Carol woke up and looked at the clock, she'd slept really late, it was past 9. She sat up straight looking around. The bed was a mess and she was sore between her legs from the love making the night before. She moaned a little as she rolled off the bed. She felt a tell tail twinge that let her know that she needed to treat her vagina with a little more respect today. She didn't know if it was complaining because of over use or it had been neglected for so long.
She walked slowly around the room. She pulled on some track pants of Daryls and a tee shirt. Stretching she pulled open the curtains and looked out the back lawn, it was neglected, she could see they were going to have to look at fencing at some stage and a play house, sandpit her mind went over board at all the things she could have for Ollie. He was going to have things that he hadn't had before, she was getting excited for what they could do out there. She was thinking she could have her own project. She stretched again then she went looking for the boys.
The house was completely empty. No one was about. She had a quick panic but then she saw a note on the kitchen table. She bent down to pick it up to read.
Had to go to work, I've got Ollie, come when you're ready, you will have to walk
He took him to the garage, Carol walked over to make the call to make sure everything was ok. Daryl answered the phone telling her everything was fine. Ollie was fine, and eating a apple, and having a drink. He told her that he would be fine there with him for a little while longer.
'Why didn't you wake me up?'
'You looked really tired,' Daryl told her, 'Besides, Ollie wanted to come to work when I went to wake you. He didn't want to stay home he wanted to come see where the garage was.'
'You will keep him safe?'
'Of course, he's with Merle right now, he's got him polishing hub caps... how are you?'
'Not bad,'
'How are you?'
'No regrets except...'
'What?' he sounded worried.
'I might need a ice pack or something,'
'You want me to hold it in place?'
'Nope, I'm going to take a bath then I will come down,'
'I can leave Ollie with Merle,'
'No... no, I think we need to actually talk before we do that again, ring marriage counselling... if you still want to do it,'
'I want to... when ever you can get one just let me know,'
They rung off, Carol looked in the fridge for food come out eating while walking around poking in and about at the bills that were stacked on the side by the phone, she poked through to see if there was anything alarming. She saw power, phone, water, a donation recipe to the red nose foundation. That one wasn't expected. It was made from the business, a large one. Both Daryl and Merle must have agreed to it other wise it wouldn't be in their name.
She read the letter that come with the receipt thanking them for their donation, giving the states of babies dying suddenly. She knew the stats she knew everything she could about it. She put the letter down then went through to the lounge to look at the baby photos around the little urn. She picked it up off the shelf and run her finger around the curves. Carol noticed it was sparkling, the shelf was dusted and well loved. There was more things added to it. She went up on tippee toes and saw 5 tiny gift wrapped gifts right at the back.
She put the urn in the middle of the coffee table so she wouldn't knock it over then she turned back and she picked one up, looked at it and looked at the tag. It was small almost like a jewelry box. Carol turned it over and over in her hand, she could tell he wrapped it, brought it... what was in the tiny boxes, she looked at the tag again.
'We love you, miss you, love Mummy & Daddy,'
She grabbed the other 5 gifts looking at them, the gift wrapping got better and better, she assumed they might be birthday gifts or anniversary gifts. The anniversary was a hard day, really hard, could barely get out of bed days. She gave each one a shake to test its weight, noise, she wanted to open them to see what it was. She put them back in the order he'd had them.
What had he been collecting, or buying for her, she didn't know. She was going to ask him, her heart felt a little heavy. She put the urn back, run a finger across a baby picture then she looked along at the CD rack pulling out an old faithful friend, putting it in the CD play taking out the rock CD that Daryl had in there. Quickly the house was filled with pop music, Daryl hated this type of music but let her play it when ever because it made her happy, as she usually moved around the house bouncing to the beat.
She found the phone book and looked through finally deciding on someone to ring who could help them with their marriage if they were going to be together. Try being a couple. She did think they needed some time apart, time to get her head under control. She made the call and managed to grab a cancellation for 3pm that afternoon, she would let him know when she walked the few blocks to the garage to pick up Ollie.
She made another call to Maggie asking her to keep Ollie for them while they went. She'd said that would be fine. The boys would play together it would be fine, Ollie would be fine and they were happy to keep him for dinner if she and Daryl wanted to go out for a bite to eat after. Carol wandered through to the bathroom. Filling the bath while talking with Maggie. She rung off.
She lay back in the bath, phone kept out of the water and she made another phone call holding the phone and awkwardly holding it, trying to dial the numbers she knew off by heart. She put the phone to her ear and waited for an answer.
'Hello... yes its me... I'm in the bath... no alone, geeze,' Carol smiled and listened to Tara chatting away into the phone telling her she didn't have many more classes left and she was moving down near them, she missed Ollie, she was looking to find a job. Carol grin got wider and wider as Tara launched into the drama that unfolded when they realized that Carol and Ollie no longer were in the state. Tara knew she wouldn't get a job anywhere so she was coming whether they wanted her there or not. She would pitch a tent in the back yard if she had too. Tara told her that was fine they had a spare room. She picked up on the spare room which should be Carols.
'We are working it out,' Carol said into the phone, she looked up seeing the man she was talking about come around the bathroom door and trail his eyes down her body, 'I have to go, I've got a pervert come to watch me wash.' Tara told her she would see her soon. Carol had no doubts she would be coming and everyone in town would know she was there because Tara made friends everywhere.