A Fresh Start

Micah called her doctor’s office early the next morning and scheduled an emergency appointment. Cherise was lucky to have a neurologist that worked on the weekends. He gripped her hand tightly while he drove, as if afraid she’d get hurt again if he let go.

The waiting room was full mostly of the elderly and Cherise signed in. Micah sat next to her and she put her head on his shoulder. She closed her eyes as he rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb.

“Miss Allen,” the nurse called thirty minutes later.

She and Micah walked into the back where the nurse took her vitals and weight.

“Dr. King will be with you soon,” she said after leading them to a room.

“Why are we here?” Cherise asked. “I don’t see her for another five months.”

“She needs to know about your seizures and what happened yesterday afternoon.”

Cherise looked down at her lap. “Why?”

He didn’t answer. Shortly after, the door opened and an elderly woman walked in.

“Well, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t surprised to see you,” she said, sitting at a small table and frowning at Cherise over her glasses.

“Thank you for seeing me on short notice,” Cherise began.

“I was told it was an emergency. What happened?”

“The last three weeks, I’ve had one seizure a week,” Cherise answered and immediately the doctor began typing on her laptop. “Then yesterday….”

She couldn’t finish so Micah did. “Yesterday, someone broke into her home and raped her.”

Dr. King’s jaw dropped. She looked to Cherise as if to have her say it was a lie. Cherise couldn’t meet her eyes and the doctor sighed heavily.

“Well, first, I’m very sorry,” she said quietly. “About the seizures, have you been taking your medicine regularly?” Cherise nodded. “When they happened, have you been under a great deal of stress?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She looked over to Micah. “Have you observed each seizure?”

“All but one,” he confirmed. “They each lasted about 20 seconds. She was able to get up and go to work by the next day.”

Cherise shot him a glare as Dr. King sighed. He gave her an innocent smile.

“Cherise, you know you’re supposed to take a day off,” she lectured.

“It’s tax season. I can’t afford to take days off.”

Dr. King pulled a piece of stationary towards her and wrote for a long time. Finally, she handed it to Cherise.

“This is a letter for your boss,” she explained. “I’m ordering two weeks off once tax season is over. I’ll know if he doesn’t get that letter.”

“It’s a shame she doesn’t know you’re stubborn,” Micah joked later.

Dr. King had given her a shot of medicine that greatly improved her mood and her body. They went out to eat at the same restaurant. They were enjoying a burger when the door opened and Chris came rushing in. Micah stood so abruptly the chair fell back and people stared.

Chris held his hands up. “I came here to apologize.”

“We don’t want to hear it,” Micah snapped.

Cherise stood up slowly.

“I had no idea,” he said earnestly. “I seriously thought he was sick.”

“How do you know about what happened?” Cherise asked with narrowed eyes.

“I was his one phone call,” Chris admitted.

“Get away from us,” Micah interrupted.

“I’ve come to ask if I can stay on the internship,” he said in a rush and Micah laughed bitterly.
Cherise put a hand on his shoulder and pushed him lightly to his seat. People were staring. She beckoned Chris over.

“You can stay on for the internship,” she said and both men looked at her, stunned. “If you’re honest that you didn’t help him, then I don’t see any reason why you can’t. As you know, he has been pulled and cannot be readmitted.”

Chris nodded eagerly. “Thank you so much for letting me stay.”

“I’d advise you to leave,” Cherise said after catching a glimpse of Micah’s angry face. Chris made for the door. “Monday at 8.”

“What are you thinking?” Micah snarled.

“He didn’t have anything to do with it, Mics,” she said, holding his hand. “Why take away a great opportunity for a young man just because his best friend’s an asshole?”

He sighed heavily. “It’s your choice.”

-

The following Monday they were called to the police station before going to work for their statements.

“This is unpleasant business,” an officer said, “and I’m sorry we’re making you relive it.” Cherise just shrugged. “Here’s a form I need you two to fill out each.”

He handed them each a clipboard and a pen. The first thing they needed to do was fill out their names and dates of birth followed by the name of the perpetrator. At the very bottom was a space for them to explain the predicament.

She sighed heavily and began to write. Just reliving the event made her arm twitch. Micah put a hand on her arm for a brief moment before returning to his paper. She finished filling it out and handed it to the officer. It took Micah a little longer to finish his. Cherise could tell his hand was shaking as he tried to write.

“We’ll review these and get back to the courtroom. Do you want to press charges?”

Cherise looked at her hands, considering it. She was tired of having to go to courtrooms and lawyers but, if she didn’t, there was the chance that they’d release Bryce and he’d come after again.

“I guess we should,” she said softly.

“That was a hard decision to make,” Micah acknowledged as they headed back to the office.

Cherise looked out the car window. “It had to be made.”

He held her hand. “Hopefully things will get better now.”

Cherise’s phone rang. It was her mother.

“Hi sweetie!” she said and Cherise briefly thought about telling her what happened but decided not to.

“Hey Mom. What is it?”

“I just got off the phone with your sister! The wedding is in two weeks!”

Cherise’s mouth dropped open. “Are you serious? What is she thinking!?”

“She wants to get married before the baby comes. Are you bringing anybody?”

“I’ll see if Micah wants to come.”

Her mother gasped. “Are you two finally dating?”

Cherise rolled her eyes. “I’m at the office, Mom. Text me when the time is and I’ll make sure I get there.”

She hung up and groaned.

“What’s up?” Micah asked.

“My sister’s wedding?” He nodded. “Is in two weeks!”

“Seriously?”

“Yep,” Cherise sighed. “She wants to get married before the baby comes. My mom is probably having to pay an arm and a leg for it, though.” They put their briefcases in the board room where Chris was already waiting. “Do you want to come?”

“Definitely,” he nodded.

“Thank you for letting me stay here still,” Chris muttered when he saw them.

“You’ll have to work extra hard,” Micah said before Cherise could say anything. “With only one intern, we need to hurry up. Tax day is coming and it’s our best time.”

Chris nodded, looking eager to begin working. They set up their computers and pulled up the emails they had received over the weekend.

“Why were you late?” Harold had poked his head in the room. “I was worried Chris would die of boredom.”

“We had to fill out statements,” Cherise answered. “We got here as soon as we could.”

“Well, I’m glad you made it. We have to give this next week everything we’ve got.”

The three of them waved good bye and Cherise stretched.

“Well, gentlemen, it’s time to begin.”