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

– x –

Yo, Perkins! Somebody here to see you!

Lara Perkins stopped chopping parsley and glanced up. Her head chef, Geoff Lamont, was standing beside a tall man in a dark suit. A man she had never seen before and definitely didnt like the look of. He eyed her up and down with something that looked much like contempt before turning to Geoff and presumably thanking him for pointing Lara out.

The man made his way around various shelving and kitchen equipment to where Lara stood at her stainless steel prep table. The closer he came, the less Lara liked him. His suit was cut from cheap cloth, but his eyes had a candid gloss. He moved with confidence and righteous determination. He practically screamed cop.

Lara put down the knife, dusting her hands off on the apron of her uniform before crossing them defensively across her chest.

Youre Lara Perkins, maam? he asked.

Lara barely nodded. The man, seemingly satisfied with this non-answer, reached into his suit and pulled out a thick sheaf of papers that were thrice folded into a neat little packet. Im here to serve you with a temporary restraining order pending your official court date, he said, handing the papers over with a disgusted flourish.

Mouth falling open, Lara felt her stomach clench and her body stiffen. Excuse me? she asked, coaxing the words around a mouthful of nervous saliva.

Susan Birch has filed a restraining order against you, Ms. Perkins. I am a representative of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department and am charged with serving you said order. Do you understand what this means, Ms. Perkins?

Of course, Lara said. What I dont understand is why. I havent seen Susan in over a year and a half.

The court that granted the order was presented with sufficient evidence and believes otherwise. Now, if youll excuse me, he said, giving her one last acidic stare before turning and disappearing. Lara, strength leaving her body, turned and gripped the edge of the prep table. She took a deep breath and lowered her head, eyes closed.

What the *****? she breathed. And then the realization hit her. Someone believed that Lara had somehow harmed Susan; they believed it enough to issue a restraining order. Oh, God. Jesus. Laras hands found her head and she pressed her palms into her eyes, trying to force coherent thoughts to surface.

Lara? Geoff Lamont was standing at her shoulder. Who was that?

Taking a deep breath, Lara pulled her hands from her face and frowned at Geoff. Uh that was, uh, a guy from the Sheriffs department. He he had some papers for me, she sputtered.

Are you in some kind of trouble? Geoff asked, resting a hand on his sous chefs shoulder.

Lara, who hadnt noticed when she had begun shaking uncontrollably, nodded her head. You could say that, yeah. It was cold. She was shivering and cold.

Maybe you should go home, Lara, Geoff said.

Goeff, no! Please, I–

Lara, Lara–calm down, I didnt mean it like that. I just think we can handle this without you today. Just for today. Is there someone you can call for a ride? Youre pale as a ghost and I dont want you driving.

Wrapping her arms around herself again, Lara thought about that. She couldnt call Dana. Not yet. What the ***** would she say? She needed to find out what was going on and what all this meant before she talked to Dana again. What the ***** was wrong with Susan? Why would she go to enough trouble to convince a judge that Lara had abused her?

What the *****? Lara said again, shaking her head.

Geoff was staring at her, watching the emotions play across her face. Lost in thought, Lara looked seriously injured. Geoff placed both hands on her shoulders, this time starting to steer her toward the exit of the kitchen. Along the way he stopped and whispered in the ear of another of their female chefs, who had just stopped by to check her schedule for the next week.

Lara, Letitia has agreed to take you to the ladies change room. Shes going to make sure you get everything you need to go home and then shes going to call you a taxi, okay?

Lara, having barely heard, nodded her head.

Look, Im going to call you tomorrow. Well talk then, okay? Oh, wait! he snapped his fingers and ran back to the prep table they had just abandoned. He picked up Laras papers and brought them to her. Whatever is wrong, Lara, if theres anything I can do to help, please let me know.

Fear and disbelief had hollowed her out. Bracing her hands on the bench, she shakily lowered herself, sat down in front of her locker, and tried to think. Letitia was hovering nearby, asking repeatedly Are you all right? Lara wanted to smack her but that would have required organizing intent and carrying it out. She was too stunned for that.

She just couldnt wrap her mind around it, the court order telling her to do something shed already been doing for the last 18 months anyway–staying the ***** away from Susan and everything she brought with her.

Susan! After all this time! Why? Just when her life was pulling together. She had so much to be grateful for, to wish for, to hope for. Memories of Dana flooded her senses– the way she looked, smiled, tasted, felt. The way Dana made her feel when she made love to her. Why now? She had a good job, she had some sane friends around her, and she had an attraction to Dana that was rapidly deepening into something much more, if they could just get past Danas what will people think phobia about being out. And now, shed practically been accused of assault. There was no way Dana was ready to deal with something like this.

And the last thing Lara was prepared to deal with at that moment was Dana, pumped up for practice, bounding into the changing room. Hi! Dana looked around, didnt see Letitia whod gone momentarily around the corner, threw her arms around Lara, and leaned down to kiss her.

Lara shrugged her head and shoulders, pulled away. Dont.

Dana pulled back, hurt registering in her eyes. Hey! Im not even sweaty yet!

Just not now, Dana, please!

Danas mouth opened, closed, as she struggled to find the words. What did I do? Lara, baby, I dont understand

Lara turned to her and smiled wanly. It isnt you, Dana. Im just having– its a bad day, thats all.

Dana sat down beside her. Let me help.

Lara gave her a look full of misery. You cant, Dana. She started to say, You need to stay away from this, but thought better of it. Its something only I can take care of, OK? Trust me.

Letitia peeked around the corner, patted Laras shoulder. Ready?

Yeah! Lara stood up, closed her locker, and looked at Dana. IllIll call you. Later. Dont worry. Itll be OK.

Dana slumped on the bench, chewed her lower lip, and looked at her empty hands. What the *****? She slammed her locker door open, grabbed a towel, and headed upstairs to the gym to exorcise some demons. She and Lara had been seeing each other almost every day for the last two months and it had been great. Dana had felt like she was on top of the world. Until today. She had been shocked when Lara had so easily blown her off. Lara was always the more affectionate one of the couple. It was so unlike her to shy from a kiss.

As she worked her way through the machines, pushing herself past her normal boundaries, making her muscles burn, the sweat pour off her, she replayed the scene over and over again until shed convinced herself that it was just her own insecurities blowing it out of proportion. She couldnt believe her luck in finding someone so beautiful and loving as Lara was. She had a hard time believing that Lara really saw anything in her but a quasi-muscled tennis geek with no grace off the court.

She kept repeating Laras words like a litany: It isnt you, Dana. Im just having– its a bad day, thats all.

OK, thats all it is, a bad day. *****, we all have em. I have them too. Its not the end of the world. Its not the end of

But it was the end of her workout. She had endorphined herself into a state of relative calm and after the cool-down, she went back for a shower and then up to the dining room for a light meal. She was almost finished eating when something flickered through her mind. Something in Laras eyes. One word she would never use to describe Lara was evasive, but thats what it felt like to her. Like Lara was hiding something from her. Something wasnt right. And then she remembered. That other woman, walking around the corner, put her hand on Laras shoulder, and Lara left with her! She threw her napkin down, tossed a twenty on the table to take care of the meal and tip, and stormed back down to change for a balls-breaking duel with the machine.

Sweat drenched and angry, Dana took her aggression out the only way she knew how; a frenzied battle on the court. Argh! Dana swiped the sweat from her forehead and managed to swing her arm back in time to belt another tennis ball across the court. The machine fired again and she returned with a backhand. No fancy footwork, no style, no grace. Clenched teeth and aggravation met the ridiculous excuse for practice. She had the serving machine turned up far too high and although she was tiring, she was determined to hit every single one of those damned little balls.

It only took a moment of inattention, a distraction, seeing Laras face, her voice saying You cant help me, Dana, to miss the machines next blistering serve. The ball hit her square in the chest. Uhn! she yelled and dropped to the court. OK. Thats enough! She gasped. I need a drink, or three.

– x –

End Part One