Episode 9.

It was 8 days before another video appeared.  Once again, it was the same format as all the previous videos.  Kim looked into the camera and smiled.  She then began speaking.

“Sho,  thish video will be short.  I am shtill learning to shpeak.  But I wanted to let you know I am still alive.  Talking ish hard.  Eating ish hard.  Everything ish hard.  Everything hurtsh.  But it hash gotten a little better.  I know I shound ridiculoush.  But you should have heard me the firsht few daysh.  No, better you didn’t.  You wouldn’t have been able to undershtand me.  So, I got everything installed that I described.  And it ish as bad ash I feared.  Here, I will give you a quick look.”

Kim pulled her lower lip down showing the metal brackets on her lower teeth.  They had light grey ligatures on them.  She then pulled the corner of her mouth back, showing her upper and lower molar bands. And the hooks that extended off the upper bands.  She then opened her mouth and angled her head down, showing the arms and screw of her lower expander.  When she had spoken earlier, it had just been visible above her lower teeth. She then leaned her head back.  In the roof of her mouth the arms and large crank of the expander were visible, along with the screws that anchored it to the roof of her mouth.  She looked back into the camera and smiled.  Her lower lip covered most of her brackets, but they were still just visible.  And in the corners of her mouth on top you could see the shiny expander hooks. She relaxed her mouth, though her lower lip appeared a little puffy with the still relatively new braces pushing it out.

“Sho, there it all ish.  Well, almost all of it.  I can’t believe I am about to do thish.”  She reached over and brought a blue Petit facemask into view.  “So, this is my reverse pull headgear.”  She took two elastics and attached it to her face.  She then added two more elastics, this time crossing them across the mask  “Ridiculoush huh?  Well it getsh worshe.”  She pulled a black high pull headgear strap with white plastic perforated strips into view and slid a mirror over.  Staring into the mirror, she placed the strap over the top of her head.  It clashed with her blond hair. She then, first right and then left, attached the perforated plastic strips to the chincup of her facemask.  She looked back into the camera.

“Sho; thish makesh talking even harder.  I can’t really open my mouth.  And it is so hard on my chin.  It hurtsh so bad.  But here I am.  I am alive.  And trying to make the besht of thish.  I don’t know how much more I will update.  But as alwaysh, thank you.”

The next morning she woke up.  She sat up on the edge of the bed.  She first removed the high pull headgear strap from her head and placed it on the nightstand.  She then removed the elastics from her mask and placed the mask down beside the headgear strap.  She picked up her glasses and slid them onto her face.  Able to see once again she picked up her phone and saw she had one text message from Dr. Anderson.  She didn’t open it.

She walked into the kitchen, silently dropping her four used elastics into the trash.  She then tiptoed up behind the man that was busy at the stove.  She wrapped her arms around him and laid her head against his back. He put the spatula down and placed his hand on hers.  She softly asked “Peterbabe, what have I done to desherve breakfasht?”

I sense there is more going on than you have told us so far. 

little bit confused about the last part

That might have been a ruse: To invent a sob-story to attract more views.

And the confusion; or I prefer to say suspense; over what is going on might be intentional.  But there may also be a few clues scattered in throughout the story.  Maybe even in the title.  They might be clearer after the fact, but they are still there.  The idea for this story originally had no braces content, but who wants that?

Episode 13.

After they had made their way into Dr. Anderson's office and had all gotten comfortable, they spent a minute or two exchanging pleasantries.  Then, Dr. Anderson looked at Sarah and asked "Sarah, so how goes it with the orthodontic treatment?  I know when we met last month, you were feeling some trepidation.  But also a lot of excitement.  I know it is something you always wanted to do." 

Sarah responded "well, thish firsht week; well a little over a week; hash been a challenge.  I have sho much going on in my mouth.  I have thish horrible lishp.  I can jusht now barely eat.  My lipsh hurt.  The screwsh in my palate hurt. Turning my expandersh hurtsh.  The headgear hurtsh. Everything hurtsh.  But pain is beauty right?  And I am not even doing thish for beauty really.  I hope thish stopsh my headaches.  So, despite all that, I am still very happy I am doing it."  Dr. Anderson looked at Peter and asked him "and Peter, what about you?  Everything ok?  Happy about your decision?"

Peter said "I have it a lot easier than Sarah.  I only have regular old braces on bottom and invisalign on top.  Now, I do have some headgear I have to wear at home; not a fan by the way; but only at home.  And Sarah likes it.  To be honest, if it weren't for Sarah, I would have never done this on my own.  But, I am glad I did it.  And I am glad it makes her happy."  Dr. Anderson looked over at Sarah and asked "so, you like Peter's braces?"

Sarah turned a little red.  She said "yesh of course.  They are helping him fix a bite issue neither of ush even realized he had.  Fixing it before it becomesh a big deal.  Like with me.  I love hish smile.  I alwaysh have.  But he does have a couple of lower teeth that are kind of doing their own thing.  They are adorable.  But they might even be more adorable if they get in line with their neighborsh.  I am such a lucky woman to have such a wonderful husband.  To not only pay for my treatment, but alsho to join me in hish own.  And I will be the lucky girl that gets to enjoy the new and improved version of hish smile too."  She reached over, patted Peters arm, and smiled at him.  He smile back at her.  Dr. Anderson asked her "so, you just like them because of their functionality?  There isn't something more?  Something deeper?"

Sarah sat there in silence a moment before she asked "why would you think that?"  Dr. Anderson replied "just a hunch.  And it seems like Kim hates them.  Or she would hate them.  And I know you two are complete opposites.  So, I am just wondering if there is something more there.  And remember, I always ask you to be completely honest and open."

Sarah went silent for a minute.  Peter reached over and took her hand.   He looked at her and said "it's nothing to be embarrassed about baby.  It is charming in fact.  Why don't you tell him?"

Sarah sheepishly looked up at Dr. Anderson.  She said "yes, there is more.  I can't explain it.  But I think they are so sexy on him.  I mean, I like my braces.  But, I LOVE his."  Dr. Anderson simply replied "interesting."  He sat thinking for a moment before he asked Peter "so, I take it she has told you about this already.  When did she tell you?"

Peter replied "about 6 months ago, when Sarah started seeing orthodontists for consultations.  She was so insistent I see them too.  I didn't quite understand it.  Honestly, I was almost a little insulted.  I mean, I wondered if she thought my smile was hideous or something.  I questioned her about it, and she told me why.  So, how could I say no?  If something so simple and harmless could make her happy, I had to say yes.  I mean..."   It was at this point that Sarah interrupted Peter.

She looked at Dr. Anderson and asked "why did you bring up Kim?  She ish long gone.  We banished her to partsh unknown, what, nine yearsh ago.  After the, umm... incident.  Why did you bring her up?"

Dr. Anderson probed "so, you have seen no signs of Kim lately?"  Sarah said "no, absolutely not.  I religiously take my medication.  And I do all the exercises you ashk me to do.  The last thing I want ish Kim in our livesh.  She ISH NOT a part of it.  She is not allowed to be a part of it.  I will not let her be.  She ish long gone."

Dr. Anderson said "Sarah, please try not to get upset.  But I want to show you something."  He spun the large computer monitor on his desk around so it was facing Sarah and Peter.  The screen was black, in sleep mode.  He clicked the mouse, and the screen lit up.  On it was a Youtube video; Sarah's pretty face stared back at her.  Dr. Anderson clicked play.  As Sarah heard "Hi, I am Kim.  Welcome to my channel" her jaw dropped open in shocked disbelief.  When she heard the video continue "I got divorced from a really amazing guy today" she burst into hysterical tears.  As Dr. Anderson stopped the video Peter reached over and pulled his wife close, holding her against him as her tears darkened his shirt.  He stroked the back of her head and tried to reassure and calm her.  He told her "it is going to be ok baby.  That is why we are here.  That is why I begged Dr. Anderson to move our appointment up to this morning.  I am so sorry, I feel like this is my fault.  But, I promise you, you are going to be ok.  We are going to be ok.  This is all going to be ok.  And in 40 years, as we sit in our rocking chairs holding hands, we will laugh about it."

jep definitely a bit clearer now - so the "accident" with Peters brain damaged never really happened... just in Sarahs (Kim's) Head i think

Episode 14.

Eventually Sarah cried herself out.  Peter dabbed at her eyes with tissues that Dr. Anderson had handed him.  Once Sarah had somewhat regained her composure Dr. Anderson said “Sarah, Peter is right. This is going to be ok.  I have a plan in my head.  But first, let’s talk a little more.”  Sarah looked up and over at Dr. Anderson and weakly asked “but why did she come back?  I have been doing everything right.  She hash been gone for sho long.  Why did she come back now?  And what all kindsh of horrible things did she say?  Or threaten to do?”

Dr. Anderson responded “Sarah, the human mind is so complex.  There is a saying that goes something like ‘if the brain were simple enough for us to understand, we would be too simple minded to understand it.’  It is a bit of a turtles all the way down argument.  But there is a lot of truth in it. And honestly, there is so much we, the medical profession, still do not understand about multiple personality disorder.

First, as to why I think Kim reappeared.  You have handled the death of your mother last year incredibly well. I have been so proud of you.  I will not speak too much of your childhood.  We have certainly spoken enough about it in the past.  We don’t need to dredge up any memories of him.  But, I think that while you, Sarah, have come to terms with your mother’s death; I think that there is at least a sliver of your subconscious that has not.  And I think Kim found it.  I have used this analogy before, but you are the librarian of your mind.  But, Kim has access to all the books.  I think that the death of your mother caused your subconscious to feel threatened.”

Dr. Anderson continued “and we know why Kim exists.  To protect you Sarah.  From “him”.  Unfortunatley, Kim sees all men as “him”.   And I am so, so sorry that you ever needed Kim.  Life is often times unfair and cruel.  Children should never be hurt.  Especially by one of their parents.  But you are so strong Sarah.  You emerged from that storm.  And have made such a wonderful life.  For yourself.  And for your family.  I promise this is just a minor bump in the road.”

Dr. Anderson continued “so, I think the trauma of losing your mother dredged up some memories and emotions, even if they were subconscious, that caused you to feel threatened.  That is completely understandable.  I think the largest part of you is so grateful your mother risked everything to uproot the two of you and get you out.  But I also think a smaller, much smaller, part blames her for letting it happen in the first place.  I do NOT want you to watch Kim’s videos.  At least not now.  Maybe one day, but not now.  I did watch them all.

The good news is that Kim seems to be a much kinder and gentler Kim than ten years ago.  I did not sense the rage from earlier.  Instead, I sensed conflicted sadness.  Maybe she has simply mellowed with age.  But I do not think that is the case.  I think the reason she seems so much calmer, and introspective I might add, is because of your hard work.”  Sarah interruppted him and asked “what did she say?”

Dr. Anderson responded “Kim posted a series of videos about Peter’s brain injury, his rehabilitation, and eventually his move to Germany and Kim’s divorce from him.”  With a bewildered look Sarah asked “what?  None of that happened.”

Dr. Anderson responded “no, none of that happened.  I think her story represented her Sarah.  While the timeline does not line up exactly, it is very close.  I think in her story Peter was actually her, Kim.  The incident, the brain injury, the long rehabilitation, the eventual banishment to another continent.  I think this was a way for Kim, the part of your brain that is Kim, to explain why you have in effect divorced yourself from her.  I think the rehabilitation that Peter underwent in her story reflected YOUR rehabilitation.  Your improvement.  And you may not believe this, but I sensed something else in Kim’s videos.  I sensed love.”

Normally I try not to comment after every chapter, but right now I cannot stop myself

[...]I think for the past week, your headgear has focused your mind, even your subconscious sleeping mind, on your orthodontic treatment.  [...]
Sarah, would it be ok if I contacted your orthodontist to discuss your treatment?”

Oh oh... will that result in orthodontic devices uncomfortable enough to constantly occupy her mind day and night?  Uff!