Sweet Revenge
Sequel to Love, Happiness Pursuit of Revenge. This one has more Paula interaction and some angst at times. I hope you enjoy it. As always feedback is welcomed.
Chapter 1 – Special DeliveryIt's been one and a half years since Dexter's murder. Detective Michaels went to jail, still claiming he was not the one who pulled the trigger. He was just a bystander. His part was to frame not kill. Detective Michaels insists that Paula Carlin did the actual shooting that killed Dexter Hall.
To date, no one knows where Paula Carlin is. No one knew if she went back to Brazil or was still in the states. The states being the unlikely choice due to the fact there was a warrant out for her arrest.
/
Spencer and Ashley got married a week after the infamous trial. Ashley, Spencer, Glen and Chelsea flew to Canada and while they were there decided to stay for a few extra days to relax. Ashley and Spencer's reason to stay was to enjoy a short honeymoon. The view of Niagara Falls from their bedroom was spectacular and they were not quite ready to leave yet. Glen and Chelsea also took advantage of their extra few days in Canada because neither Spencer nor Ashley saw them outside their hotel room after the wedding.
The wedding took place in the late afternoon at the Sheraton Falls Hotel in a rented room that overlooked Niagara Falls. The mixture of sunset and the glistening mist of the waterfall made the scene from the room breathtaking, even more so when night fell. Arthur and Heather decided to surprise Spencer and Ashley on their wedding day by arriving to the hotel the afternoon of the ceremony along with Christine, Aiden and to Ashley's great surprise Madison and Joe to celebrate Spencer and Ashley's nuptials. It was a glorious evening for everyone. Dinner, dancing and togetherness amongst family and friends.
For the ceremony both ladies choose long ivory color gowns to wear. Ashley wore a silk chiffon spaghetti strap plunging open back and deep V-cut front gown with a pleated fishtail hem. Spencer wore a silk strapless embroidered neckline bustier gown with embroidered and beaded jacket, high split up the thigh with three inch heel stilettos to match the gowns they were wearing. Both gowns left nothing to the imagination. They looked HOT!
During their six months sabbatical from the University, Spencer and Ashley traveled the country. Leaving Canada they flew to Paris, Australia and Italy ending at the Fiji Islands. They returned refreshed, tension free, more deeply in love then ever with each other, if that's at all possible and ready to devote their time to making a family.
They've been married for eighteen months now with a baby on the way. They would have started a family right after they were married, but decided to take a honeymoon, travel the country and just enjoy each others company while making plans as to who would carry the pregnancy. They both decided it would be Ashley. Spencer would have carried the pregnancy but found out she may not be able to carry to full-term. So with DNA from both women and the sperm donation Ashley conceived. She was in her seventh month of pregnancy.
Spencer still worked at Princeton University as chairperson of the English Department and Ashley went back to school to get her masters degree, which earned her a promotion to Dean of the Music Department.
Because Ashley was in her seventh month, Spencer insisted she lighten her load of class lectures so as not to tired herself too much. Spencer had become very protective of Ashley and her activities at the University and at home. Even more so, now that she was in her seventh month.
Glen and Chelsea were also expecting a baby. Their bundle of joy was due in three weeks. Spencer couldn't be more excited, she was going to be an auntie and in two more months, a new mother herself.
Life for Spencer and Ashley was perfect or so they thought. They had a perfect wedding and honeymoon, eighteen months ago and a perfect six months of rest and relaxation. They had return to the realizations of the real world. Prepared to tackle life's ups and downs as long as they were together.
But life is not always what it should be, never perfect although we would like it to be. It sometimes throws us a curve that can be precarious and unrelenting.
/
"Spencer!" Ashley called out, "I can't find my lesson planner for today's classes."
"Ashley I don't understand why you can never keep up with your lesson planner. It's on the kitchen table by the empty bag of Oreo cookies you ate last night," Spencer said giggling.
"Oh! Thank you, sweetheart."
As Ashley is walking into the kitchen she see Mrs. Bailey, the housekeeper. "Mrs. Bailey would you mine making that spaghetti dish that has the mushroom, anchovies, tomatoes and artichokes with meat for dinner tonight? I've been craving that all week."
Mrs. Bailey just laughed at Ashley. "Of course, Ms. Ashley, but you know that was just an experimental dish I was working on. I call it Garbage Spaghetti." "Uh, yeah maybe you should change that name Mrs. Bailey," smiled Ashley. "Perhaps you're right Ms. Ashley, my family loves the dish but not the name, they say the name makes them sick," she said laughing. "I'll start on the spaghetti this afternoon, anything for you and my little bun in the oven you're carrying."
Buzzzz…
"Yes, who is it?" Spencer asks into the door intercom system.
"Special delivery, I have a package for a Mrs. Spencer Carlin-Davies."
"Okay, come on up." Buzzzz…
Ding Dong!
"Hi! Mrs. Spencer Carlin-Davies?"
"Yes."
"Please sign here…"
"Thank you," Spencer said.
"What is it Spencer?" Ashley asked.
"I don't know I didn't order anything and there's no return address on the box," Spencer said looking at the box.
Spencer shrugs her shoulders, opens up the medium size box and pulls out a headless Barbie doll and a picture. The picture is of Spencer and Ashley taken in a restaurant with Spencer's face marked with a red X.
"Oh my God," Spencer said shocked, "what kind of joke is this? Who would send me a doll with a missing head and a picture?"
She examines the picture more closely and realizes it was taken in a restaurant she and Ashley frequent quite often. "Ashley weren't we at this restaurant a couple of nights ago?"
"Spencer we've been to that restaurant so many times that picture could have been taken anytime."
"Yes that's right but this is the first time we've been at this restaurant since you started showing." Spencer's thoughts went deep, looking in her wife's direction, but not necessarily looking at her wife, she wondered what kind of message the delivered package was trying to convey. Then her thoughts drifted to her mother.
"Spencer what is it?" Ashley asked.
She whispers looking at Ashley… "my mother."
"Spencer you don't know for sure if your mother sent that package. You haven't heard from her in over a year. Nothing."
"Yes I do know, she's sick enough to do this. Remember the telegram I got when we were at dinner celebrating the ending of the trial? She's just laying low waiting to start her shit again."
"You don't know that Spencer," Ashley said with some concern in her voice. "Okay, if it is your mother what are we going to do about it? We can't prove anything right now. It could be just someone's idea of a prank."
"No, I don't think so Ashley. I just…" Spencer stops her wayward thoughts, seeing some fear in Ashley's eyes. "Ashley I'm sorry, you're right, I could be worrying for nothing." Spencer walked over to her wife and placed a small kiss on her forehead.
"I think I'll call my father and Glen to see what they think of this strange package. Ashley? You don't have classes to lecture today do you?"
"No not until tomorrow afternoon. Why?"
"I don't know… I…I just wanted to know," Spencer said not wanting to worry her wife anymore than she already had.
"Spencer why don't you go visit Arthur now and I'll go with you. You can get your assistant to handle your classes for today."
"That's a wonderful idea Ashley, maybe if we're lucky and dad can get away, we can all have lunch together. I'll call Heather and see if she and dad have some free time for us today."
/
Heather comes to greet Spencer and Ashley in the reception area of Arthur's office.
"Spencer, Ashley it's good to see you." Heather said smiling. "Ashley you're coming along quite well with the pregnancy. Are you sure you're not having twins," Heather asks laughing.
"No Heather," Spencer said also laughing, "she's just eating everything in sight."
"Spencer! I am not," Ashley replied pouting.
"I'm just joking sweetie," Spencer said still laughing wrapping her arms around her pregnant wife's waist.
"Your father's in his office waiting for you." "Heather, please if you're not busy I want you to see what I have to show my father," Spencer says nervously.
"Spencer! Ashley! Two of my favorite ladies, the first one being my wife of course," Arthur said giving Heather a peck on the lips.
"I was thinking about the baby and…" "Dad!" Spencer cuts in… "I… got this package by special delivery this morning… look."
Arthur and Heather look inside the box confused. "What does this mean Spencer?" Arthur asked.
"I don't know, I think… I think it's mom."
"Spencer, why would your mother send you a headless doll?" Arthur asked.
"Dad did you see the picture that came with the doll? I think it's a threat toward me and my family."
Arthur and Heather looked at Spencer and Ashley with some trepidation. "Spencer I can't believe your mother…" then Arthur said nothing. "Let's call Glen over here and find out if he's heard from Paula."
"Ashley, are you still talking to Detective Morgan?" Arthur asked.
"Yes, as a matter of fact I talked to her just last week. She wanted to know how my pregnancy was progressing and it's Lieutenant Morgan now." Ashley said rubbing her stomach.
Spencer noticing Ashley rubbing her stomach became concerned with her young wife, "Ashley are you okay?" "I'm fine sweetie, I'm just letting our child know everything's going to be okay," smiling back at her wife.
Arthur was also concerned about his very pregnant daughter-in-law, "I want to know if Paula has communicated with her son, if so we need to inform Lieutenant Morgan, so she can be arrested. There's still a warrant out for her arrest."
"Arthur you think Paula might have sent this crazy package?" asked Heather.
"With her being accused of killing Dexter and her suspected involvement in Spencer's trial, the manipulations in Spencer's divorce…" "And don't forget the telegram she sent me that night on the day I was exonerated, dad."
"That's right sweetheart, so yes Heather, I think she could have sent Spencer this box. Ashley honey, give Heather, Lieutenant Morgan's phone number and Heather would you call Lieutenant Morgan and see if she has time to come here and speak to us. I have a uneasy feeling that perhaps Paula has made her way back into the States undetected."