When did I become so numb?

Carla's Lover

Important note: The Flashback on this chapter will give you a lot of info about the last two days before Ana left Christian, six years ago.

[The flashback in this chapter is the continuation of the flashback of chapter 10: Meant to be...]

After the heavy physical therapy, Ana had helped Christian once more with the faucet of the shower. (The thing was way too high for him to reach) He was still not very talkative, but the awful tension between them was partly gone. Here in the cottage, Christian had to rely on Ana a lot, because the people who had built this house didn't consider someone with a disability to live here.

Receiving assistance from Ana for almost every single thing was not something he looked forward to. However, it wasn't something he despised either.

Ana had asked this morning, if he wanted to work on his legs at home in her family's private practice or here at the cottage. Without hesitation, Christian answered that he wanted to rehabilitate right here, knowing in the back of his head that he was going to need Ana's assistance a lot.

For one split second though, he considered replying that he wanted to do it at home, but in Christian's opinion, spending time in the cottage and enjoying the outdoors weight heavier.

So that's why he picked here instead of home. Well, he just had to suck it up and not forget what his top priority was. And that was: working his ass off to get positive results.

Now wasn't the time to dwell on the fact that Ana was still the only woman he loved and wanted... still wanted desperately.

Crap! He's so screwed, right now...

How fucked up and unsettling the situation was right now, Christian decided to tuck away said thoughts and feelings, and focus on rehabilitation.

After helping Christian, Ana had taken a shower again and was dressed. As she painted her lips pink, Ana looked at her own reflection in the mirror. She planned on being professional with Christian, but that didn't mean she felt nothing when they were close to one another.

As those thoughts swirled inside her head, Ana let out a deep breath.

"Please, God. Give me the strength to stay focused on doing my job." She prayed, while her eyes fluttered shut.

When she opened them again, Ana's mind brought her back in time...

xx Flashback xx

Ana silently watched him go and heard him start his Porsche.

'OK, later we will have that talk. In the meantime, I'll go to my mother to find out who was responsible for Shawn's death.' She thought, while walking out the front door.

But little did Christian and Ana know that this was the last time they would see each other... and talk in person as a harmonious couple.

While Ana slid behind the wheel of her car, she began to worry about her mother tremendously. It was hard for her to concentrate on the road, her mind only consumed by the whole ordeal. Fortunately the traffic wasn't that bad.

Ana took the same route back to the place where her mom stayed while being treated by her psychiatrist. All these years her mother had stayed quiet about who she was with that tragic evening.

Though it happened years ago, Ana still remembered that night like it was yesterday. Her mom came home late that evening with her eyes all red and puffy like she had been crying. Her mascara was all smudged and her white dress had blood on it! Around that time, Ana usually was fast asleep. However, the next day she had to make a test at school and had studied the whole night.