Digging At Scars

I awoke alone. The love of my life had gotten up early probably already in the living room ravishing the invitation design website. One thing I never knew about planning a wedding was that it took over a week to pick a bloody font. I'd suggested an actual blood font but was silenced with a glare. I got up, showered and threw on some sweats. I didn't have to go back to the hospital for 8 more days. That alone was worth celebrating. As I picked out a purple t-shirt I couldn't help, but glance at the scar on my abdomen. If I'd done the surgery it would've faded by now, but my anger never would.

I smiled. I didn't have to think about them anymore. So, I decided on some music. I was in the mood for something mellow, so I went with Second Coming and wandered to the kitchen.

As I suspected the love of my life was sitting on the couch though the laptop screen showed flower designs, so maybe she'd finished the education. She was short, slender, almond skin, and raven hair. She was my third proper attempt at romance and the third time is the charm.

"Tommy, what do you think of yellow roses?"

"I think I want waffles. I take it the invitations are done."

"Yeah, want to finalize the guestlists though. Do you have your parents' address? Or do I need to text your mom."

I had my hand outstretched for the pancake mix when I heard the impossible, "Ara...repeat what you just said."

"Don't take that tone with me."

"Ara, give me your phone! Now!"

"You never yell, what the fuck is wrong?"

"Phone."

She grabbed at it on the coffee table and held it out to me. I opened it and started searching through the text messages, finding to my horror she had been texting my mother. "Pack a bag."

"Are we going on a trip?"

"You are."

I screencapped the text convo from the last three months and texted them to my own phone before I set hers in front of her and picked up mine. I pulled up my contacts and set up a three-way call between my Lawyer and the pi firm I'd come to use due to their efficiency and lack of scruples. Eventually both parties answered and after a brief greeting, I gave instructions, "My mother has been in contact with my ex-fiancé for at least three months. I need a cease-and-desist letter for her and I'll need a deep dive on every one in my orbit." Eventually they gave me a turnaround time of six days. And I noticed Ara was still on my couch, "Why are you still here?"

"Ex? You're calling off the wedding cause your mom texted me? I know you said you don't talk, but what could be that bad?"

"I don't owe you my trauma. You've got an hour. Pack a bag and decide whether you want me to call your mother to come pick you up or if you want to go to a hotel. The first night is on me, you're on your own after that. Your dad can call me to make arrangements to pack and pick up the rest of your shit."

"You're really breaking up with me."

"I gave you three rules when we agreed to be monogamous. No infidelity. No contact with my family and you don't ask questions about them. Three rules. You violated one of them. You're done. We're done. I'm going to go get some breakfast. Be gone when I get back or I'll call the cops."

I moved back to the bedroom and got properly dressed. She followed and uttered a quick, "You can't be serious?"

"I'm always serious. It's over. I'm going to get breakfast. Be gone when I come back. Make a list of your property and I'll some professionals pack it up and your dad can come and get it."

"Please?!? Can't we go to counseling? Can't you give me a second chance?"

"No, you blew the first chance to badly for that."

I moved past her and I heard her start to cry as I headed outside to my car. A cherry red mustang may make me a cliché, but it was nice to have. I hopped in and headed towards the local Denny's calling my bank en route to shut off the emergency only debit card I'd given to my now ex-fiance.

I parked, entered, and was seated. I'd slam would substitute for the waffles I'd craved. I sent out a group text to the wedding party and her family stating that the wedding was off and the relationship was over due to a boundary violation. After the waitress brought my food I called her father.

It rang twice and then, "You can't be serious."

"Yes, Charlie I am. You should come by my house and pick her up. I'll make arrangements for the rest of her stuff soon and you can pick it up."

"What the hell is a boundary violation?"

"When we started to become serious I gave her three things that would be an automatic relationship ender. She's broken two of them."

"Did she cheat?"

"Worse. For the record I'm sorry. I really thought things were going to work out."

"Okay.... I'll come get her...can you at least talk to her in a few days."

"I doubt it, but after you've gotten her stuff, we'll see how I feel. Bye."

I ended the call. It was a shame cause I'd liked him.

I tucked into my eggs when my phone rang out, " She keeps her Moët et Chandon In her pretty cabinet "Let them eat cake, " she says Just like Marie Antoinette A built-in remedy" and I answered, "Not in the mood, Jen."

"Considering you tanked a three year relationship 4 months away from a wedding your best friend is exactly what you need. Dibs on your bacon btw."

"Where are you?"

"Look up."

I looked up and saw my best friend. Jen was tall and a bit plump, mocha colored skin and a buzz cut. I'd known her since my first year of residency, she stuck to neurology while I dealt with surgery and the occasional er rotation. I trusted her or I would have any other day, today I wasn't sure I trusted anyone. I'd had a crush on her early on, but after four exes and not a single y chromosome I figured I wasn't in her ballpark and by then I'd met Ara anyway.

She pranced over and plopped down opposite me. I flagged down the waitress for her to order and to add an extra order of bacon to mine.

"So, what did she do?"

"Not aiming to be the subject of break room gossip."

"I'm your friend, practically your only one and I'm supposed to offer you a shoulder to cry on."

"More into punching than tears. She did two of the three things I find unforgivable in a relationship."

"So cheating, contacting your family, or asking about them? What did they do to you? Did you ever tell her? Who am I kidding you never told me."

"I don't owe either one of you my trauma."

"Have you talked about it with anyone?"

"No."

"You should. Doesn't have to be me, maybe a professional."

"I'm not really equipped for therapy."

"Then tell me. At least that way I'll know how much to stress that's a dealbreaker to the next one that works past your walls."

"Probably go back to hook ups. No complications that way."

"Till one of them gets attached."

"No repeats, ladies and gentleman, please exit the condo before the coffee is made. No refunds or parking validation is offered."

"Tell me. You need to talk about it. And I've literally known you for years."

"Come to my place in a week. If my pi gives you a clean bill of health I talk."

"You're having me looked into?"

"Wouldn't be the first time. And I'm having everyone done. Need to make sure the infection doesn't spread."

She changed the subject and we ate. Eventually I left and returned home. Thankfully Ara was gone. I made a few more phone calls cancelling various things I'd booked for the wedding and getting refunds where I could.

A text from my lawyer indicated that contacting Ara didn't violate the terms of my agreement with my family which is a shame cause I was more than willing to go nuclear and send their dirty laundry to every news site I could.

The next day I had the locks changed, changed all my passwords, and the security code for the alarm.

Two days later I received Ara's list. I paid extra to get a moving company in and her stuff packed up that day. Some of the furniture she wanted was mine, but I really didn't care at this point. I could always order more.

Four days after that I had the reports. Ara had been in contact with my mother for almost a year, starting a few days after I proposed. No money had changed hands, she was just dumb and believed her bullshit. Only one other person in my immediate circle had contact and that was a resident that had assisted on a few procedures who had twice tried to give me coffee. Luckily, I learned my lesson about that. He'd gotten 50 grand for something. I'd have to pull some strings and make sure he was kept away from anything I worked on.

Jen showed up at about 15 after seven. She'd tried her key before banging on the door. She was carrying a large bag of Chinese food. We set up in the living room and spread out the feast. "So do you want the quick version or the whole thing?"

She smiled, 'Oh, I'll take it all."

"My father was a plastic surgeon, a popular one. At his height he had franchised his practice into 27 different locations. He made about 20 million a year. He married my mother who was a drug rep and 10 years younger than him. A year after they got married, she got pregnant, but while they wanted one kid, they had two, My twin brother Michael and me. I knew my whole life that Michael was the favorite. Don't get me wrong, I was never neglected. I had food, toys, video games, an allowance, and they had people come in to do what would've been our chores, but they definitely liked him more.

He'd get more and better presents. If we went out to a restaurant it would be whatever Michael wanted. Our birthday parties were all at places he liked. The cakes and decorations always had his name. I never held any ill will towards my brother, at least not till he earned it later. He hated me though I didn't know it at the time.

We did make a deal where we wouldn't do what the other was. If he played baseball, I wouldn't that way we'd have our own identities. So, he did Baseball, Basketball, and track and field. I did cheerleading, tennis, and karate. The favoritism continued. My mother made all of his games, if my father showed up it would be one of his events."

"You were a cheerleader?"

"Yep. It was a good gig. Don't underestimate the workouts and having 11 girls think you're their really good trustworthy guy friend that sees them naked all the time has its advantages. I mostly joined cause Kelly asked me to. She was my friend and they needed someone to do some lifts for their competitions. Overall, I liked it. That was the norm until Debbie came along."

"Your first?"

"Girlfriend? Yes. Not my 'first' though."

She laughed, though I've no idea what she found funny, "Is that all this is? They liked your brother better?"

"Trust me. It's going to get worse. A lot worse. Debbie. I didn't know it, but Michael had a thing for Debbie. She'd turned him down a dozen times. I was clueless, cause I didn't care about school drama or anything Michael did. Debbie played for the girls' basketball team and she hung out with one of the other cheerleaders. We talked cause she was in my orbit, eventually I asked her out. It was a typical high school romance; a lot of burgers, backseats, and bullshit melodrama. No sex though. She wanted to wait till prom night."

She laughed again, "I didn't go to my prom. I had a date and the dress and we never made it to the actual dance."

"Lucky girl."

"I was. Guy turned out to be a dick though."

"Alright prom night is where things go down hill. About seven Michael brings me a latte. It was out of character, but I had no reason to think anything was up so I downed it and felt weird. I woke up about midnight in his bed. I got up and noticed my tux was gone and it took me longer than it should have to figure out what happened. I think it was mainly cause I didn't want to believe my brother had drugged me to make time with my girlfriend. I got dressed, my wallet, keys, and phone were missing. I took Michael's keys and after finding out my car was gone took his to the hotel I booked for the night."

"Was she in on it?"

I shook my head. "I got to the door. Talked the desk clerk into giving me a new key card and went up to the room. He was on top of her when I came through the door and I proceeded to pull him off and beat the shit out of him. At first Debbie was screaming at 'Michael' to stop, till she saw my tattoo and she realized what the shitstain had done. She called the cops. Michael went to the ER."

"Motherfucker. At least he went to jail."

"Nope, my parents intervened. Not sure if they bribed anyone besides Debbie, but they paid her enough that she recanted and said it was a misunderstanding. Then they sent my brother to Asia for a 'much needed break to the stress of being falsely accused.' Debbie broke up with me which I was understood after all I shared a face with her rapist." "

"Okay, I'm starting to get why you hate them. Why didn't you tell Ara this?"

"I don't owe her my trauma. Me telling her not to contact my family under any circumstances should have been enough. I shouldn't have to dredge up my shit just to make a point."

"I get where you're coming from, but it's a lot easier to assume people need forgiven when you don't know what they did."

"Maybe I should have told her, but I shouldn't have had to...besides it gets worse."

"It gets worse than drugging you and covering over a rape?"

"Yeah, next thing isn't as bad, but it was intended to hurt me. The big thing comes a few years after that."

"Alright. I should have gotten more egg rolls."

"Don't look at me, I never eat them."

"But I ordered four!"

"Then you ate four."

"Asshole."

"So after Michael's recovery and vacay to Asia he moved into the pool house."

"Wait you had a pool house?"

"Yeah. I think he moved out there so he wouldn't run into me before I went off to college. He didn't. He was 'too sick' to work or go to school. I moved into the dorms. Kelly went to the same school I did. I was doing bio and chem obviously to prep for med school and she was an art major. It didn't take long, but eventually she said she was into me and we were together. Things were fine from my perspective for a couple of years. Though she would disappear once a month to see her patron."

"Patron?"

"Someone was paying her tuition, room and board, and setting up shows for her and she went to see them once a month."

"I think I see the plot line."

"Then she called me Michael when we were 'intimate.'"

"Oh.."

"And so the next time she went to see her patron. I went home. And I saw her car in the garage. I walk into the house and started to head towards the pool house when my father tries to stop me. I brushed past him and move past my mother who was laying out poolside. I go into the pool house and find Kelly and Michael fucking. I'm about to beat the crap out of him again when I see stars and collapse."

"Occipital lobe?"

"yep, woke up 4 days later with a plate in my head."

"It gets worse?"

"Yes. I had to call the cops. My mother was eventually arrested for assault with a deadly weapon cause she'd apparently grabbed a baseball bat to stop me from interrupting the patronage. She pled down to misdemeanor assault. Probation and community service. It was then that I realized that whatever Michael had drugged me with back on prom night had come from her, well her or my father. I'd assumed he'd just bought something, but they were probably in on it."

I flashed back to the hospital room dull pastel walls and a drop ceiling, the smell of stale oxygen and ether, and Kelly screaming, "I did it for us."

"You fucked my shitstain of a brother for me?"

"No, for us. So, I could go the same school as you. So, I could have the shows. He had a crush on me, but could never act on it so he convinced your parents to support my art if I saw him once a month."

I stared at her wondering how I managed to sleep with her without realizing she was that stupid.

"Why are you looking at me like I'm an idiot?"

"Cause I heard what you just said. Can you go now? We're over. I don't date whores."

"I'm not a whore!"

"You fucked a rapist, piece of shit, fuckwit for money. You're a whore. You're a useless fucking whore with no redeeming value. You also can't paint worth a shit and now that I'm not worried about getting laid, I can be honest about that. So, get the fuck out."

I blinked and was back in the present.

"So, what happened?"

"I made a deal with my father to keep it off the news. I wouldn't kick up a fuss, but they would support me through my residency roughly a million a year. Of course, I made that deal when I though my mother was going to jail.'

"Jesus. And there's more?"

"Yeah. I went no contact aside from the deposits. Went back to school, med school, eventually my internship. Stuck to hook ups; girls, guys, whatever was easy when I felt the need, I had no desire to date after Kelly. About halfway through my life as an intern I get a call from my mother. After the seventieth or eightieth I answered. Turns out the trip to Asia they sent Michael on.... well he caught snail fever, Schistosomiasis. The idiot had gotten flatworms and our concierge doc had managed to misdiagnose him for years. And by then his liver was gone and his kidneys had gone with it. So, my saint of a mother had called to beg me to get tested to see if I was a match so I could donate a kidney and a piece of my liver to the fuckwit."

"You did it? I've seen the scars. I would've told her to fuck off."

"I laughed in her face and hung up. I could care less whether the fuckwit lived or died, but they didn't stop. I got letters, offers of millions of dollars for my organs, countless phone calls, e-mails, and texts. But I ignored the lot of it. The day I started my residency I went out with the gang to celebrate and a cute guy offered me a drink. And well, you know how they say, 'Never drink anything you didn't see made.'

'He drugged you?"

"I woke up three weeks later with one less kidney and a chunk of liver missing. I'm honestly surprised they didn't take both my kidneys, but they probably couldn't get the surgeon to sign off on it. So, I go to the police. My father falls on the sword, but I know my mother had a lot to do with it. He managed to plead kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon, various drug offenses, and forgery down to the point where he is serving twenty years. He lost his license, my mother did a year and could no longer work around narcotics, but that wasn't the end of it. I sued. They settled out of court. They sold off most of the locations for the plastic surgery practices, but I ended up with around 200 million and with multiple police reports and the suit victory convinced the hospital to let me start my residency a year later and of course that's when I met you."

"Holy shit. Why the fuck was your mother even trying to contact Ara anyway?"

"My brother died two years ago, so I think my mother decided to settle for the other kid since her favorite was gone. Remember that vacation back to the east coast? I went to piss on his grave. Since then, she periodically sends me letters trying to get her 'baby boy' back. And I have to send her a cease and desist letter. If she does send more than a letter a month then she violates are settlement agreement and I get to go to the press. Contacting Ara got her around that. I guess she thought she would be able to convince me to invite her to the wedding and then she'd have a son again, even if it wasn't the one she liked."

"Wow. So do you think you'll try again now that Ara is gone?"

"Probably go back to hook ups."

"What if it were me?"

"What?"

"Can I throw my hat in the ring?"

"I've only seen you date women."

"You're not the only one with hinges in the middle, but the only guy I was interested in was with a girl who wasn't good enough for him."

"I....Dinner? Next time we both have a day off?"

"Sure. By the way, I do dig scars."