Juliah was talking to Anna when there was a knock at her door. “Come.”  The door was opened, “Dr. Carter and Dr. Zabane what can I do for you?” 

   Sarah spoke, “Is there a place where we can sit and talk?”

   “Yes this way.” She directed her attention to Anna. “That will be all.”

   Anna curtsied and left. 

   Michael opened the French doors onto the balcony.

   “Michael will you join us?” Sarah asked.

   Juliah nodded yes.

   The four of them sat around a table in the warm evening sun. 

   Sarah looked at Michael, “how often have you experienced any lower back pain?”

   He looked at Juliah. “Be honest.” She encouraged.

   “A lot.”

   “What are you doing when this happens?”

   Michael was becoming every agitated. “What is this about?”

   “Answer her.” Juliah spoke softly. 

   He sighed in defeat. “Everything, getting up, bending over, setting down.” He shook his head.

   “Dr. Carter found a small tumor between your L5 and S1 vertebra. What will happen, over time this tumor will grow. As it grows it’s going to put stress on you. Movement will become more painful. As time progress it could impact your ability to walk. You have two options: 1. Have it removed. Including rehabilitation, we are looking at six months. With surgery, there is always the risk of something going wrong.” She stopped looking past Michael at the wall behind him.

   “And two?” He asked.

   “Leave it.” Sarah answered. 

   “Why so long?” Juliah asked. “Most surgeries are in and out.”

    “I over estimate everything. The last thing I want is to say “we’ll have you out in a month”, when a complication arises.”

   He looked at Juliah. “What do you think?”

   Sarah stood up. “Take some time, talk it over. When you make a decision, let me know.” She left.

   “She’s very brash.” Juliah snapped.

   “She’s the best in her field.” Carter reassured them. He excused himself following her. Sarah was standing in the hall when he saw her. “Sarah, what was that about?” He called to her.

   She collapsed in the floor.

     Sarah went to Orion’s chambers. She wasn’t here as a doctor and it made her a little nervous. She didn’t know what she would find. The doors from the hallway opened into a waiting area of sorts. There were a couple bookcases full of old books along the wall. A table with two chairs was between the bookcases. A rectangle end table, covered with pictures of Paul was along the opposite wall. Plants lived in the corners behind the doors. At the end of this room was the door to his bedroom. 

   She slowly opened the door. Light poured through the sheer cream drapes. Huge burgundy curtains with gold trim dressed the window. 

   His four-poster bed was a work of art unto itself. She glided her hand along one post. She could feel the blow of each chisel stroke craving out every detail. On either side of the bed were doors. The one on the right was shut. The one on the left was open. 

   Upon entering, she found Orion leaning over the commode. He shivered as she rested her hand on his shoulder. 

   “Are you okay?” She tired to be comforting. 

   “No,” he answered gagging.

   “Do you want me to leave?” He fell backwards. She caught him in her arms. He was still trying to throw up. “Orion?”

   “Oh God,” he cried. “I can’t do this.” He put his hand over his mouth. 

   “Orion.” Sarah heard James calling.

   “In here.” She answered.

   James knelt beside of them. “Son?”

   Orion tried sat up. “I can’t deal with this.”

   “You have to.” James encouraged. 

   Orion stared at the ceiling. A million things flooded his mind at once. 

   “It will be six month.” James told him. 

   “Why so long?”

   “This is not a decision to be made lightly. Especially since her parents disapprove.”

   Orion looked at Sarah, whom was looking at the floor. “What are you doing for the next six month?”

   “I have patience’s to get back to.” 

     “If you accept me as a patient, how often would you come back?”

     “At least once a month.” She left Orion with James. 

   Dr. Carter was walking down the hall. “Jack.” She called after him. 

   “What’s up?” He smiled.

   “I want to see Michael’s x-rays.”

   “Sure. Now?”

   “The sooner the better,” she hissed.

   “This way.” He led her to his office.

 

  Michael was up to his neck in bubbles. He noticed Juliah’s head lying on her hands on the rim of the tub.

   “My princess.” She raised her head when he spoke. “I am so sorry.”

   “It’s okay.” She caressed his cheek. He held his breath hoping it would last forever. “I’m sorry you had to endure that.”

   “Am I to understand that she’s Orion’s wife?”

   “Yes.”

   “Why does she want a divorce?”

   Juliah studied his face. “You know, I don’t know. I think she’s having an affair.” She thought for a moment. “The entire time they’ve been married, I have never seen them kiss or hold hands.”

   “Not even during the wedding?” Michael was shocked. 

   “After.” She corrected herself. “They don’t even share the same chambers.”

   Michael was looking at the end of the tub, “Poor man.” 

   “Poor man?” She questioned.

   Michael was stunned by her reaction. “Yes.” 

   “Why do you show sympathy for him?”

   He locked eyes with Juliah as he spoke, “there are times when all you want to do is get lost in the scent of her hair. You want to drown in the sound of her voice. You have her embrace to look forward to at the end of a rotten day.”

   Juliah was overcome by his words. “What about her?”

   “Women are so much stronger than men. You find other ways to express your wants and needs. We fixate on one thing until it drives us insane.”

   They didn’t speak another word. Juliah helped him out of the tub and lovingly dried him off. She wrapped a towel around his waist and guided him to bed. She positioned herself in such a manner so that he could lay in her arms.

   Soon he was asleep.

   Her feelings toward him were changing. She had missed him horribly while they were away. Even though she still wanted his body to be her play toy. 

   Before long, she was asleep.