All That Lies Within Read Free Page B

the aborted relationship with Sheilah left such lasting scars. Sheilah encouraged Dara to share her deepest desires and dreams and held out the promise of a lifetime spent fulfilling them together. Her interest and support seemed so genuine and Dara’s trust in her promises was so absolute that she poured all of her heart into the relationship.
    In the beginning, it had been magical. Sheilah was the only person apart from Carolyn who accepted Dara for who she was and encouraged her to be herself, or so Dara thought. They spent hours lying in each other’s arms talking about Dara’s childhood. Sheilah was nurturing and compassionate, and Dara was so relieved to let her guard down for the first time in a romantic relationship. Then Sheilah so callously revealed everything to be a sham, and Dara was cast adrift and once again betrayed by someone who purported to love her.
    I could’ve done without reliving all that.
    Dara gave herself the now-familiar pep talk designed to get her out of this brooding head space: her time with Sheilah had helped her to understand herself better. She had gained sexual experience that served her well. She had learned to guard her heart, and she had learned to be more discerning about people and their motivations.
    By the time Dara returned to the beach house, she was physically spent. Unfortunately, her emotions continued to churn. She turned the key in the lock and let herself in. Normally, Dara welcomed the silence of the house. Now it was a reminder of how very alone she was. Apart from Carolyn, who’d been her best friend since nursery school, Dara had no close friends. Oh, there were plenty of people who wanted to be close. Fame and beauty tended to attract all kinds of potential hangers-on. But, like Sheilah, those people were more interested in what Dara was and what she looked like, than in who she was.
    Finally unable to hold back or pretend anymore that it didn’t matter, she collapsed on the floor in front of the sofa and let the torrent of tears flow until they lulled her into a restless sleep.
    Dara didn’t know how much time had passed when she heard the incessant buzzing and the sound of someone banging on the front door. She looked around at the dark shadows that had crept across the tile floor. How long had she been asleep? She wiped her bleary, swollen eyes and grabbed a tissue.
    “Dara? Sweetheart? Are you in there?”
    She recognized Carolyn’s voice and the alarm in her tone and hustled to undo the locks and open the door.
    “Oh, thank God.” Carolyn swept her into a tight hug.
    “W—” Dara cleared her throat, trying to erase the hoarseness from her crying jag. “What are you doing here?”
    Carolyn pulled back and examined Dara’s puffy face. “Oh, my God, sweetie.” Carolyn reached out her hands and smoothed her thumbs under Dara’s eyes. Without another word, she drew Dara closer again and rubbed her back.
    Dara wanted to object, wanted to say that she didn’t need to be comforted, to be consoled. But it felt so good to be held. She closed her eyes and soaked in the sensation. As always, her best friend knew exactly what she needed and when.
    After several moments, Dara pulled back. She saw the caring and deep concern written on Carolyn’s face and turned away. “I need to get cleaned up.” She started toward the bedroom. Carolyn stopped her with a hand on the arm.
    “Don’t, Dara. Don’t stuff your emotions. Don’t run from me.”
    Dara stopped and reluctantly turned around. “I don’t want to feel like an emotional midget who needs her best friend every time someone says something that hurts her.”
    “You’re not and you don’t. But I saw the interview and I knew I needed to be here.”
    “Last I knew, you were packing to tour the national parks with Stan. And now I feel guilty for dragging you away from your plans. Poor Stan. It’s a wonder he stays married to you, you know that? You spend more time with me than you do with