<div class="floatright">(https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/d80f/21h8ybmnz6cjeh34g.jpg) (http://www.mediafire.com/view/21h8ybmnz6cjeh3/Kimmie.png/file)</div><br/>Chloe nixes the idea of me driving her to the lab.  If we need to get there, she suggests a cab or even her father sending a car over for us.<br/><br/>“I’ll be back as soon as I can. You might find the cafeteria, better place to sit than here. Let the shrink know if you do.”<br/><br/>A quick kiss, and she's gone.....Mrs. Dawson turns to me and says<br/><br/>“You sure she didn’t plan this to force us together before either of us are ready? Let’s find that cafeteria. I’ll tell the desk where the psychiatrist can find us or they can call my cell.”<br/><br/>I smile....<em>"I can't say for certain she DIDNT plan it.....seems a little bit of a 'set-up' if you take it on the surface level?"</em><br/><br/><br/>We walk to the desk and Mrs. Dawson explains where she'll be and how to get in touch with her as soon as the psychiatrist is available.  Then we return to the cafeteria.<br/><br/>“What are you having Kimmie? I’m not really hungry but I should have something light. Maybe a yogurt and a cookie or a brownie and some iced tea.”<br/><br/><em>"Just a cup of coffee, would be fine....Chloe and I had a big breakfast this morning...."</em><br/><br/>Mrs. Dawson picks up the tab for my coffee and we wend our way to a table out of the main traffic flow.  We get ourselves seated and she opens up her yogurt...<br/><br/>“So, you may wonder why I’ve called this meeting …”<br/><br/>…  her smile is gentle …and I am smiling as well.  The two of us, each not ready to face the other under these circumstances.  Yet, the fates rolled the dice and here we are.   She takes a small spoonful of her yogurt, a sip of her tea, then addresses me in a quiet manner:<br/><br/>“A few years ago, Chloe told me a story that chilled me to the bone. A two years later, she told me about something she was working on that did an unheard of thing. I told a few friends of mine about the discovery. We agreed it can’t be used on humans without all the usual testing and that it couldn’t fall into the hands of any Government. I told her what we thought ought to happen. She told me she’d used it already. Once. And on whom she’d used it. And I told her that she had made a terrible decision and that she needed to consider what she needed to do to clear her karma. She took the subject into her care and as best I could tell from what she told me, she helped the subject come to grips with what had been done and to ease the subject’s way ahead.”<br/><br/>Her eyes on me,  Mrs. Dawson takes a sip of tea.   I find that Im blushing and pushing a strand of hair that escaped my ponytail, behind my ear.<br/><br/>“Have I gotten anything wrong? Do I understand this correctly? Is there anything more you believe I need to know up to that point where she released the subject back into society?”<br/><br/>She looks at me with eyes that are alive and inquisitive.  Yet there is also a softer, more maternal glow with them as well.  I piece together my answer....to the mother, of a girl who was raped...…<br/><br/><em>"No, Mrs. Dawson.  Those are the essential facts.  The, um, subject was taken to a sort of safe house if you will.  There it was explained to him, that the changes that he was undergoing were permanent.  There was no way to reverse them.  However, instead of leaving the....the subject, alone, confused and scared, Chloe showed that person far more feeling, far more consideration, and even some affection.....far more caring than this person had shown to her.....and infinitely more compassion than the subject deserved."</em><br/><br/>I stare at my coffee cup.  Then, slumping forward a bit, I force myself to look into those enigmatic eyes.  Dammit, my eyes are tearing up.....<br/><br/><em>"Chloe made sure the subject was ready to go forward in a new role.  She provided training, help for um, for her.  So, that when the time came, the subject was ready and able to function in society.  The subject had a job, a place to live, and something far more important.   The subject became a new person, the old person was quite literally tossed aside.  A new person emerged.  A better person, a caring individual, and somone who could appreciate life, people, living, loving, respecting others and accept who she is"</em><br/><br/>I straighten up in my seat a bit.....<em>"Its that person, Mrs. Dawson....the new person, me, Caoimhe....who...."</em>(and I look her right in the eyes and try to be as brave and as unemotional as I can be....)<em>"who wants to apologize to you for the terrible wrong I did to your precious daughter.  And apologize to you for all the pain, all the hurt and all the anger I put you and your husband through....."</em>The tears begin to run down my cheeks....warm trails of a hurt being exposed....raw feelings opening up<br/><br/><em>"I was given a second chance.....I can never do that for Chloe......Im so sorry...."</em><br/><br/>I bury my face behind one hand......I squelch any sobbing.....Im not going to make a scene here.    I gather myself a bit, wipe my eyes, straighten up.  Chloe once told me that in business, weak women get eaten up.  I think it might go for weak women in life as well.<br/><br/><em>"I can assure you, this is not how I planned on impressing you when we first met". </em>I say with a weak smile.... Now I find it difficult to look at her.  Her response, a mother's response is coming, and whatever she says, I deserve it.<br/><br/>