Reprisal (2 page)

Tell me about your dreams, Sydney.” Dr. Phillips asks me at my appointment that afternoon.

I’m still shaken up by my last patient of the day, a young boy. But as my job requires, I have to let it go and move on until our next visit.

“It’s dark and cold. Dampness is in the air and the smell......the smell of chloroform fills my throat and I can’t breathe. I know he’s there, but I can’t see him. His presence sucks the remaining air out of the room and I wake up before he.......” I drift off. “I wake up sucking in air and sweating, but it never goes further than that. It’s him, I know it is. He’s come back to haunt me and he wants me dead, I can feel it.”

“What makes you think he wants you dead, Sydney? And how, he’s dead himself?”

“I know, I know...but, it just seems so real. I can feel his body, smell his breath.” I say as I shiver. “That smell has stayed with me, rotten and evil burning my flesh, my mouth. The smell of death and decay overwhelms the air.” I drop my hand in my hands. “Why is this coming back to me now? It’s been twenty years, I should be over this.”

“Sydney, you’re a doctor. You know these things can come back and overwhelm you at any time, any place. Memories and fears don’t discriminate. What is your patient load like? Could you have one that is jarring these memories?”

“Yeah, a teen age girl. I think anyway, as the last one today is a young boy. Maybe her case is weighing on me more than I thought. Though, today I referred her to Dr. Casey for further treatment. Her issues have extended beyond the forensics now.” I say.

“Well, now that she is moving along, maybe these dreams will stop. I’m going to give you some medication......”

“No, no drugs. You and I both know I can’t take those.”

“Relax, Sydney. Just something to help you sleep. You look retched.” She says as she smiles at me.

“Gee, thanks.” I smirk back at her. “If you haven’t slept well for over a month, I can imagine what you would look like.”

“This has been going on for a month already? You should have called me sooner,
Syd.” She says as she pulls out her prescription pad. “Just something to help you sleep, take it if you need it. Or don’t, the choice is yours. But you have it now if you want it.” She says as she tears the paper from the pad and hands it to me.

I fold it and place it in my purse, standing to leave. “Thank you for seeing me on such short notice. I really thought all of this was behind me.”

“Anytime, Syd. But next time, don’t wait a month. You call me as soon as the dream wakes you and I can either come over, or we can talk on the phone. I’m always here for you.” Dr. Phillips pulls me in to a hug.

“Thanks Leslie.” I call her by her first name,
cause our meeting is now over. I’ve known Dr. Leslie Phillips for fifteen years or so, we even shared classes in Chicago. So, not only is she my doctor, but she is my friend too, and right now I think that’s what I really need.

“You wanna go for a drink? Get some of this psychoanalysis bullshit out of our minds for a bit? There’s a new pub that just opened around the corner.” Les asks me, a glint of humor in her eyes.

“Sure, I can go for one drink and that’s it. But we go as friends, not doctor - patient - deal? I could use a break, so no work talk. Got it?” I say as I move towards the door. She shuts down her computer and grabs her bag, following me out the door.

Since this is New York City, we walk. EVERYWHERE. It’s the best way to get around, unless you are going far and then you grab a cab. As we make our way through the bar, we locate an empty table in the back and are immediately greeted by a waitress. “What can I get you ladies?”

I order a glass of moscato and Les orders a beer. “Beer?” I ask her, surprised.

“Yeah, it’s Friday and the game is on.” She says as she motions her head towards the big screen TV hanging on the wall. “Beer and baseball. Nothing like it.” She waggles her eyebrows as the waitress brings our drinks. At the same time, the Yankee’s pitcher throws out a Met’s player on first. “Nice, love these Subway Series’. Yankees and Mets in the same bar. Keep your eyes open, cause we may get to see a fight tonight.” Les says as she lifts the bottle to her full lips.

“So, what’s up with you and Joe?” I ask her. Joe is her long-time boyfriend, but they never talk about getting married. “Ummm, He’s.....Joe.” She responds nonchalantly and tips her beer back again.

“No ring yet?”

“Nope.”

“You think he’ll ever propose?

“Nope. Don’t want him to either.”

“Why not? You guys have been together since college. What’s going on?”

“He’s fucking around.” She answers without emotion.

“What? How do you know?” I ask her, totally blown away that Joe would cheat on Les. And amazed at how Les doesn’t seem to care.

“Found her panties in the sofa last week.”

“You found her panties? Are you sure they aren’t yours?” I ask.

“Nope, I wear a small. These were a medium....and a thong. You know me, no butt floss. I’d spend more time tugging those bastards out of the crack of my ass than anything else.”

“And you’re.....okay with this?”

She shrugs her shoulders and set her beer down. “Things haven’t been right for some time, I think. I’m just waiting on the right moment to kick him out. The lease on our sublet is up at the end of the month. I’ve already talked to the owner and his name will be removed from the lease and I’ll kick him out.”

“Geez, I’m sorry Les. How long have you known?”

“Well, I was suspicious for about three weeks when he kept coming home late reeking of cheap perfume. I pretended not to notice, but after about the third time I knew. He hasn’t touched me in over a month and has started sleeping in the guest room, saying he can’t sleep and he doesn’t want to wake me. I called bullshit....inside. I figured I’d let him tie his own rope and once he has it nicely slipped around his neck, I’ll yank it tighter. He won’t know what hit him.”

Her evil laugh
barrelling out of her throat.

“Well, go
od luck. I hope I don’t run into him on the street or he may never be able to have children.” I tell her as I nudge her shin with my foot. “I’ll kick him so hard in the balls, he won’t be able to walk for a week.” I laugh.

“No doubt,
Syd. No doubt. If I were him, I wouldn’t want to meet you in a dark alley.” She chuckles as she raises her hand, motioning for the waitress. We order another round and continue our chat, having a good time.

The crowd is getting rambunctious and
as loud as the game when it hits the end of the ninth inning.

Yanks are up five to four and the Mets fans are not happy. It seems they’re chanting at each other and when I see a bottle fly through the bar, I know the hockey game is about to break out.

Les and I sit and watch the battle unfold before us. Shouting, screaming and some cuss words I’ve never heard before fill the room. You can no longer hear the game over the shouting. One guy is the instigator, apparently a Mets fan and he tells the Yankee fan to suck his.......CRASH!

“Oh shit, I think it’s time to dip, Les.” I say as I stand and grab my bag, throwing the long strap over my shoulder. Mets fan has turned a table full of bottles and glasses over and is now climbing it to get to the other side.

“Yeah, let’s get out of here before glass starts flying in this direction. All I need is a trip to the ER for stitches.” Les says as she makes her way around me and we slither our way to the door.

“Fucking cunt!” We hear Mets fan’s fist hit Yankee fan’s face, the sound echoing throughout the now quiet bar. The fans have all stopped screaming and yelling and now it’s dead silent. I look back towards the bar from the door and the two men are standing there,
circling each other like ninjas, waiting for the other to make the next move.

Before the second punch is thrown
, a security guard or cop or something jumps in between them and pushes them both back from each other. Les is tugging at my arm, trying to yank me out of the bar, but this man that has stepped in has caught my attention. “Hold on a sec.” I tell Les as I pull my arm out of her grasp.

“What? Come on
Syd, let’s get out of here before the shit hits the fan.”

“No, hold on. No shit is hitting any fan here.” I say as I nudge my chin towards the commotion in the
center of the bar.

“Fuck. Me. Who is that?” Les whispers in my ear as he
r eyes locate the bouncer.

“No clue, but I’m sticking around to fin
d out.” I say as I walk back into the bar, straight to our still vacant table. My glass of wine is still sitting there with one last swallow in it, so I chug it back and sit down.

Leslie
reluctantly follows me back into the bar and sits down beside me, her eyes wide with panic like a riot is going to break out and she’s in the middle of it. “Relax.” I tell her. “The fight is over, hot dude in the center has nipped this one in the bud.”

I
rake my eyes over this man’s body. No wait, he is not a man. He’s a God. Dark hair, almost black and messy with matching dark eyes and a scruffy chin. He’s wearing a tight black tee shirt that hugs his arms and chest. Low riding jeans that invite your curiosity as to what’s hiding under there. My face heats and I embarrass myself at the naughty thoughts going through my mind.

I’ve never seen a man in person that has made my brain go in to erotic overdrive. My typically vanilla mind has taken a severe left turn and is heading somewhere it’s never been. I’ll take these feelings home with me and store them somewhere for a rainy day. I’ve never been one to pick up guys in bars and take them home, so tonight will be no different. I’ll just watch from the
side-lines.

“Earth to Sydney.” I hear Les to my left jarring me out of my thoughts.

“What?”

“Where’d you go? Are you okay?” She asks, poking her finger in my arm trying to get my attention.

“Yeah, Les. I’m right here, just watching.”

“Well, I got worried for a second when you didn’t respond. What’s got you all tied up?”

“Huh? Oh, nothing. Just waiting for the show to start. I wanna see what the bouncer does to those two coots that were squaring off.” The bouncer that has caught my eye is big, but the two dudes going at it are bigger. Not beefier bigger, but fatter bigger. One squash and the bouncer could go down, though I doubt it.

Then, three of NYPD’s finest show up and cuff the two brawlers, hauling them out of the bar.

The bouncer stays behind talking to who I think is probably the manager. I hear the bouncer laugh as he smacks the manager on the shoulder and turn towards the door, his smile lighting up the room. I can’t take my eyes off of him, and I can feel Leslie’s eyes on me, a smile cracking her lips. He glances around the bar and our eyes meet. He doesn’t look away and neither do I, cause I’m frozen solid. I feel Les nudge my leg under the table and I finally pull my eyes down. I know I’m blushing, cause I do that easily, but I don’t look back up. I can still feel his eyes on me and I know now is the time to escape.

“Go talk to him.” Les whispers in my ear.

“Ah, hell no. I wouldn’t even know what to say without tripping over my own lips. Let’s go, the show’s over and I need to hit the bed. Been a long day.” I say as I stand up and re-position my bag on my shoulder, which has since slid down my arm.

“Chicken.” Les teases.

“Yep, that’s me. Let’s go.”

I stand to move and Leslie falls in behind me, making me lead the way. I know what she’s doing and I try to brush it off, making my way towards the door. I catch one more glance of the bouncer as we reach the door, but I make my exit in front of Leslie and the door shuts behind me.

Blue lights light up the street, no doubt with a drunk goon in each one. Leslie and I stand on the sidewalk while we contemplate our next move. Les lives close, so she can walk but I have to hail a cab. I live on the Upper East Side and she lives in Midtown. As a yellow taxi pulls up, I hug Les and tell her I’ll call her tomorrow and of course, “Be careful walking home. This ain’t the suburbs girl.”

“You too, sleep tight.” She says as I close the door to the taxi.

It takes about fifteen minutes to get me to the door to the apartment I sublet from a friend of my mothers. It’s a corner penthouse and totally out of my league, but I love it. As I unlock the door, my favorite scents of lavender and mint fill my nose and I take a deep breath. In my line of work, relaxation is a must during down time. You can’t let the stresses of the day get to you or you’ll go mad. This is my down time and I do what’s needed to relieve the stress.

I drop my purse on the sofa and head to my bedroom, which is my oasis. Warm earth tones cover the large king size bed and dark furniture. It’s warm and
cozy and totally me. Since I live alone I was able to decorate just like I wanted. With a hectic schedule I knew I needed calm and comfortable at home. Simple decorations and a homey feeling.

I snap my iPhone in the docking station and turn it on to the jazz station as music fills the room. It’s only ten thirty, so I fill the tub with hot water and chamomile and sink my tired, aching body down in to the bubbles. Thoughts of the bouncer fill my mind and I silently wonder if I should have introduced myself. I shake off that thought quickly, but I can’t get his dark ‘bedroom’ eyes out of my mind. His eyes were seductive and sexy, just begging to be hovering over a willing female body. Or male, for all I know. Yeah, that’s it. He’s probably gay and I would never stand a chance. That’s what I’ll keep telling myself so I don’t think about him anymore.