Restrained Recovery
Part Eight
By owelpost (drakkar@rogers.com) and windrider (chelm@netwalk.com)

– x –

Alice twirled her empty coffee cup on the table as she talked to Lara. Are you sure? she asked. Lara seemed intensely distracted and Alice got the feeling that she was pretty much avoiding any form of discussion. But that didnt stop her from wanting to press the subject. Because– she began, but stopped mid-sentence when she noticed Shane approaching with a steaming cup of coffee. She immediately changed her mind about grilling Lara. Oh, hey Shane, she acknowledged her friend, and then continued to Lara, Listen, Lara, will you just let Dana know I called when she wakes up? I gotta go.

Hey, Al, Shane said, sliding into the seat next to her friend. Lara?

Alice nodded. I called Danas cell, but Lara answered. She said Dana was sleeping. Probably more like passed out. I asked her about what happened, but she was really reluctant to talk to me. Alice shrugged and fiddled with her phone. So, what did you find out?

Shane, having somehow gotten hold of a stir stick, chewed worriedly. Her hair had fallen into a veiling curtain across her face and she brushed it aside before leveling Alice with a serious gaze. Look, Al, I think Lara is into something a lot rougher than anything we could have imagined.

Dont you dare, Shane. Dont get all ***** cryptic on me again.

Have you ever heard of a club called Pettrucios? Alice considered for a minute, and then shook her head. No, Shane continued, you probably wouldn’t have. Youre much too vanilla.

Alice wanted to look indignant, but she had a feeling that Shane was right. She studied Shane, watching as an unsettled look crossed her face. For the first time in a long time, Alice got the impression that Shane was actually feeling a little out of her element. When unflappable Shane looked worried, things were bad. Alices stomach dropped and suddenly she didnt feel too good. What exactly is Lara into, Shane?

Al, I cant you shouldnt get tangled up in this. Its dangerous.

***** you, Shane. Youd better cough it up. Ill decide whether I wanna get tangled up, or not.

Shane grabbed the stir stick out of her mouth and pinched it between her fingers, studying it for a few moments. She snapped it in half and tossed it on the table. Then she leaned forward and blinked sightlessly for a few moments. Alice twitched uncomfortably. Shane rarely shared nuggets from her past, but Alice was getting the distinct impression that she was about to get a small glimpse into a life Shane had left behind. She wasnt entirely sure, now, that she wanted to know.

Shane stretched across the table, both hands laying flat in front of her, her forehead almost touching the glossy finish. I have heard of a Susan before. I knew this girl, a long time ago when I was on the street Anyway, her name is Rachel and the last time I heard about her, she was immersed in some pretty fucked up ***** with a woman by the name of Susan.

Alice placed a hand on Shanes arm, felt the coolness of her flesh and managed to suppress a shiver. What kind of club is this Pettrucios, Shane?

Shane slowly drew up. She had forgotten her coffee up until this point, but now she grabbed onto it as though a life line and sipped it distractedly. Her hands shook ever so slightly. If Alice had been paying less attention, she would never have noticed how rattled Shane was. When Shane had gotten enough caffeine into her system, she continued. Its the kind of club you go to when you have certain fetishes, Alice. Its like a sadism and masochism sort of place, but theres a lot more going on than most people get the chance to see.

And you found your friend there?

Yeah. I found Rae. I wasnt I didnt expect to find THE Susan. Shanes voice cracked at the mention of the womans name.

Jesus, Shane.

You have no idea. No idea. I think she was intrigued by me, Al. Do you have any idea how ***** scary that is? Alice could tell how frightened Shane was by the prospect. She had no idea one woman could have such an effect on Shane.

So, what happened?

I managed to get Rachel away from her, but I think the only reason that happened is because Susan was interested in me. I talked to Rae, but she seemed frightened and wouldnt loosen up. I made it clear that if she found out anything, she should call. Im not holding my breath, though.

What exactly is Rachels relationship to Susan?

Shes her sub. And if I were to guess, Id say Lara was at some point, too.

Alice felt her mouth go dry. She licked her lips. Lara? That doesnt shes not

You cant tell, Al. Not just by looking at someone. But I suspect Lara got out of the scene. I dont think she was a part of it by choice. My guess is Susan is unhappy about Laras escape and I think thats why shes emerged again.

Jesus, Alice said again, shaking her head. What else could she say? She shrugged and took a deep breath. Whats going to happen to Dana? Shane didnt know, and said so. This is quite the mess.

Thats an understatement, Al. Shane stood up and rolled her shoulders. Okay, listen keep this close to the vest for now. I need to get to work, I have an appointment.

Right. Yeah. Ill see you later, Shane. Alice didnt watch Shane leave. Instead, she picked up her things and made a hasty exit of her own. While Shane had been talking, something in the back of Alices mind had begun wriggling its way to consciousness. She had a cyber-caf to investigate.

– x –

Dana returned to her sitting room with the intention of curling up on the couch. She was actually more relieved than chastised by Conrads dismissal of practice. Realistically, there was no way she would have been able to play anyway. She should have realized it herself, but determination to fulfill her career goals had always driven Dana way beyond logical thinking.

As she approached her couch, she realized her little chuckle at the mess on Conrads pants had come back to bite her in the *****. She noticed that the substance was also ground into her furniture. A little plastic packet of what looked like coffee creamer had exploded. It must’ve fallen out of Conrads pocket and he sat on it. Dana groaned and picked up the bag with what was left of its contents, placed them on the coffee table and brushed the rest of the substance off the fabric.

With that minimal amount of energy expended, Dana felt suddenly exhausted. She sat down on the couch, leaned her head back and closed her eyes.

– x –

The Planet was a little less busy at two in the afternoon than Lara would have expected. She had been sitting in the caf for a little over a half an hour, waiting for Dana. She had called Geoff at work and asked him for a few days off in order to sort out what was happening. He had asked her what was going on and she had been honest with him.

Ive been served with a temporary restraining order by one of my exs, she told him.

On the other end of the phone, she could hear Geoff suck in a breath. Wow. What the ***** for? he had asked and although Lara considered him a friend and trusted him implicitly, she was not ready to divulge the entire story. She told him enough, but left the bulk of information about her relationship with Susan out.

I didnt do whatever it is they think Ive done. I mean, I havent even seen the woman in a year and a half.

You need to get a lawyer, Lara. Theres no question about that.

I know. I know. I just have some other stuff to deal with first.

Well, you can take a few days off. I can get one of the junior chefs to cover you for a bit. Fix this, Lara.

I will, Geoff, she said.

Good. Ill talk to you later.

Oh, Geoff?

Yeah?

Thanks for believing me.

You dont have it in you to hurt a soul, Lara. I know this and so will any judge who takes a look at you. He had hung up then, and Lara felt a weight lift off her shoulders. One dilemma solved a hundred billion more to go; including one ***** of a late girlfriend.

Lara finished off the last of her iced mocha. She was trying to fight the urge to get upset at Dana for standing her up. She forced herself to be logical. Danas practice could have run longer than normal. She could have a meeting with her slimy manager that she had forgotten about any number of things could be going on. But Lara knew that it was none of these things. Dana had been upset–had every right to be upset, and deserved her space. Lara would have expected her to call, but she had to admit to herself that she probably wouldn’t have called either.

So with nothing left in her cup and no more excuse to loiter in Marinas caf, Lara picked herself up and left. She decided that the one place she needed to be right now was at home. She wanted to draw the hottest bath her skin could withstand and soak in it until she felt less like the scum of the earth and more like a human being.

Half an hour into her bath, Lara thanked the powers that be for a large hot water heater, as she enjoyed the luxury of being able to replenish the bath water whenever it began to cool. As the moist heat soaked into her thirsty skin, she began to feel clean again for the first time since shed been handed the papers. And having told Geoff, at least cursorily, what was going on might make it easier to tell Dana .

Tell her what? How do I explain this? How do I explain Susan? Lara felt anxiety hammering in her throat as she envisioned the worst possible scenario for a conversation gone totally wrong. After the shock of discovering the old injection scars, Dana had been all too happy to put that part of Laras past behind her. She hadnt asked many questions, in part, Lara suspected, because she really didnt want to know. That was then, this is now seemed to explain her attitude.

But then is now, too, Lara realized, and Dana couldnt be spared knowing about it because shed already been touched by it. The pictures. Susan had to have been behind it. A particularly cruel way of touching Laras life by threatening her lover and her relationship. Just because she could. The restraining order was the next escalation, but knowing Susan, it wasnt the last. Dana had to be told.

Laras stomach began to hurt as the emotional storm clouds of fear and sorrow began to mass and overwhelm her. She saw Susans face, the day they met, the day she tried to walk away from her forever, the desire she felt then, an echo of longing she still felt even today. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed.

– x –

End Part Eight