Lora made it to the street that the house was on. She remembered it perfectly. It was still beautiful. It was wide and inlaid with gorgeous gardens. She remembered her surprise that he lived in this area. Then she was at the gate, who would believe that she lived there for four years? She entered the gate and walked through the garden. The lush flowers smelled flagrant. Memories launched into Lora's mind. She and Ralph used to roll around in the flowers and planted some of the flowers. Sex after playing in the flowers was fun. Ralph loved having sex anywhere. Lora continued wandering in the garden.
Lora wandered to the front door of the house and opened it. The house was bright inside from the sun coming in through the windows. She remembered when Ralph showed her through the house the night they first came to know each other. She walked back through the house and stopped in the dining room. She remembered the elegant dinner and company. Ralph was so comforting, giving, and open. He was a gentleman. She remembered that she initiated their lovemaking. Was that one of his ploys? One of his ways of bringing her into his web? He knew he had her the first day. How could she have been so gullible?
Lora wandered into the den. She saw the fireplace and the open space of the room. She walked over to the stereo and cut it on. Music filled the room. She remembered the strip tease that she did for Ralph. She giggled. She was trying to help him relax. Boy, did he play her for a fool? Then she saw it. It still lay growling at her, eyes glazed over. That bear skin rug. Oh, if it could talk. The stories it would tell of love, passion, jealous rage, and betrayal. She sat beside the rug and stroked it. It was so soft. How could something so wonderful be used so crudely? She stretched out on the rug and lay there. Lora stripped all her clothes off and rubbed herself all along the bear skin rug. She played with her clit with her fingers till she felt an orgasm then stopped before she could come. She wondered why she teased herself but remembered that Ralph liked her to be wet before he came to her. That way he could slip right in. He really was in control of her.
The plane landed. Stanley, Doc Lin, and Tracy gathered their luggage and got in a cab. Stanley sat between the "ladies". Tracy and Doc Lin had taken a few minutes to change at the airport. Tracy gave the directions to the cab driver and they were off. It would take twenty minutes to get to the house. The silence in the cab was deafening. The car rounded the corner to the street where the house was and in the next minute was stopped outside the gate. The three got out and walked up to the house. The door was open. They walked in and started looking for Lora. Doc Lin suggested that they stay quiet so as not to startle her. They didn't know what kind of state of mind she would be in. Stanley was the first to spot her. He remembered her story of the rape and sort of knew where to find her. He stood behind her and watched her stretch her naked body over the length of the rug, he was taken aback. Lora stroked the bear, stretched and curled in his fur, and scratched her fingers through his fur. He finally spoke up.
"Lora" he called her name low and with care. "Lora, are you alright?"
Lora turned and looked him straight in the eyes then went back to "comforting" herself. She fingered herself gently holding her legs open so he could see all of her treasures then stopped and rolled over on her side.
"Lora, come on, talk to me." Stanley sat beside her and reached to touch her arm. She jumped, looked at him then relaxed. She still didn't speak. She rolled over to face him and stared at him. She just stared. She didn't smile, blink or look like she recognized him.
Doc Lin walked into the room. She was happy that Stanley found Lora. Tracy came in next. She walked right up to where Lora and Stanley were. She was really concerned. Tracy really wanted to just grab Lora, cover her up and hug her. When she stepped to get closer, Doc Lin grabbed her and pulled her back.
"What do you think you are doing? I want to help my friend," Tracy exclaimed.
"The best way to help is to wait and let her come to you. Please, let me do my job." Doc Lin replied.
"Go ahead, do your job." Tracy cried. "But if you hurt her, I'll hurt you." Tracy left the room.
Doc Lin spoke to Lora. Lora continued to stare at Stanley. Doc Lin spoke again. Lora finally registered the good doctor.
"Hello, Doc, what are you doing here?" Lora talked straight, calm, and uncaring. "I told you I had to find closure and that I was coming here to find it."
"I asked you to wait for me so we could work on this together. You need to have a support person to help you through this." Doc Lin tried to sound sweet and calm.
"I don't need you!" Lora exclaimed, "All I need is my memories. "You just want to get an ending to the book you are writing about me or whatever. I don't want you here. I don't want you here!" She became hysterical and started screaming and shaking. Doc Lin left the room. She couldn't understand why Lora reacted to her like that but her behavior was perfect for her to finally get her put away. Stanley grabbed Lora up into his arms and hugged her tight. She started to calm down and relax again.
"You won't let her near me, will you? She was with those who hurt me, you know. She hurt me too. She was there!" Lora wasn't making sense but he still comforted her. She fell asleep in his arms.
Tracy overheard Lora. She wondered what Lora was thinking. How could Doc. Lin be one of the people that was there when she got hurt?
Doc Lin went into the hall where she saw Tracy.
"How is she doing? I heard her scream. I have got to go in to help her," Tracy pushed to get past Doc Lin, and the doctor stood her ground.
"No, right now all she needs is Stanley. He will get her to open up, just give him some time with her then you can go in." Doc Lin stifled a tear and looked straight into Tracy's eyes. It was a psychiatrist ploy that was supposed to build trust and loyalty. Tracy just laughed.
"Why does she keep saying you were there when she got hurt?" Tracy asked.
"She must be associating me with someone that was there. You know I could not have been there. I was in the States." Doc. Lin stepped back from Tracy and looked around the room. "I have to go make some calls. She is with Stanley and you need to leave them alone so she can come out of her state. I'll be right back." With that, she ran out the front door. 'Finally, I can get her admitted. Especially since we are here where I have more pull. I will finally get my revenge.'
When Lora woke, she was back in her right mind. She nudged Stanley to consciousness and hugged him.
"Hi", she said, smiling into his eyes.
"How are you?" he replied.
"Better"
"Want to talk about it?" He was hoping she did and gave her room to survey herself and where she was. She was still naked and laying on Stanley.
"Only with you, always you." Lora sighed then laughed.
She couldn't believe what she saw. The room, the rug, and her naked in the arms of Stanley. She had really lost her mind.
"I can't believe I am here and like this. What is wrong with me? I hate being like this." Lora got up and put on her clothes.
"Well, I understand a little bit of what is going on with you, but you are the only one who can let this go. Your relationship with Ralph is over and there is nothing wrong with you. You have just got to let go of the past and start living for the future. I am here for you as long as you need me as a friend." Stanley was still sitting holding Lora.
"You are here for me as a friend? What if I want you for more?"
"You have got to heal before I even consider being anything more to you." He said, then changed the subject. " What made you decide to come here again? You seemed to be coming away from the past then you came back here. What kind of closure can you get being here?"
"I don't know but I have remembered a lot of the good memories that I had with Ralph. The memories help me remember why I fell in love with Ralph in the first place. I used to think I was so gullible, so stupid and that was the reason I didn't see Ralph for the manipulative man he was but I now see he was good at what he did. He had me so wrapped around his finger. If he would have told me to jump I would have asked high."
"It is easy for some men to get to women. It's not that the woman is stupid, it is that the man made the woman's emotion play against them."
"Exactly. He made me love him. I didn't see anything he did wrong. During the first few months of our relationship, I initiated the sex, I started everything. I made the plans to get my friends and his friends together. He suggested many things that I would have never done if he wasn't into it. He was my life. I am glad things turned out well for Tracy and Denise. Something good you know, out of my pain and suffering. Tracy and Carlos are really happy with a family on the way. I am so glad for them."
"And Denise. How do you feel about her being with your ex-boyfriend?"
"I am happy for her too. I was over Michael. I was surprised I didn't recognize him all that time. He really fooled us.
I don't know what I did. I have to think about that one. I mean sex with him was different than with Ralph. He enjoyed long strokes with less pressure build-up. Ralph was rougher. I just enjoyed the difference that's all."
Lora and Stanley talked a while longer and then got up. Lora started wandering around the house again. Stanley got in touch with Tracy and Doc Lin to let them know they could leave and get some rest.
"Are you sure?" Tracy asked.
"Yes, just give her some time and space. I won't let her hurt herself" Stanley replied.
"I agree. We should go." Doc Lin agreed.
"If you weren't so stupid and thought you were all she needed she would be better. O.K. I'll go and call Denise but be sure I will be back soon." Tracy stomped out of the room and out of the house. She went over to the house Ralph had commandeered for them while they stayed on the island. The house was the same and the key still worked. The memories came flooding back. She called Denise and told her how things were and not to worry. Denise told her that Carlos was furious and was on his way to the island. Tracy decided to clean up and take a nap. She knew she was in for the yelling of her life.
Doc Lin went to her home and made a few phone calls. She then took a soothing bath and a nap. She knew that if it was necessary she had the support of the mental health facility in the area and the law to put Lora into the facility. She was so ready to end the charade of being the psychologist so concerned about Lora's well-being. She wouldn't let Lora hurt herself nor was she going to let her ruin her plans. She was going to get her revenge.