The Rise of Rachel Price T-Girl Pt. 38

Paris Syndrome

Every transformation is a journey. At the summit of the adventure, there awaits a destination--a point that triggers not just the conclusion of the expedition, but also the fulfillment of reaching. Travel, as the wise say, broadens the mind. Only when you arrive can you see if your destination, which is often someone else's mundane home, is worth the trip. Then, you may realize that the journey is the destination.

Every year, thousands of tourists suffer from what doctors call Paris Syndrome. It is exhibited by some individuals when visiting Paris, who feel that the city was not what they had expected. The condition is commonly viewed as a severe form of culture shock. The syndrome is characterized by a number of psychiatric symptoms such as acute delusional states, hallucinations, feelings of persecution (perceptions of being a victim of prejudice, aggression, hostility from others), derealization, depersonalization, anxiety, as well as psychosomatic manifestations such as dizziness, tachycardia, sweating, most notably, but also others, such as vomiting. This is common among Japanese and Chinese tourists to France. For those tourists, they begin to wonder if their sanity is worth the trip.

Recovery

A week later, Gregor Samsa finally got his one million dollar payout. The intensive care room became a blend of hope and relief. The atmosphere held a subtle tension, as if the very air contained the whispers of the ordeal that had transpired.

In this crucial moment, Rachel made her entrance, her arms embracing a vibrant bouquet of flowers that mirrored the vibrancy of her emotions. The colors of the flowers seemed to resonate with the spectrum of emotions that had been coursing through their lives -- the deep reds of determination, the brilliant yellows of hope, and the calming blues of reconciliation. Vistiting hours had started and Rachel had arrived after the Reverand Fitts to was quietly talking to Levant in bed.

Rachel took her steps towards the intensive care room, her gaze a mix of anticipation and apprehension. People weren't wearing masks in case of infection any more. As the door creaked open, the room unveiled a transformed scene from the last time she had seen it. Levant was no longer encumbered by a web of medical machinery; instead, the room seemed to breathe with a newfound freedom. The equipment that had once surrounded him had been gradually removed, echoing the progress that Levant had made in his journey toward recovery.

And there he was -- Levant himself, sitting up in bed, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. His posture was not merely a physical stance; it carried the weight of determination and the lightness of hope. Tubes and wires had given way to a sense of autonomy, a representation of his gradual return to independence.

"Douglas!" she said, surprised.

Levant nudged the people around him. "Look everyone, my wife." His voice was getting firmer, and there was a wall of pride in his voice. Rachel looked around. Gregor was still standing around looking at the machine. Lucy had said after being fired, he had worked secretly doing cosmetic surgery. Begin gay was illegal in Russia so he had spent his time doing illegal gender confirmation surgery and any other unsanctioned operation. Apparently, he had been called 'the butcher' in Russia. After all who could complain about his failures? Dr Johnson had said Levant had made him his personal doctor and had sorted out naturalisation papers for him. The US didn't recognise Russian medical qualifications so technically, Gregor wasn't ever going to be a legal physician in the US. Gregor didn't care and you could see by his distain for the US Doctors what he felt about them.

"I'm never going to get used to that," Rachel said.

"You... you... you get... get... get used to it," Levant said, pointing weakly.

He looked like he had been through a mill; his right eye didn't always follow his left.

Rachel had read and re-read the contract. In the event of marriage, the clock stopped. There was no time limit on getting out. A huge number of other things came in. Back in Qatar, Levant had contracted for more surgery. If it was possible to reduce her height medically she agreed to it, that worried her. It was a shitstorm of stuff. The marriage clause had ended up being a dumping ground for any strange idea Levant had thought up. Now she had agreed to it all.

After speaking to Dr Cooper she had felt a little less like she had been thrown out of a plane without a parachute. It was good knowing that things like hypnosis, desensitization training, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy were not terribly effective, even if Rachel had agreed to do them.

"Volk has been doing some work for the good reverend here. They are working on a new form of desensitization training; it gets past a lot of the irritating legal problems the reverend encounters," Levant said. the reverend raised his eye brows and nodded "It's really good; you can hardly notice you're doing it. He just needs access to the music on your phone."

Rachel looked at him. "Why would I need desensitization training?"

Levant looked to the reverend "can you give me a minute with my wife?"

Levant leaned forward and talked quietly. "We are married now. I turned a blind eye to your little amorous entanglements, but now we must be monogamous. I'm included in that. From now on, there is nothing in the world for me but you and only you. These youthful flirtations, I've tolerated in the past, but they have got to stop now that you're a married woman. I think the desensitization training is going to help you."

Rachel moved closer. "About the whole wedding thing."

"You want a proper one." Levant said." I'm on that. I've told Lucy to get a team together to organize it. It's good for us, and it will look good for the campaign,"

"The Campaign? You're not seriously going on?" Rachel said.

Levant smiled. "I'm fine. It was kind of like a poisoning. A mixture of old and new chemicals. Apparently, it looked like it was set off by an overdosed on viagra. I don't remember taking it, but my memory of events that night was only focused on us. I remember how we made love and you really enjoyed it. I was in you and we really connected. Anyway, when I've recovered, there is nothing to prevent me from going on. Not with Dr Samsa here."

Now, as Levant was recovering, he experienced some memory problems. It was too soon to determine what was permanent and what would recover.

"Douglas," Rachel began, now worrying about the Viagra. "And the wedding, are you sure? I mean..."

Levant cut in, "You don't understand, Cinnamon. While I was there, I felt like this was the end. I looked over my life and found myself wanting. So I made a deal with G..God."

"God?" Rachel said, remembering the shadows on the brain scans.

"Yeah, G.G.God," Levant continued. "This is not for general broadcast, but I told the... almighty that if he let me live, I would spend the rest of my days serving him and you."

Rachel moved back slightly.

"Right," Rachel said, her words lacking any iota of commitment.

"Yeah, look at what happened. Firstly, the one thing I was dreading coming to an end and was powerless to do anything about. Then he gives me the one thing I dearly wanted in all the world. You. I could have died then, but he had more, much more for me to do. I was distraught. From the things you have been saying I got the feeling you would stay with me if I became governor. " Levant continued.

Rachel had no idea how he had that idea "Really?"

'

"But then he brings you to me." Levant said "It was his hand that made it happen. Then there is more. So he cures me with a miracle. The doctors all said so. They didn't know what was wrong with me. They blamed it on the exercise, of all things. God brought me back. He brought me back so we can be together."

"So you wouldn't think about a divorce?" Rachel said.

"Till death do us part, Cinnamon. I know that now. We must keep God's law sacred," he said.

In her head, Rachel was screaming in terror. There was one thing making an hour-long death promise to a dying man. Becoming fully married was a crime before God. Her mother would never forgive her. Rachel felt extreme guilt over this. She had been trying to do the best thing for everyone, but then this happened.

"And you. You were there for me. They said you slept by my side. They said you threatened them with court action if they didn't let Gregor work. You wanted me to live. I knew it. I knew you really loved me. You don't want to admit it, but it's in there. You know the last voice I heard on the ship was yours, calling for help. You could have let me die. You could have let the doctors have their way. No, you fought for me every step of the way. Like I would for you. God even showed me that you love me. I know you have problems saying it or admitting it, but you love me as much as I love you. I hate all the contracts and stuff, but it's the only way you will come to terms with who you really are and how you really feel," Levant said weakly.

Before Rachel could say anything back Levant took the reins again.

"Ahh! It was good to get that off my chest, but I'm tired. Call the nurse, would you, Cinn? I need to rest." He said laying back.

************************************

Levant recovered with a shocking haste that impressed his doctors. As he regained his strength, he began to implement the new conditions outlined in the contract. Levant assigned a bodyguard to closely accompany her. He claimed that both the insurers and the state police had insisted on this precaution. In addition, she was expected to attend rallies and deliver speeches due to the inconvenience of 'her husband's poisoning.' Levant's desire for a public wedding led to confusion after the announcement: was she married or just engaged? For Rachel, this became the most challenging aspect. Various rumours about the wedding circulated. Some believed it was an election strategy to mask poor polling numbers; others claimed Rachel was pregnant. Some said that one of Levant's opponents had acquired a dog as a response.

"Are you okay?" Samantha inquired as Rachel's semi-naked sat up. They had been lying in each other's arms within Samantha's upstairs fitting room in the design area above her first shop. It was the sole place where they could be together without the threat of exposure. Samantha even hired someone to regularly sweep for bugs, ensuring their privacy wasn't compromised. The room was furnished with a sofa, mirrors, bolts of cloth, offcuts, and patterns. The walls were adorned with old drawings, creating the sensation of making love in a sketchbook. It had once been Samantha's minuscule one-person apartment. Nestled in the roof space, the walls leaned inward and the windows opened only to the sky. It felt like the only place Rachel could truely relax in. That didn't stop Rachel wanting to come round to clean tidy the place up for her sometime.

Rachel was mostly naked except for her prosthesis pants which she never took off in Samatha's presence. It wasn't like Samantha had anything to be worried about. As per contract, Denver's dick was now lanced and attached to another ring on a tiny change like Mimi's had been. An erection was a painful impossibility, well without a set of jewelry pliers and a magnifying glass. Any detachment would necessitate breaking the seal and might be noticeable. With Samantha, It wasn't a huge loss as Rachel wasn't going to play with viagra again with her.

"Yeah, I just worry every time we do it," Rachel said, as she put her bra back on. "I worry that a huge group of men in combat gear is going to burst in one day. You're taking an enormous risk with me. You're risking your life, and I feel guilty about it."

Samantha shrugged, her blonde hair spreading all over the couch. She had started kissing Rachel and over come her reluctance.

"I understand the risks. You know, I think you're worth it," Samantha said.

Rachel took a deep breath and slipped on some lace panties.

"If he finds out, he will kill you," Rachel said. "Like, dead--kill you."

Samantha rolled onto her front. "Dead kill you, as opposed to the other nonlethal versions of kill you," she said and took another sip of wine.

"I'm serious," Rachel said, as she put on her tights.

"Well, look, I'm not going to see you for a while when you're on your European trip," Samantha said, waving her fingers in air quotes. "Which reminds me, I've got to kiss your nose goodbye. I'm going to miss it."

Samantha got up, and held Rachel in her arms. She leaned forwards slowly breasts touched naked skin and she kissed Rachel's nose goodbye.

"I'm surprised you're letting him do it," Samantha said.

Rachel felt isolated and attributed it to why she found it difficult to resist some of Levant's new conditions, which had arisen from the contract. The most significant condition involved undergoing more surgery. This included aspects that were harder to undo; in part, it concerned her nose and jaw. It also encompassed changes to her eyes. While all of this could technically be 'reversed,' going back would necessitate a similar operation.

"It's all reversible," Rachel said, although it sounded more like a fig leaf than ever before.

There were even some irreversible changes, such as the electrolysis of all facial hair. This meant Denver would never be able to grow a beard. That had been an oversight on Rachel's part.

Everyone was being informed that Rachel was embarking on a trip to Europe. In reality, she would be undergoing cosmetic surgery, followed by a week or two on a super yacht journeying up to Seattle for recovery. Levant was intent on having Rachel in 'top form' for the wedding. The wedding itself was evolving into the social event of the year. While Rachel had a wedding planner, most of the choices were made by Lucy and Devlin's communications team. Levant stated that the wedding would generate a substantial amount of 'positive energy' for the campaign.

Levant had decided that the reception would take place at the soon-to-be-completed Empress Hotel. This decision was yet another marketing strategy. The contrived nature of a simulated woman participating in a simulated wedding to manufacture synthetic publicity for what most people considered a fabricated campaign sometimes felt excessive.

The campaign was also covering a significant portion of the expenses, which meant the sky was the limit. However, this also meant they had to heed feedback from focus groups regarding what would or would not be deemed acceptable. Generally, the focus groups demanded something more extravagant. Despite the ongoing economic recession, the public desired to witness more opulent overspending. Rachel didn't quite comprehend it.

Rachel found herself irritated by the continual barrage of questions about seemingly trivial details for the wedding. Honestly, she wondered whether the folding of napkins truly mattered. The sole concern that truly resonated with her was that Samantha's elegant and sophisticated dress was deemed 'too plain' for the wife of Levant. This necessitated modifications to Samantha's elegantly designed work, a process that Rachel found exasperating.

On the positive side, this approach allowed them to maintain their private meetings. Rachel was occupied, and Samantha was similarly engrossed in her work. She was busy opening more stores and becoming overwhelmed by the endeavor. Consequently, there were fewer occasions when Rachel and Samantha could genuinely spend quality time together. The process of testing the wedding dress was among the rare instances when they could truly be together.

Samantha rose, pulled on her leggings, and then stood to kiss Rachel's nose.

"Things don't feel right," Rachel remarked as Samantha moved across the room to retrieve her discarded bra.

"You're just nervous because you lost your phone," Samantha reassured her, running her hand down Rachel's back. "what woman wouldn't be?"

Rachel reciprocated the kiss.

One afternoon, Levant accidentally knocked Rachel's phone into the pool. His coordination had become somewhat impaired since the poisoning; his foot dragged clumsily sometimes. He swiftly arranged a replacement within an hour. The new phone boasted more storage space, a superior screen, and faster graphics. He even managed to reload all her music and games. However, the game containing the secret database she used to store information about Levant for Hunter had been reset. Rachel had a backup hidden in a secret chamber in the butt plug she wore. The tiny memory chip had a huge amount of information all harvested from Levant's own laptop. All ready for the moment she could hand it over to the FBI.

"No, it's more than that," Rachel said. "I kind of feel trapped."

"You should just run. Use the Save Hunter fund," Samantha suggested.

Rachel exhaled audibly. "Then Hunter would undoubtedly die. I'm not certain what he'd do to my mother. Charlie would lose her job without a doubt, and possibly more. He's not the same as he used to be. He used to have occasional tantrums, but now they're more extreme. He had Jerry and another bodyguard locate a heckler and had him beaten up so severely that he was rushed to the hospital. And then there's Project Zeitgeist. We're the only ones who know about it. No one believes us, so it's up to me to stop it, and I can't do that from the outside. What am I allowing him to do? A bit of reversible surgery, so what?"

"I met Hunter, remember?" Samantha said, while she put an earring in. "He was a good guy who wouldn't want you in danger, even if it meant his own life. Forget the saving-the-world crap. Think about yourself. Grab your mother and get out of here."

Rachel reached over and adjusted one of Samantha's earrings. "I don't think she would leave with me, and let's be honest, I'm not sure about what would happen to you?"

"I'll come with you," Samantha said, grinning, and placing Rachel's hands on her ass.

Rachel was still puzzled by Samantha. She certainly didn't have an affinity for Denver's body parts; they were enough to send Samantha into a fit of screaming. Their time together was always strictly a prosthetic on experiance but that didn't stop the fun. IT was also enough to maintain Rachel's sanity. However, it would complicate anything long-term and on the run.

"You'd have to give all this up," Rachel said, glancing around the room before removing Samantha's hands from her. "I can't force you into that. Besides, realistically, how long could we evade capture? He could mobilize every detective agency in the country against us."

Rachel walked over to retrieve the dress she intended to wear and began putting it on.

"Do you recall that campaign we attended in Sacramento?" Rachel asked as she pulled the dress over her breasts.

Rachel found herself being pulled in one direction to support Levant, including giving speeches on his behalf following his 'poisoning.' She was dispatched to venues where women tended to dominate the audience. She regretted some of the content that the speechwriters wrote. Each audience received a distinct message, accompanied by conflicting promises. Levant portrayed himself as someone not expecting to win, making extravagant pledges to cater to every demographic. He had garnered significant support from several religious groups. The more Rachel traversed California, the more she felt like a stranger in her own land. She attempted to deliver 'her husband's words' without commitment, but she felt contaminated by the venomous and mean-spirited rhetoric. Despite all this, Levant was lagging in the polls compared to other candidates. However, his support base was visibly expanding, with packed meetings.

"The 'you need a strong man to protect us from all the intellectual elites' one?" Samantha quipped as she got dressed.