The Strip

Chapter 1 (Just revised)

Sienna adjusted her suit while looking at her appearance in the mirror.

Her straight, long brownish hair hanging just beautifully and shiny, her face sported just a smattering of freckles, with beautiful green eyes, natural pouty lips and a cute nose.

Her frame was natural and curvy and she stood only about 5'3, but she didn't think herself pretty although she garnered attention whether she wanted it or not. It had been beaten into her literally.

You can do this she kept telling herself in the mirror when she was broken from her reverie by a knock on the bathroom door. "

"Si are you ready babe?" It was her best friend and sister Lisbeth DuBois, asking from the other side.

Sienna opened the door to see her beautiful sister looking sympathetically at her. "As ready as I'll ever be" she said softly. "

"Sienna, he can't hurt you anymore. This is the last you will ever have to see him, you know that right?"

Lisbeth was trying to convince her sister as well as herself.

Sienna sighed. "I know but I'm so ready for this to be over with and move on. I feel like I have lost so much time dealing with this bullshit."

Her sister nodded in agreement. "The DA told you yesterday it was a slam dunk. Every time the defense brought something up or tried to put a witness on the stand he blew them away. This is it honey" Lisbeth finished.

Sienna grabbed her purse and followed Lisbeth from the apartment.
****
"Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury I understand that you have reached a verdict?" said the female judge.

The foreperson stood and said "Yes we have Your Honor."

"Well what say you?" the judge asked.

"We the jury find the defendant, William Henderson Parsons, guilty of kidnapping in the 1st Degree, Attempted Murder in the 1st Degree and Stalking."

Sienna sunk to her chair crying. It was over, finally. "

"You bitch! I won't be locked up forever! I will find you no matter where you run!" shouted Parsons as the guards led him from the courtroom.

"Come on honey. Let's get out of here" said Lisbeth taking her sister by the arm, leading her out the back door of the Michigan courtroom.

Sienna and Lisbeth had picked up lunch and headed back to Sienna's apartment.

She excused herself to go and change while Lisbeth made a phone call to her fiancé and Sienna listened in to part of the conversation.

She heard Cade pick up on the second ring.

"Hey honey. How's it going?" he asked.

Lisbeth sighed. "It's over Cade. They found him guilty of everything. She can finally start living again."

Cade told her how glad he was about this and gave her some further good news. "I checked with HR like you asked and they have created a second Sr. Accounting position.

I submitted Sienna's resume and they are excited about meeting her. Basically they said it was a formality but she has the job if she wants it."

Lisbeth screeched excitedly telling him thank you. They talked a minute longer and then hung up with each other.
*****
Sienna changed into blue jean shorts and an off the shoulder baby blue sweater and put her hair up in a messy bun and headed out to have lunch with Lisbeth.

When she got to the living room, her sister was waiting with the biggest grin on her face.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Sienna asked grinning back at Lisbeth.

"Well" Lisbeth began. "Remember when I asked for your resume?"

Sienna nodded. "Cade turned it into HR and they have created a second Sr. Accountant position.

They want you Si! They want to meet with you but Cade said it's just a formality. You have the job babe!

You should be getting a formal letter from them the day you meet with them!"

She was clapping her hands and jumping up and down.

Sienna couldn't believe it. Her day just kept getting better and better.

She hugged her sister fiercely. "You have been my rock. I don't know what I would do without you" she said tearfully.

They sat down, started eating and talking about her trip to Vegas. Lisbeth even told her that the company provided living quarters for them in one of the high rise apartment complexes.

It had been purchased by the CEO of Addison Tech for his employees. He took very good care of them; incentives, bonuses, raises, holidays, insurance, etc.

He believed happy employees were productive employees. She wouldn't even have to worry about living accommodations, she would sell every stick of furniture and just start over brand new.

Her body tingled with excitement as she thought about the new road that laid before her.

"Lisbeth, I'm off to see Dr. Miller. I'll be back later" Sienna called out to her sister.

"Okay babe see you later" she called from the bathroom.

Sienna hailed a taxi and proceeded downtown for her weekly scheduled appointment.

She'd been seeing Dr. Miller for about six years now and he'd been a tremendous help to her. She didn't have nightmares any more, the night terrors were almost gone and she wasn't having to take her anxiety medication consistently.

Trixie the receptionist greeted her with a smile. "Hey Sienna! How are you today?" she asked genuinely wanting to know.

Sienna smiled and said "It couldn't be better Trixie!" She actually felt like life was giving her a chance for the first time in a long time.

"Wonderful to hear!" the woman said. "Dr. Miller will see you now so just go on in."

Sienna thanked her and walked into her doctor's office. The older man looked up from his reading glasses and immediately stood.

He could see the change in her immediately. "It's over isn't it child?" he asked softly.

She nodded, tears in her eyes. He came around the desk and gave her a fatherly hug.

Then with both of them seated Sienna told him excitedly about her new job opportunity, etc. The man watched with great pride as she seemed truly at ease for the first time in a long time. The hour flew by and Dr. Miller promised to reach out professionally to some colleagues in Vegas and get her a referral.

They said their goodbyes and Sienna left the office with a smile and not crying for once.