Scarred - The Complete Series

by Kylie Walker

  Chloe put her arms around her and hugged her tight. “I didn’t think of it like that before. But the truth be told, if I had to repeat my life in order to get back here…I don’t think I’d hesitate to do it all over again.”

  “There would be things that I would definitely like to change,” Samantha said with a sad smile. Chloe knew she had to be thinking about Sarah. “But, if the path we took brought us back to you, there’s no way that I could sit here and say I wouldn’t take that same path again. We’re complete with you here now. Even with Sarah gone, we have so much of her in our hearts…and now inside of you…that we’re finally complete.”

  Their conversation was interrupted when the doorbell rang and Trevor was startled awake. It was close to four o’clock and Chloe had just been thinking about getting ready for dinner. Derek answered the door like he’d been expecting someone, and curious, Chloe saw him usher several people inside. They had all kinds of things, one of them was pushing something that looked like a wardrobe on wheels and one of them was pulling what looked like a mini make-up cabinet. The drawers were clear plastic and she could see the make-up stacked inside. There was a lady holding a case in her hand and a man dressed in a very sharp-looking suit. There were men who looked like movers with folded tables in their hands. Chloe couldn’t imagine who they all were, but she did notice that they all seemed to be staring at her.

  Derek smiled at her and said, “Unfortunately for you, Samantha is not the only one who goes a little overboard.”

  Samantha laughed, but Chloe was still looking at him, confused.

  “Chloe this is Micah Gulati and his staff. Micah is a stylist and they are here to help you get ready for your birthday dinner…that is, it you’re okay with it. Oh…and let it be put on the record here that I do not think you need a stylist. I just wasn’t sure what to get you for your birthday and Samantha and Roxi and Lexi, all three suggested a spa or something like that…so I brought it all to you.”

  Chloe counted the people. There were two men and three women. She couldn’t remember a time when she had even one person help her get ready…not even when she was dancing. She had a hard time imagining what they were going to do, but Derek looked so excited, she couldn’t say no.

  “Of course it’s okay. Thank you.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Chloe,” Micah said. “Is there a room we can set up in?”

  “Derek, take them to the game room. We can push the pool table aside. They’ll have more room in there and there’s a bathroom in there too,” Trevor told him. Derek led Micah and his entourage down the hall. Chloe looked at her parents and said, “Did you know about this?”

  “I need to go help Derek,” Trevor said.

  Chloe shook her head and looked at her mother. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  “Yes, we knew,” Samantha said. “I hope we’re not all going overboard. We just want you to have a great birthday, and we want to try and make up for all of the things you did without in your life…I suppose. Is that really bad?”

  Chloe smiled and kissed her mother’s cheek. “No, it’s not bad at all. I’m just not used to any of it. It shocks me a little bit.”

  “Well, Trevor and I do well, but you do know that Derek is on the top ten Forbes list of wealthy Americans?”

  “Wow. No, I didn’t know that.”

  “My point is that he wants to make you feel good and he can afford it, so you needn’t worry about it. Worrying is not going to stop him anyways. He is over the moon in love with you and he’s going to try and show you how much he loves you every day for the rest of your life.”

  “For his sake, I will try to get used to it. I hope that he knows I don’t care about his money though. I think he does. I would have just as easily fallen in love with him if he was poor. The things he does for me are unbelievably generous, but without the things I would still have him and he’s enough.”

  “He knows that. This sort of thing just makes him feel good. I say let him do it. There’s no harm in a little bit of pampering and having a good man who arranges that for you.”

  Chloe nodded. “You know, although I am not impressed with money, I am very impressed with Derek. He’s accomplished so much in his lifetime at such a young age and yet he’s so grounded and still so generous. I’m in awe of him.”

  “I think the awe is mutual. You will come to realize your own self-worth someday Chloe, but until you do, we will always be here to remind you that you deserve having good things happen to you.”

  Derek came out a few minutes later and took her back to the room. She was shocked at the transformation. There was a massage table set up with a curtain that could be drawn around it, and not far from that, another chair used for giving facials, then there was a manicure and pedicure table and a the wardrobe.

  “Welcome Chloe,” A thin blonde woman said as she came through the door. “I’m Leah. I’ll be your masseuse.”

  Chloe looked at Derek and back at the woman. “My masseuse?”

  “Yes, Derek tells me that today is your birthday and that you’re expecting. Congratulations on both. A massage is good medicine for an expectant mother. It will ease any neck and back pain you have and help give you good posture and more flexibility to your birthing muscles. It makes the blood flow more smoothly because it opens up your veins and arteries, and stimulates different glands in the body, causing them to secrete certain hormones that can reduce tension.”

  “Oh. Okay. Thanks.”

  “Derek, if you wouldn’t mind stepping out.”

  Derek kissed her lips softly and said, “You okay with this?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “You don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable with. I’m just giving you the opportunity.”

  “Opportunity to do what, exactly?”

  “Opportunity to break one of the last chains he has on you…the fear of those scars.”

  “I’m not afraid of them.”

  “You’re afraid for people to see them.”

  “Yeah, I guess.”

  “I’m going to let you get your session started. Remember what I said about not doing anything you aren’t comfortable with…but also remember that in order to succeed you have to push outside of your comfort zone every so often.” He gave her another peck and said, “Have fun.”

  “Uh..Yeah, thanks.” Once he was gone, Leah said,

  “You look nervous, Chloe. Have you ever had a massage before?”

  “No…”

  “It doesn’t hurt. You’ll feel so relaxed afterwards.”

  Chloe looked around at all of the other people in the room. They were all hustling about setting things up…for her. It was so surreal. Her issue with the massage were her scars though and she had a feeling that was one of Derek’s goals here…to help her deal with them more directly now that Jesse was gone and her step-father forever out of her life. She wasn’t sure if she was ready.

  Leah handed her a robe and said, “You can change behind the curtain and you’re welcome to leave on your underwear if you like.”

  “Um…there’s something…”

  Leah leaned in close and said, “Derek told me about the scars, Chloe. Please don’t worry; he didn’t share anything with me beyond that. Let me just say that he was right. You are gorgeous and you shouldn’t have to be afraid to do the things that the rest of the population indulges in. This will just be you and I behind the curtain and I’m hoping that for you it will be freeing.”

  So many things had happened in the past few months that Chloe could have never guessed would happen. Maybe this woman was right. She took the robe and said, “Okay, let’s do this.”

  As it turned out, Leah was a consummate professional and Chloe’s body had never felt as good as it did after her massage. The massage oils also softened her skin and gave it a soft, floral scent. From Leah’s station, she went to the manicure table. She was given a mani-pedi to end all mani-pedis. She almost fell asleep when the manicurist massaged her hands…i
t felt that good. Her finger and toenails were painted a soft, shimmery silver color. She loved it.

  She was moved on through to the hair station next. They asked her how she liked it and if there was anything she wanted to change. Chloe considered going back to her natural blonde hair…but there was a part of her that needed to hold onto something that made her different from her sister. She’d had them go with a soft, golden brown on top with darker pieces underneath. The end result was stunning. The make-up artist talked to her about colors and what she normally used and what she’d like to try. They spent almost an hour with her make-up and again, when that was all finished, even Chloe found herself beautiful.

  Still in the robe, she was sent to Micah. He was the most colorful of the staff and although they’d all been very nice and professional, Micah had an energetic personality that Chloe really liked. He reminded her of a male Roxi. He’d brought ten different dresses with shoes to match each one and any accessory she might need like purses, jewelry, etc. He made her try on each one and then he would ask her what she liked or didn’t like about it and then he would give her his opinion. In the end, they settled on a soft, satiny silver dress with sequins on the bodice and a pleated skirt that ended just above her knees. The straps were rope braided and if her hair moved aside down her back, people would be able to see her scars. With her new found courage and need to “shed that old skin” so to speak, she decided to take the risk.

  Micah gave her a pair of strappy silver sandals with four inch heels to wear with it. Chloe loved them and when she slipped them on and the picture was complete, she felt like Cinderella.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Three hours later Micah emerged from the room. Derek, Trevor and Samantha were all ready to leave and just waiting for Chloe. Derek had been holding his breath for the past hour because he was afraid that it was taking too long. What if he was too presumptuous, trying to get Chloe to deal with her scars…who was he to do that, he wondered. What if she’s angry with him, on her birthday and the night that he was going to…suddenly, every rational thought that Derek ever had, fell out of his head. Chloe stepped around the corner and into the room. The sight of her propelled Derek’s vital signs into a tizzy.

  While Trevor and Samantha fussed over her and told her how beautiful she was, Derek only stared. His mouth was bone dry and he was glad of that because otherwise he may be drooling. She’d darkened her hair a little bit and whatever they’d put on her eyes made them really pop, more so than usual. She looked radiant and that dress and those shoes she was wearing…Damn! Derek wasn’t sure how he was going to make it through the night without completely molesting her.

  When Samantha and Trevor stepped back at last, her eyes met his and Derek swallowed the huge lump that was stuck in his throat and preventing him from taking a breath. He took a deep one and said, “There is nothing more beautiful on this earth. God Chloe, you look incredible. For a second there I didn’t think I was going to be able to speak.”

  She smiled. “For a second there, I wasn’t sure that you liked the look.”

  Derek closed the space between them and gently cupped her face in his hand. “Just so there is never, ever any question…you don’t have a look that I don’t like. This was about you, getting the pampering you deserved. I want to spoil you, Chloe. I want to give you everything. If I ever overdo it, it’s because I love you. All you have to do is tell me enough and I’ll stop. But God baby, make-up and hair and that dress look so good on you…” He leaned in close to her ear and said, “But so does nothing. You in the shower this morning were also the most beautiful creature on earth. I love you so much.”

  Chloe put her arms around him and rose up on her toes. Even in the four-inch heels he towered over her. She let her lips glide across his and said, “Thank you. I loved all of that attention, contrary to what I would have believed. I also love all of your attention. Thank you, Derek.”

  She stepped back and looked at him in his gun-metal gray Armani suit and black and gray paisley tie. He wore everything he put on well, but this particular suit was so well tailored to his gorgeous body that it made her want to rip it right off of him and explore the body underneath with her hands, lips and tongue.

  “You look pretty damned amazing yourself,” she told him. Then she looked at her parents. Samantha was wearing a soft tan dress and heels and her pretty blonde hair was styled softly around her face. It lay spilled across her shoulders and the only jewelry she wore was a think gold chain and her wedding band. Chloe wondered if you were just born with that kind of class, or if her mother could teach it to her. Trevor had on a dark blue suit and he was looking as classy and attractive as his wife. “You all look incredible. I can’t wait to be seen with you.” She giggled and the other’s laughed.

  In the limousine, Chloe was toasted once more by her parents and Derek. Chloe drank sparkling cider while the others toasted with champagne. She didn’t care. She didn’t need alcohol, she was high on life. The limousine took them to Manhattan, but she was confused when they passed through mid-town and headed towards lower Manhattan. She didn’t say anything, but she thought either lower Manhattan or Brooklyn were odd choices for Derek. When the car stopped, she realized they were adjacent to the Staten Island Ferry. Where the heck were they eating?

  The driver opened the door and Derek stepped out first and took Chloe’s hand. The Whitemore’s exited and they all started towards the ferry.

  “Are we eating on the island?” Chloe asked. She hadn’t been on the island for years, but all she remembered being there was an eclectic sort of food court. It wasn’t that she minded they just all seemed a bit over dressed for it.

  “Yes,” Derek said.

  “Oh, it’s a great evening for it,” she said. It was warm for September in New York. The temperature was in the low seventies, but with the humidity, it felt more like eighty. Chloe and Derek stood at the front of the ferry and looked out at the water and the islands in the distance. It was a gorgeous view, especially at night when the city lights danced off the surface of the East River.

  Once they were on the island, they were loaded onto a tram and taken to a place called “Governor’s club.” Chloe had heard of it, but she’d never been there. It was billed as the only man-made beach and outdoor beer garden in New York. There was a building…kind of. It was made of tin and it had a roof and three walls. The space where the fourth wall would go when rolled down was opened up to a giant, private beach. There were no other people there, but Chloe could see a band setting up on the enormous stage.

  “What do you think?” Derek asked her.

  “It’s…wow, I love it. I love the little beach. That’s so cool. I want to take off my heels and traipse through the sand to that bar over there in the corner…and get a soft drink or juice of course,” she added with a grin.

  “Okay, let’s do that,” Derek said.

  To her surprise, he slipped out of his shoes and her parents slipped out of theirs. Derek took her hand and led her through the large, open building. When they stepped out onto the sand, Chloe was nearly thrown into a heart attack when the fifty or so people sitting at the tables to the right of the building stood up and yelled

  “Surprise!”

  “Oh my God!”

  Roxi and Jake were right up front…and Lexi was there with Brock. Kevin was there, of course and Max was there and a whole bunch of her friends from the parks renovation project that she works with…or she did, before her life went haywire. Derek and her parents must have worked for weeks to track these people down and invite them. No one had ever gone to this kind of trouble for her before. She was stunned, but when she saw Chantelle for the first time since Jesse’s trial, her body slipped into a mild state of shock.

  “Chantelle?”

  “Hey Kel…shit sorry. I meant Chloe!”

  “Chantelle! Oh my god!” Chloe threw her arms around her friend and they hugged. When they separated, they both had tears in their eyes. “I can’t believe it. I’m so happ
y to see you. Are you doing okay?”

  Chantelle smiled. She was still as beautiful as Chloe remembered her. Jesse hadn’t left any visible scars on her face, anyways. “I’m doing well. Getting better every day. You look great.”

  “I’m getting better every day too. Thanks mostly to these incredible people.” Chloe hugged her again. “Thank you so much, Chantelle. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I am so sorry about all you had to go through…”

  Chantelle held up her hand to stop her friend and said, “That’s all in the past. I hear that now we can have a real friendship at last. My mother and I got a place in Manhattan. Maybe we can do lunch and coffee and things like that.”

  “You have no idea how much I would love that. Thank you.”

  Chloe hugged her one more time before moving on to welcome the other guests who had come to celebrate her birthday. When she reached Roxi and Jake, she didn’t miss the fact that Jake’s arm had been around Roxi’s waist. Roxi looked gorgeous as always in a strapless blue dress that was the exact shade of her eyes. Chloe hugged her and then Jake. “Thank you both for being here. I can’t believe you all knew about this and no one slipped and told me.”

  “That was easy since I never see you anymore,” Roxi said with a curled lip.

  Chloe laughed. “Maybe I should come back to work?”

  Roxi rolled her eyes and said, “Don’t tease me. I can’t seem to find another girl who can dance like you do and has that blatant sex appeal that made men want to leave most of their money in my club.”

  “Maybe that’s a sign that it’s time to sell the place and go into another line of work,” Jake said.

  Chloe was shocked. No one ever suggested to Roxi that she should get out of the exotic dancer/club/bar business.

  Roxi looked at him and with her most dazzling smile she said, “I’m open for suggestions, but just so you know, the new minimum wage will not support me in the way to which I’ve become accustomed.”