?”

  “No, I don’t. This has all been blown out of proportion.”

  The officers got up and said, “If you change your mind, here’s our card.” There was an edge of frustration in the officer's tone.

  The officers left and then Nurse Betty said, "What can I do for you now?" Dhalia checked the time on the wall and saw that it was after midnight. “Can I call Michael, a friend of mine, and have him pick me up?”

  “Sure. You can call him while I go to the nurses' station and page the doctor to get a discharge order. Just dial nine first and that will give you an outside line.”

  She called Michael and he answered on the first ring.

  “Michael, it's me,” Dhalia said in a soft cracking voice, barely a whisper.

  “Dhalia? Are you okay?” he asked with concern.

  “Can you come and get me? I know it’s 1:00 a.m. but we can sneak back to the Village without being seen,” she choked out between sobs.

  “Sure, baby,” he said soothingly. “Ryan wants to come. He's worried sick.”

  “Sure,” she answered. She hung up the phone and closed her eyes again.

  Dhalia kept reviewing what happened in her head. What could she, should she have done differently? Why did she get so malicious to Bradley? She shouldn’t have told him she slept with Ryan but he would have found out anyway, on the tapes. What she did would have infuriated anyone. She made him more angry, intentionally. She was initially even happy that Bradley was visiting her. He was the head of the Association. He had every right to be a part of the deliberation. He was right for doing what he did to her. She berated herself and felt she deserved more, and worse.

  The knock on the door told her the men arrived. Michael walked in first. He had seen her right after "it" happened. His expression was neutral but Ryan’s was one of shock. He instinctively went to hug her and Michael stopped him. “I don’t think you should do that right now,” he warned. Michael whispered in Ryan’s ear, “I’ve taken care of things. I called Justin right after EMS took her. I have the tapes. Bradley is going to destroy tapes with nothing on them: he’ll never know.” It turned out, Bradley was so confident he never did look for the tapes.

  “I want to see them.” Ryan smoldered.

  Nurse Betty looked at the two men and informed them, “You will notice changes in her behavior, nightmares, weight loss, over the next few days and even weeks. If any concern you, please feel free to contact us, or better yet, bring her back.”

  Ryan looked at the nurse. “Thanks.”

  When they got to the car, the first words out of Ryan’ s mouth were, “I’m so fucking angry.”

  Dhalia cringed.

  “Check your temper,” Michael admonished. “You’re going to scare Dhalia.”

  “It was my fault, Michael,” Ryan admitted.“I should have stayed with her and confronted the prick head-on.”

  “Bullshit it’s your fault,” Michael argued. "Nobody ever expects someone to react like that, or asks to be treated like that.”

  “Michael, Dhalia and I were together last night before Bradley flew in. I should have stayed with her, but I was so stupid! I was too afraid we would get caught. I left her behind, before Bradley came in. I should have stayed with Dhalia, staked my claim, if you will.” Ryan wanted Michael to know, Ryan failed her.

  “No, it was my fault,” Dhalia interjected meekly.

  When they got to the Village, Ryan glanced at Michael and said, “It’s okay, I’ll take care of her. Keep your phone on. I’m coming over later to watch the tapes. We’re going to have to postpone taping indefinitely until Dhalia’s face heals. We can’t have anyone seeing her like this. I’m going to kill him,” he muttered.

  “Just be there for her,” Michael chastised. “That’s what she needs right now.”

  Michael went ahead to the Village. Ryan looked at Dhalia and said, “Are you ready to go in?”

  She looked up at him and nodded. He took off his jacket and used it to cover her head as he carried her back to the Village.

  He took her to his room and laid her down on the bed. He went in the bathroom and turned the shower on for her. He spoke softly and said, "Do you want me to undress you, or can you do it?”

  She answered with her actions, as she started disrobing.

  Tears streamed down her face again. She noticed Ryan was looking at the scratches all over her body. He was horrified. She could see it in his eyes. She walked slowly to the shower and stepped in. She didn’t move. Ryan lathered soap on his hands and began washing her, gently touching all her scratches and where she was assaulted. Tears fell down his cheeks. She made him cry again, which made her shame worse.

  She felt broken. He was trying to put her back together again. He was trying to wash Bradley off her body and for that she was grateful. She wasn’t able to show it, though. It hurt her so much to see him cry like that, over her. She felt unworthy.

  Dhalia knew Ryan was going to wash her where she was violated. He lathered extra soap on his hands and then started washing her private area. It burned like peroxide in a fresh, open wound. Dhalia began sobbing and couldn’t stop until Ryan towel dried her, dressed her, and carried her to his bed. He turned out the light and said, “Go to sleep, baby. Nothing is going to touch you now. I’m so sorry.” He sat far away from her and watched her sleep. When Ryan was sure she was sleeping, he snuck out of his room and went to Michael's.

  He tapped lightly on the door and Michael answered immediately.

  “I can’t believe what that prick did to her. You should have seen her just now. She undressed herself and let me bathe her in the shower, but she just stood there frozen. When I went to wash her where that fucker violated her, she went into this uncontrollable sobbing fit. She’s lying my bed right now and she can’t even see out of one of her eyes. One side of her face is completely swollen. She has scratches all over her body, like she’s been clawed. I swear to God he'll pay for this.”

  “I have the tape right here, but I don’t think you should watch it,” Michael said with concern. “You are too angry.”

  “I know I shouldn’t watch, but a larger part of me needs to see what I let that asshole do to her.”

  Michael stopped him with a flat palm to the chest.“You didn’t let him do anything to her. Get that out of your head.”

  “I never should have let him be around her. I have to see for myself what happened. I have to be fast, I don’t want her waking up without me being there
.”

  “I can’t watch it,” Michael confessed. “I’ll stand outside the door until you finish.” He pressed play and stepped into the hallway.

  Ryan watched, unaware of how brutal the confrontation was going to be. The first thing that shocked him was that Dhalia admitted to him that they slept together. Oh my God. He smashed his hand, full force, into her. "I can’t believe it. That slimy bastard wanted to fuck my smell off of her. It was my fault, my fault entirely," Ryan whispered.

  The tapes showed Bradley forcing Dhalia to suck his ugly dick like she was a two-bit prostitute. Ryan had to run to the bathroom to puke. When he returned, he saw her face gagged with a towel and Bradley violating her. Dhalia struggled to get away and Bradley punched her harder in the eye. Finally it was over, and the prick told her she got what she deserved!

  Ryan stormed out of Michael's room. He looked at Michael on the way out and spat, “He has to pay for this. Where’s he staying? He’s lucky my skates aren’t here, I would slash his fucking neck with my blade.”

  “Check your anger, Ryan, it’s not going to benefit Dhalia in anyway if you lose control of your temper right now. He’s on the top floor; it’s like a penthouse for Olympic officials.” Only seeing red, Ryan took the elevator to Bradley’s floor. It opened to a hallway with a set of French doors at the end. Ryan knocked on the door and waited. Bradley opened the door and granted entry.

  "You better go back to Toronto before I fucking lose my temper and give you what’s coming to you,” Ryan warned. His hands were fisted at his sides, knuckles turning white. "Dhalia and I will run the camp when she recovers from being brutalized by you, you fucking son of a bitch. We’ll decide who will leave the camp when Dhalia has recovered.”

  “Brutalize Dhalia? What are you talking about?” he feigned innocence.

  With the sheer force of the Olympic athlete he was, Ryan pulled his arm back and planted his fist heavily into Bradley’s face. There was a distinct crack and blood spewed from Bradley’s nose. It was so rewarding, Ryan wanted to inflict more damage, but Michael’s words lingered in his memory. Ryan definitely wasn’t helping Dhalia with vigilante justice.

  “I’m going to care for her now, and if I ever see you go near her again I will kill you with my bare hands.” Ryan slammed the door on his way out and snuck back into his room. Dhalia was lying in bed and Michael was sitting in a chair watching her. Her eyes were closed and she was covered with blankets. “She has to be hungry,” Michael commented.

  “I haven’t seen her eat in a while,” Ryan confirmed. “I’ll go down to cafeteria and bring up some food. You want anything?”

  Michael shook his head. “No, thanks, I'm fine. Are you okay?”

  “No, I’m boiling over. I broke the fucker's nose. I left him bleeding profusely, but that’s not enough for me, I feel the need to kill him,” Ryan hissed to Michael.

  “Okay, that’s enough, go get her some food now,” he coaxed.

  Ryan went down to the cafeteria and spotted Sandy. She was getting her breakfast when she turned and saw him. She smiled and pushed her wavy blond hair from her face. “Hey, Ryan.”

  “Hi, Sandy.”

  “Is everything okay? When are we going to deliberate?” she inquired.

  “Let’s do this, collect all the skaters into the boardroom for 3:30 and we’ll have a meeting with the skaters and staff informing them what is causing the delay. Call Justin and have the cameras rolling.”

  The person behind the counter asked, “What can I get you?”

  Ryan glanced at her and ordered two breakfasts.

  “Sounds like a plan.” Sandy smiled at Ryan. “I hope everything is all right. You look stressed.”

  “No, it’s really not,” he answered honestly. He wanted to confide to her, but he knew soon enough she would know and there was nothing she could do.

  Ryan took the food back to Dhalia. She was still sleeping, or at least appeared to be. To Michael, Ryan said, “I bumped into Sandy downstairs. She’s going to round up everyone at 3:30 in the boardroom. I’ll make an announcement. This reality show isn’t going to have censorship.

  "Thanks for watching Dhalia; I’ll take care of her now.”

  Michael got up. “You’re welcome. I don’t know if that's a good idea. She might not forgive you if you show her looking like this on national television. You are going to ruin Bradley’s reputation, and if the police don’t have enough evidence to press charges, then he could probably file a lawsuit against you."

  “I don’t want to show the tapes of Dhalia, but I want to show the aftermath of it. If it will help one person in that situation come forward, then she should do it. I know from the bottom of my heart she’s a caring soul who is willing to help others, and it will squash him at the same time. It might even force the police to press charges if they get enough pressure from public supporters."

  “Don’t you think you’re getting revenge at Dhalia’s expense?” Michael argued.

  “No, I’m not. I’m helping her recover in a way I know will work. I’m doing it for us. We’ve always been a team and when one of us gets weak or gives up fighting, then the other compensates. That’s what people who love each other do. I’m doing everything in our best interest.”

  “If you watched the tape you would know he’s destroyed her. I think it’s her only chance at recovery.”

  “You know what’s best.” Michael shrugged and quietly left the room, leaving Ryan alone with Dhalia.

  The Shower

  “Open your eyes, baby. I brought you some food.”

  Dhalia got up and went to the bathroom. She avoided looking in the mirror. She was disgusted by the sight of herself. When she finished she went back and sat a foot away from Ryan. He took the food out of the bag and placed it on his bed.

  Dhalia wondered if Ryan was angry at her. Does he see her as a whore, too? She couldn’t bear the thought. He brought her scrambled eggs and toast with juice. Ryan took a forkful of eggs and tried to feed Dhalia. When the eggs hit the back of her throat, she flashed back to when Bradley shoved his organ into her mouth and she started gagging. She raced to the bathroom to throw up.

  Ryan followed Dhalia. She brushed her teeth in an attempt to erase the vile memories,. Out of habit she looked in the mirror. It was like seeing the damage for the first time. She was beyond shocked at her reflection. Her eye was black but open now to a mere slit. Her cheek was swollen and an angry bluish-purple. She don’t think she ever looked worse in her life. She felt dirty, demoralized, violated, broken. She wanted to take another shower, and Ryan was wrong. She wasn’t even a little bit hungry. She was repulsed by food. Dhalia froze facing the mirror.

  Ryan cleared his throat as stood closely behind her. Recalling his presence, Dhalia flinched and he stepped back. “You’re still beautiful, sweetheart.”

  “I’m marred.” A tear fell from her wretched face. “I’ll never be the same.”

  “Only you can control whether you will be the same. This is temporary, a really bad blip in your life that I’m going to help you get through. It’s what’s on the inside that really matters.”

  “That’s ugly too,” Dhalia spat.

  “No, you’re not,” Ryan said firmly. “Do you want to try to eat again?”

  “No, thanks. I’m not hungry.”

  “I want to take you back to your room. We have to get some of your clothes. We are having a meeting in the boardroom at 3:30," Ryan informed her.

  “Will Bradley be there?” Dhalia trembled uncontrollably. She felt sick again but this time with nerves.

  “No, he won’t. I sort of punched him. I think I broke his nose. I told him to go back to Toronto before I kill him, we can take care of everything from here, he’s not needed,” Ryan elaborated. “I have to make a phone call. I’ll be right outside the door.”

  Ryan went into the hallway and pulled his cell from his pocket. “Hi, Justin, I want to announce the sexual assault at today’s meeting. I want the athletes and coaches to know the truth about
why there’s a delay. I want to provide what was promised and that’s a reality show with no censorship. I need you to get this approved by Universal before we go ahead. I’ll need a callback from you before 3:30.” Ryan and Justin hung up a few seconds later and Ryan returned to the room.

  He took Dhalia’s hand and locked the door as they departed. They went back to her room. It was the first time she had been back. She ran to the bathroom, a wave of nausea hitting her. Dry heaves set in. Dhalia felt anxious. She didn’t want to stay in there a second longer than necessary. The visuals of what happened flashed in her mind, making her relive what had happened. She grabbed some clothes and hurried to the door. Ryan followed her cue and shadowed her. They went back to his room and he laid down on his bed. She went to the bathroom to get dressed. She opted a casual dress shirt and slacks.

  “Do I have to go to the meeting?” Dhalia balked.

  “It’s in your best interest. Everyone wants to know what the delay is and why we haven’t done any deliberation. The schedule has started, but people want to know what’s happening.”

  Dhalia fidgeted as she searched for an elastic in all the drawers and pockets around his room.

  “What are you doing?” he asked.

  “I want to put my hair up, it’s bothering me. I’d like to cut it all off. Can you cut it off for me?” she said in absolute frustration.

  “No, I'm not cutting your hair,” he told her. “Now finish getting dressed.” His eyes locked with hers. He took a step towards her. He caressed her blackened eye and her swollen cheek. He kissed her face tenderly, looking forlorn, desolate. “You’re going to be okay. I promise.”

  Dhalia slipped on her shoes and informed Ryan, “It doesn’t feel like I’m going to be okay.”

  Ryan’s phone rang. “I’ll be just a second, Dhalia, I have to take this.” He didn’t leave the room this time. From his end of the conversation she figured out he was on the phone with Justin and that his idea, whatever it was, was approved.

  Uncensored

  When Ryan and Dhalia reached the boardroom, everyone was already present. People saw Dhalia and gasped! There was understandably much whispering. Sandy was standing close to Dhalia and she took her hand. The lights were on and the cameras were rolling. Dhalia was mortified. It was in that second she realized her humiliation wasn’t only going to be shared with just the camp but the entire television viewing audience. She tried to hide behind Ryan and Sandy but the cameras found her. There was no escape.