It had been a long day. Carter stepped outside into the dark evening sky.
It was an early spring evening and it rained. He looked around, as though
he was expecting to see Abby there, perched on the side of the bench,
smoking a cigarette. He knew she wouldn't be there, she didn't even smoke
anymore; she would be at home, looking after their baby daughter, Nathalie,
but something made him look. There was a figure sat on the bench, but
instead of it being Abby, it was
"Eric?" Carter asked, approaching. Eric turned and smiled at Carter.
"Hi there, is Abby around?" he asked.
"Um, no. She's still on maternity leave." Carter told him. "You want to come back with me to see her?"
"Oh, god, yeah, I forgot she had a baby. I haven't seen her in ages. I only heard she was pregnant but I guess I forgot." Eric smiled. "Girl or boy?"
"Girl," Carter was only too happy to share information on his new daughter, who he was very proud of. "Her name's Nathalie, two months old" He grinned broadly.
"Wow, time moves fast," Eric commented.
"Yes, it does," Carter agreed. "Well, you want to come back and see them. I'm sure Abby will be really happy to see you again."
* * *
"Hey, honey," Carter called as he came in the door.
"Shh, you'll wake Nathalie," Abby warned him as she came to greet him. Then she noticed Eric.
"Oh my God! Eric!" She squealed, ignoring her previous warning to Carter. She flung her arms around him. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you in ages? What brought you back here? How are you?" Eric smiled at the torrent of questions.
"Hey, you wanna slow down a bit?" Eric asked, jokingly. "I'm fine. It should be me asking the questions, after all, I did miss the birth of my niece." Abby smiled. Carter, after he had taken off his coat, came and put his arm around Abby's waist.
"She's sleeping, right?" Carter asked Abby, who nodded. "As long as you're quiet, come and see her."
"Sure, I'd love to," Eric nodded and they crept into Nathalie's bedroom, where she slept peacefully.
"She's so cute," Eric whispered. Carter smiled at Abby. Nathalie turned in her sleep, one small hand complete with tiny fingernails gripped the ear of her teddy bear. Her little mouth pouted slightly as she slept on and Abby tucked the blanket around her as they left the room.
* * *
"So, what made you come back so suddenly?" Abby asked her brother as they sat around the kitchen table. Eric looked a bit uncomfortable at this question.
"Well, Maggie's ill. Really ill," Eric began. In the next room, Nathalie woke up and began to cry.
"I'll go see to her," Carter muttered and left, quickly. For the first time he was glad for his baby daughter's wailing, as it provided a welcome escape from the hostility and uncomfortable feeling that was felt when Eric and Abby's mother was mentioned. He didn't understand Abby's hatred for her mother, he just accepted it. He didn't want to get involved; it seemed far too complicated to make sense.
"And? What do you want me to do about it?" retorted Abby. Eric shrugged, defencelessly.
"Well, I just thought it would be nice if we were there for her," Eric suggested. Abby looked at him with expressionless eyes. "You know, when she.well.when she dies." Eric didn't want to bring up Maggie's inevitable death. He didn't want to hear Abby tell him that she didn't care, or something like that. It just seemed so unnatural, so cruel, and so wrong that Abby should not mind about her mother's death.
"Well will this be anytime soon?" Abby asked, coolly.
"Oh for god's sake, Abby, it's not something you can put down in your diary." Eric became impatient. "Wouldn't it just be nice to make amends, before she dies? Otherwise you might regret it."
"Oh, right. Maggie's dying, oh shame, let's all kiss and make up." Abby spat out, sarcastically.
"Abby, seriously, she's still our mother, despite what you may hope. Despite the fact you call her Maggie. Despite the fact you never see her," Eric replied. "You should come down and see her. Before it's too late."
"You make it sound so dramatic"
"Well it's not something you take lightly."
"I can't just come down just like that. I've got my own family now." Abby told him, and then wished she hadn't. Eric's face fell. She replayed her last sentence in her head and realised how it must've sounded. To Eric, she and Maggie were his only family, but now she had gone off and began her own. "Oh god, Eric, don't take it like that. I didn't mean it that way. I meant it in a sense that I can't drop everything and leave. What about Nathalie?"
"Yeah, I know," Eric nodded. "I guess it would be complicated. Ok, forget it, but I have to get back to her." Eric looked so sad and upset. He had tried. He had tried to fix his dysfunctional family, but as always, both Abby was too stubborn, too headstrong to forgive. If it wasn't Abby, then it was Maggie. Like mother like daughter. They were so similar; it was crazy that they didn't get on.
"Oh, Eric," Abby sighed. "I'll come. I'll come and I guess I'll have to bring everyone with me. There's no way I'm leaving my baby, she's only two months old."
Eric smiled and nodded.
"I'm sure Maggie would be really pleased to see you and her granddaughter," Eric enthused. Abby scowled; as if hating to be reminded that her poor defenceless baby was actually related to Maggie.
"When do you want me to come down?" Abby asked.
"Well, tomorrow would be fantastic," Eric suggested. Abby rolled her eyes. It would have to be straight away.
"Fine, I'll see if I can get leave at such short notice," she emphasised the word 'short' as though trying to draw more attention to Maggie being an inconvenience. Eric beamed.
"Thanks, Ab."
"No problem. Well, it is a problem, but hey." She sighed, smiled and got up to go and see how Carter was getting on. Everything in her life was just brand new. Just washed clean. New apartment, new husband, new baby. She wished she could spend more time with the newness of her life, but as always, her mother had to return. She had to come back, staining the fresh start, spoiling the new beginning, reminding her of everything in the old life she so hated. She had only just found someone else to lean on. She had only just begun to raise a child who was her own, and not her brother. She had only begun to smile again when her mother calls her back. Could she not leave things be?
* * *
Abby joined Carter in Nathalie's room.
"How is she?" Carter and Abby whispered in unison. They smiled, but Abby's smile soon faded. In an answer to her question, Nathalie yawned widely and closed her eyes. Carter placed her gently back into the bed and Abby tucked her in.
"She's not very well." Abby replied, shortly. Carter looked at her and raised her eyebrows.
"Ok, fine," Abby gave in. She didn't particularly want to elaborate on a subject she hated, but Carter would drag it out of her anyway. "She's probably going to die soon. Eric wants me to go down and be with her."
"When?" Carter asked. Abby smiled bitterly.
"Tomorrow." Abby answered. Her smile fell from her face and she dug her head into Carter's chest. Carter put his arms around her, and stroked her back, trying to calm her down.
"I don't want to go," she mumbled into his shirt. She pressed her head against him harder. "I don't want to go,"
"Hey, hey," he turned her head up to look in her eyes and he was surprised to find angry tears there. "It's ok, baby. Don't you want to make amends?"
"No," Abby pouted. She shook her head fiercely. "I want to stay here. I want to stay with you, I want to look after my baby and I want to keep away from my old life." Carter stroked her cheek. His finger seemed to coax a tear out of her furious eyes and it slid down her cheek and ran onto his knuckle.
"We can all go. Wherever you want me, Abby, I'll be there," Carter promised her. "We can take Nathalie and we can go,"
"But.but tomorrow?" Abby looked up, doubtful, her frustration began to fall away. Carter smiled at her.
"Anything is possible, honey." Carter kissed her still pouting lips, gently. "Just relax a bit. Get some sleep." She allowed herself to be carried in his arms. He was right, how did he know she was tired? She didn't even realise how tired she was until he kissed her and whispered those words. She rested his head on his shoulder. Everything would get sorted out. She was sure of it. He laid her, gently on their bed and stroked her hair. 'As long as he was there,' she thought, 'as long as he was there for her, nothing could ever touch them' She fell asleep and dreamt of her, Carter, Nathalie, Maggie and Eric all together, as all one happy, normal family. Like he said, anything is possible. Maybe even true happiness could happen.
"Eric?" Carter asked, approaching. Eric turned and smiled at Carter.
"Hi there, is Abby around?" he asked.
"Um, no. She's still on maternity leave." Carter told him. "You want to come back with me to see her?"
"Oh, god, yeah, I forgot she had a baby. I haven't seen her in ages. I only heard she was pregnant but I guess I forgot." Eric smiled. "Girl or boy?"
"Girl," Carter was only too happy to share information on his new daughter, who he was very proud of. "Her name's Nathalie, two months old" He grinned broadly.
"Wow, time moves fast," Eric commented.
"Yes, it does," Carter agreed. "Well, you want to come back and see them. I'm sure Abby will be really happy to see you again."
* * *
"Hey, honey," Carter called as he came in the door.
"Shh, you'll wake Nathalie," Abby warned him as she came to greet him. Then she noticed Eric.
"Oh my God! Eric!" She squealed, ignoring her previous warning to Carter. She flung her arms around him. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you in ages? What brought you back here? How are you?" Eric smiled at the torrent of questions.
"Hey, you wanna slow down a bit?" Eric asked, jokingly. "I'm fine. It should be me asking the questions, after all, I did miss the birth of my niece." Abby smiled. Carter, after he had taken off his coat, came and put his arm around Abby's waist.
"She's sleeping, right?" Carter asked Abby, who nodded. "As long as you're quiet, come and see her."
"Sure, I'd love to," Eric nodded and they crept into Nathalie's bedroom, where she slept peacefully.
"She's so cute," Eric whispered. Carter smiled at Abby. Nathalie turned in her sleep, one small hand complete with tiny fingernails gripped the ear of her teddy bear. Her little mouth pouted slightly as she slept on and Abby tucked the blanket around her as they left the room.
* * *
"So, what made you come back so suddenly?" Abby asked her brother as they sat around the kitchen table. Eric looked a bit uncomfortable at this question.
"Well, Maggie's ill. Really ill," Eric began. In the next room, Nathalie woke up and began to cry.
"I'll go see to her," Carter muttered and left, quickly. For the first time he was glad for his baby daughter's wailing, as it provided a welcome escape from the hostility and uncomfortable feeling that was felt when Eric and Abby's mother was mentioned. He didn't understand Abby's hatred for her mother, he just accepted it. He didn't want to get involved; it seemed far too complicated to make sense.
"And? What do you want me to do about it?" retorted Abby. Eric shrugged, defencelessly.
"Well, I just thought it would be nice if we were there for her," Eric suggested. Abby looked at him with expressionless eyes. "You know, when she.well.when she dies." Eric didn't want to bring up Maggie's inevitable death. He didn't want to hear Abby tell him that she didn't care, or something like that. It just seemed so unnatural, so cruel, and so wrong that Abby should not mind about her mother's death.
"Well will this be anytime soon?" Abby asked, coolly.
"Oh for god's sake, Abby, it's not something you can put down in your diary." Eric became impatient. "Wouldn't it just be nice to make amends, before she dies? Otherwise you might regret it."
"Oh, right. Maggie's dying, oh shame, let's all kiss and make up." Abby spat out, sarcastically.
"Abby, seriously, she's still our mother, despite what you may hope. Despite the fact you call her Maggie. Despite the fact you never see her," Eric replied. "You should come down and see her. Before it's too late."
"You make it sound so dramatic"
"Well it's not something you take lightly."
"I can't just come down just like that. I've got my own family now." Abby told him, and then wished she hadn't. Eric's face fell. She replayed her last sentence in her head and realised how it must've sounded. To Eric, she and Maggie were his only family, but now she had gone off and began her own. "Oh god, Eric, don't take it like that. I didn't mean it that way. I meant it in a sense that I can't drop everything and leave. What about Nathalie?"
"Yeah, I know," Eric nodded. "I guess it would be complicated. Ok, forget it, but I have to get back to her." Eric looked so sad and upset. He had tried. He had tried to fix his dysfunctional family, but as always, both Abby was too stubborn, too headstrong to forgive. If it wasn't Abby, then it was Maggie. Like mother like daughter. They were so similar; it was crazy that they didn't get on.
"Oh, Eric," Abby sighed. "I'll come. I'll come and I guess I'll have to bring everyone with me. There's no way I'm leaving my baby, she's only two months old."
Eric smiled and nodded.
"I'm sure Maggie would be really pleased to see you and her granddaughter," Eric enthused. Abby scowled; as if hating to be reminded that her poor defenceless baby was actually related to Maggie.
"When do you want me to come down?" Abby asked.
"Well, tomorrow would be fantastic," Eric suggested. Abby rolled her eyes. It would have to be straight away.
"Fine, I'll see if I can get leave at such short notice," she emphasised the word 'short' as though trying to draw more attention to Maggie being an inconvenience. Eric beamed.
"Thanks, Ab."
"No problem. Well, it is a problem, but hey." She sighed, smiled and got up to go and see how Carter was getting on. Everything in her life was just brand new. Just washed clean. New apartment, new husband, new baby. She wished she could spend more time with the newness of her life, but as always, her mother had to return. She had to come back, staining the fresh start, spoiling the new beginning, reminding her of everything in the old life she so hated. She had only just found someone else to lean on. She had only just begun to raise a child who was her own, and not her brother. She had only begun to smile again when her mother calls her back. Could she not leave things be?
* * *
Abby joined Carter in Nathalie's room.
"How is she?" Carter and Abby whispered in unison. They smiled, but Abby's smile soon faded. In an answer to her question, Nathalie yawned widely and closed her eyes. Carter placed her gently back into the bed and Abby tucked her in.
"She's not very well." Abby replied, shortly. Carter looked at her and raised her eyebrows.
"Ok, fine," Abby gave in. She didn't particularly want to elaborate on a subject she hated, but Carter would drag it out of her anyway. "She's probably going to die soon. Eric wants me to go down and be with her."
"When?" Carter asked. Abby smiled bitterly.
"Tomorrow." Abby answered. Her smile fell from her face and she dug her head into Carter's chest. Carter put his arms around her, and stroked her back, trying to calm her down.
"I don't want to go," she mumbled into his shirt. She pressed her head against him harder. "I don't want to go,"
"Hey, hey," he turned her head up to look in her eyes and he was surprised to find angry tears there. "It's ok, baby. Don't you want to make amends?"
"No," Abby pouted. She shook her head fiercely. "I want to stay here. I want to stay with you, I want to look after my baby and I want to keep away from my old life." Carter stroked her cheek. His finger seemed to coax a tear out of her furious eyes and it slid down her cheek and ran onto his knuckle.
"We can all go. Wherever you want me, Abby, I'll be there," Carter promised her. "We can take Nathalie and we can go,"
"But.but tomorrow?" Abby looked up, doubtful, her frustration began to fall away. Carter smiled at her.
"Anything is possible, honey." Carter kissed her still pouting lips, gently. "Just relax a bit. Get some sleep." She allowed herself to be carried in his arms. He was right, how did he know she was tired? She didn't even realise how tired she was until he kissed her and whispered those words. She rested his head on his shoulder. Everything would get sorted out. She was sure of it. He laid her, gently on their bed and stroked her hair. 'As long as he was there,' she thought, 'as long as he was there for her, nothing could ever touch them' She fell asleep and dreamt of her, Carter, Nathalie, Maggie and Eric all together, as all one happy, normal family. Like he said, anything is possible. Maybe even true happiness could happen.
