1 month later…

Sasha sat in her car outside the restaurant where she was to meet Kelli and her family as well as Eric for dinner. Kelli & Max loved Christinis Ristorante Italiano and immediately suggested they take Eric there during his visit. Sasha liked Christini's but she preferred some place a little more quiet and a little less expensive. 'Not that either factor matters tonight.' She thought. Noise would be a plus since Eric would be there. She could pretend not to hear him if she chose to. Max would be picking up the bill so she didn't need to worry about the cost of the meal either. She sighed. Her entire body was tense. Christini's was a nice place to go if you wanted a romantic dinner or to visit with someone. Tonight was not a night she wanted to turn into a lengthy visit though. Sasha was not looking forward to the multiple course meal she knew would take at least 2 hours to get through. She knew the rest of her party was already in the restaurant waiting for her to arrive. She couldn't bring herself to climb out of her car to join them. She had been dreading this night for weeks now.

As she sat in her car, stalling off the inevitable, she reflected over the past month. She had to admit it had gone far better than she could have ever anticipated it would. Her sessions with Trevor and Ben were going well. Trevor had devised a plan where it didn't even seem like she was being counseled. They had been meeting for brunch or at the park and simply talking. She had worried about taking Brian's kids to the sessions while he was away but they had blast playing with Ben and his nephew Dakota. Tyler had so much fun he asked her to set up other play dates. Neither Trevor nor Ben had pressed her to tell Kelli and Brian about her situation. She was greatly relieved on that issue. Jamie asked very few questions when he took her stitches out. She was glad that part was finally over. She had to go back 3 times before the last of the stitches were finally removed. The raised scars and visible stitch marks were glowing reminders to her of what not to do when she felt the need to cut. She had done well so far in her quest to keep her promise to Trevor. Though she found herself clenching her fists and pressing her nails into her palms quite often, she hadn't actually drawn blood since her sessions with he and Ben had begun.

She took a deep breath and picked up her purse. She closed her eyes. She still couldn't bring herself to open the car door and get out. 'Maybe I should have taken Trevor up on his offer to come with me.' She thought. 'I'm sure that would have only made matters worse in the end though.' She giggled softly remembering Trevor teasing her about how she might need someone, like himself, with a 6th degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do to protect her from Eric. Though she knew he was only teasing, she almost took him up on the offer.

'Happy thoughts.' She told herself. 'Think of something that makes you happy.' She thought of the 2 weeks she had spent with Brian's kids. Everything had gone perfectly. The kids were no problem at all. Bailey seemed to have outgrown her ear infections and was now talking up a storm. Sasha smiled recalling some of the conversations she observed Bailey attempting to have with Sean when she had joined Samantha at the park while Brian was away. Sean fascinated Bailey. She would show him her toys, tell him about them and he would laugh and kick his feet like she was the funniest thing he had ever seen. Bailey in turn would squeal with laughter and repeat the process. For the first time in her life, Sasha wondered what it would be like to be a mom 24/7. Surely not all kids were this cute and well behaved though. Brian and his friends had gotten the cream of the crop. Her kids wouldn't be like theirs. She really enjoyed getting to know Sam during those 2 weeks. They had met a few times before but they had never really talked. Sasha was amazed at the things they had in common. Sam was the type of person she would like to call a friend.

She thought about Brian. Kelli had suggested she bring him tonight but again, Sasha knew bringing any man to dinner with Eric was only asking for trouble. 'Brian.' She smiled. She hadn't thought she would miss him while he was away, but she did. He called every morning while he was away to check on the kids. She anticipated his calls, no; she longed for his calls more than the kids did. The sound of his voice was the highlight of her day. They had moved the office to his estate earlier in the week. The new arrangement suited both of them well. The new location was actually closer to Sasha's house and she didn't have to deal with nearly the traffic she had before the office moved. She was still afraid to admit Brian was quickly becoming a vital part of her life. He had been cautious around her for a few days after her confession, almost as if he were afraid of upsetting her. He had relaxed fairly quickly though and was pretty much back to the Brian she had known in the past. They had shared a few more kisses but he had not attempted to take things any farther. Oddly enough, there were times when she WANTED to tell him about Eric and why she was an SI. She had discussed the feeling with Trevor and Ben who applauded her on making strides toward her recovery. They didn't press her to talk to Brian though. They felt it was more important she tell Kelli first.

She put her hand on the door handle and opened the door. Her legs felt like they were made of cement. 'Just go in and get it over with.' She chided herself. 'The sooner you go in, the sooner you will be able to leave.' She stood up. She slowly closed the door and then checked to make sure it was locked. She took another deep breath and walked toward the door of the restaurant.