Caroline & New Years
Part Three of Three
Rated 'PG-13' for sexual and intense content
By:
With Creative assistance provided by:
*****~*****
--"Annie? C'mon... don't do this... talk to me..." Caroline begged, wanting to help her friend...
"He proposed..." Annie choked out... "Del proposed..."
"I know, I was there. Sweetie, why are you crying? I thought this is what you wanted..."
"Marriage? I wanted something more serious... but... marriage? I don't know Caroline..."
"Well, if you weren't thinking marriage... what were you thinking?"
"I don't know..."
"So, are you saying you don't want to marry him?"
"I don't know. I mean, maybe... someday... I don't know..." Annie's anguish was deep and obvious...
"Oh, sweetie... I know this is a scary step... is that what this is about? Are you scared?"
"Scared?! I'm PETRIFIED! It just seems like we're missing lots of steps here. He's never even said 'I love you' to me! Except that time in bed... and tonight..."
"Well, Del doesn't always express himself very well. But he does love you..."
"How do you know? What if this is just a last ditch effort to be married to someone... ANYONE... and I'll just... DO... you know?"
"He's not settling Annie... he really does love you. He's been talking with Richard about it since before Thanksgiving..."
"What? Why?"
"Del needed someone to talk to... so he confided in Richard. Then Richard told me..."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Richard asked me not to. But he was obviously holding out on me... cause I didn't know Del was planning on proposing to you. Last I heard, he was CONSIDERING buying you a ring..."
"So, he really loves me?"
"Yeah... he really does..." Caroline confirmed...
"Why?"
"Because..." Del interrupted as he entered the kitchen. When Caroline and Annie looked up at him, he gave Caroline a look that told her he wanted to be alone with Annie. She smiled as she headed for the door...
"I'll just leave you two alone now..."
"Annie..." Del continued... "I love you because you're beautiful, and smart, and funny, and you put up with me. You're sexy and sweet... and I can't imagine my life without you..."
Annie wiped the tears from her face and looked down at the ground, too emotional to speak.
"I know it seems like it's rushing things a bit..." Del said softly as he took a step closer to her... "But you're the one. I'm sure of it. But if you're not... you know, 'sure'... we can go slower. I just want to be with you..."
"Yes..." Annie whispered...
"Yes?"
Annie chuckled softly... "Yes, I will marry you..."
Del walked the other few steps to her and embraced her lovingly...
"Are you sure? Just, like, 2 minutes ago--..."
"Two minutes ago I was scared that you were asking me for the wrong reasons. Now I know you're asking me for the right reasons..." she assured him, kissing him tenderly.
Del took the ring out of his pocket and placed it on her finger, kissing her hand gently...
"Let's go tell everyone the good news..." Del suggested, taking Annie by the hand.
*****~*****
--Richard and Caroline sat on the couch, snuggled up to one another after everyone had left for the night...
"Isn't the tree beautiful Richard?"
"I guess..." he replied indifferently... "Too much tinsel..." he added jokingly.
"You're such a 'Grinch'!" Caroline teased, jabbing him with her elbow lightly...
"I'm not a 'Grinch'! I didn't try to stop Christmas from coming! I didn't steal the 'who-pudding' and 'rare who-roast-beast'! I just said there was too much tinsel on the tree..."
Caroline looked at him with a shocked expression on her face...
"I think I'm surprised you know that much of the 'Grinch' story!"
"I was a child once. You know? Believe it or not I used to look forward to Christmas..."
"What happened to change that?"
"Too many disappointing Christmas mornings..."
"Your Mom said it's only because you're Jewish that she didn't get you Christmas presents..."
Richard scoffed...
"Yeah, well, she used that as an excuse not to give me Christmas presents, and she used the fact that we were not 'practicing' Judaism as an excuse not to give me Hanukkah presents. Either way, the holidays were a disappointment."
There was a sadness to his tone, and Caroline held him a bit tighter...
"I'm sorry. I wish I could make it up to you. I wish you would let me make it up to you. This time of year is so wonderful. I want you to enjoy it too..."
"I'm trying Caroline. You knew I was like this when you married me..."
"I know. Doesn't mean I can't wish for your happiness though... right?"
"I am happy. You make me happy. It's just... so many years of heartache and disappointment is hard to overcome quickly. It's going to take time..."
Richard was seldom so open with his emotions and feelings, and Caroline appreciated the rare glimpse into his heart. They sat silent for a while, enjoying the quiet Christmas carols playing on the stereo and the soft glow of the Christmas lights on the tree in the near-dark house.
"Annie and Del getting married... pretty amazing, hmmm?" Caroline broke the silence...
"Amazing..."
"How come you didn't tell me he was going to propose? Didn't you trust me to keep the secret?"
"No, I trust you. I just thought... that you might get excited and let it slip... is all. Plus, Del asked me not to..."
"Ah... so it was DEL who didn't trust me..." Caroline joked...
"I didn't say that..." Richard stated defensively...
Caroline got up and headed for the tree. She unplugged it, then turned around and smiled at Richard. He could barely see her in the darkness of the room...
"Let's go to bed..." she suggested, then turned to the stairs. Richard silently stood and followed closely behind her as they ascended towards the bedroom.
*****~*****
--"I can't believe how fast they threw this wedding together!" Caroline exclaimed as she decorated the house for Annie's and Del's wedding... "And to have a wedding on New Years... how romantic..."
"Uh-huh..." Richard sounded disinterested as he hung the large crepe-paper wedding bells from the ceiling...
"You're not excited about this at all??"
Richard just shrugged his shoulders... "Yeah, I guess..."
"Fine..." Caroline huffed... "I'll be excited for the both of us then!"
"I think I'm just amazed its happening so soon after he proposed..." Richard added...
"Not everyone takes four years to marry the person they love..." Annie said as she came down the stairs, overhearing the conversation...
"Yeah, true... but one week?! It seems fast..."
"Don't ruin this for her Richard..." Caroline scolded... "It's her special day!"
"I'm not trying to ruin it... I'm just saying... it seems a bit fast to me..."
Annie just waved him away and turned to Caroline...
"This looks great you guys!" she said, excited about the decorations and flowers that were starting to transform Caroline's Wisconsin home into a beautiful setting for her wedding. "You sure you don't need any help?"
"No... this is YOUR day! You just worry about getting yourself ready. Leave the rest to us! After all... what are matron-of-honors for?"
"Thanks Caroline... for everything..." Annie said, hugging her best friend.
"You're welcome."
"I'm too nervous to eat... but I know I need to. Can I raid your kitchen?"
"Of course! Coffee is already made..."
*****~*****
--The 'Wedding March' played as Annie walked down the stairs towards Del.
"Oh my God... she looks amazing..." Del whispered to Richard, who just cracked a slight grin.
The minister began the ceremony shortly before midnight. They wanted to time it carefully so that the kiss after they were pronounced 'man and wife' would come at exactly midnight. As midnight approached, the minister ended the service...
"By the power invested in me by the state of Wisconsin, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Del, you may kiss your bri--..."
The minister was interrupted and startled by the front door flying open and a loud yell coming from the person storming through the door...
"They can't get married!" the man yelled as he stumbled into the living room. Coming into view, Caroline knew immediately who it was...
"Randy! What are you doing here?!" Caroline barked...
"You can't marry him! I love you! You were going to marry me! I want you to marry me... I NEED you to marry me..." Randy was drunk, and it was obvious to everyone.
Richard took a step towards him, as if ready to go to battle, but Caroline touched his arm and stepped forward, cutting him off from approaching.
"Randy, this isn't my wedding... It's Annie's and Del's wedding..." she stated softly.
Randy looked around for a moment, then hung his head, as if ashamed of his actions. Caroline felt pangs of sympathy and guilt, not having realized how devastated he was at her leaving him for Richard. She walked to him and put her hand on his shoulder...
"I am so sorry Randy..."
He looked up at her with an expression that showed extreme sadness, then, it changed. To anger and rage. The look frightened Caroline, and she started to back away when he quickly grabbed her arm and pulled a gun from his pocket. He wrapped his arm around her neck, holding her tight to him, and placed the gun to her temple...
"Don't move!" he snapped at Richard, cocking the hammer back on the gun when he saw Richard move towards him. Richard froze and guests started screaming and dropping to the floor. "Shut up!" he yelled at those who were screaming... and everyone did. "Don't even THINK about following me! Caroline is mine! She loved me once... you STOLE her from ME!" The anger in Randy's eyes showed him to be unstable, and Richard just stared back, unwilling to risk Caroline's safety.
Randy ran from the house, dragging Caroline with. He pushed her into his car and sped away as everyone watched from the front porch and windows. Richard started to run after the car out of sheer desperation, but stopped when he realized it was futile.
*****~*****
--Annie was sobbing, Stefano was crying, and Richard sat numb, large tears falling to the carpet as he hung his head low. The police immediately jumped into action, but they weren't having any luck finding a trail of where Randy went with his hostage. The falling snow was covering the few tracks left by the car and the darkness of night wasn't helping either. Caroline's Mom had gone from near hysterical to eerily quiet, tears falling faster than she could wipe them away... not that she even bothered trying to. Fred picked up Stefano and headed for the stairs...
"I think all this is upsetting the baby..." Fred stated softly... "I'm gonna take him upstairs and change him... and see if I can't calm him down some..."
Richard looked up at him with expressionless eyes, then nodded silently.
Del held Annie, trying to comfort her, but she was not consolable...
"Shhh... it's going to be ok Annie. The police will find her..." Del whispered, trying not to sound as panicked as he was.
Richard glanced over at Del and Annie, then got up and headed for the kitchen where Grandma Duffy was knitting and humming. Grandma Duffy, as she got older, became less aware of reality. She thought nothing of what had happened, and everyone felt the less she understood the better, so no one bothered explaining the situation to her.
--"Hello Roger." she said as Richard entered the kitchen.
"Richard... Grandma Duffy... my name is Richard..."
She didn't even blink, she just kept knitting and humming softly. Richard just shook his head and grabbed a glass from the cupboard, pouring himself a glass of water from the tap.
Grandma Duffy looked up at him briefly, then looked back to her project...
"You never look happy." she said without batting an eye.
"What?"
"I've never once seen you looking happy."
"Well, I'll look happy when I find Caroline..." Richard said as he sat his glass down in the sink.
"She's with Randy..." she stated without concern.
"I know..." He was trying not to lose his patience with her. He slumped back against the kitchen counter and sighed... "I just don't know where he took her..."
"Did you try the cabin?"
"What?? What cabin?"
"Randy's parent's cabin."
Richard stood up straight and approached her as she continued to knit...
"No, Grandma Duffy, I haven't. Do you happen to remember where the cabin is?" He tried to sound as calm as her, but anxiousness was in his tone.
She nodded... "Out past old-man Simpson's farm. Off Tucker Road..."
Richard kissed her cheek, then ran out of the kitchen and for the door. She just looked up as he left and shook her head, then went back to her handicraft.
*****~*****
--Caroline watched as Randy rocked nervously on the couch. She could tell he was volatile, and was torn between being afraid of him and wanting to comfort him. Knowing she was the reason for his pain hurt her deeply, and it made her want to cry, but she forced her tears back...
"Randy?" she asked softly. He didn't even flinch. "Randy?" she asked again, forcing her voice to stay calm.
"What?" he replied, avoiding her eyes by looking at the floor.
"What happens now?"
Randy leaped from the couch and stormed over to the window, the abrupt action scaring Caroline...
"I don't know!" he barked, then he started to pace. "Why did you have to leave me? What does Richard have that I don't? He's nothing but a starving artist! We have SO much more in common! Why leave ME for HIM?!"
Caroline didn't feel like she could answer that question without angering him further, so she just looked to the ground.
"I would have given you anything! I loved you! I STILL love you!"
His tone sounded full of rage, like he was capable of violence at any moment. Caroline determined that if she was going to get out of the cabin alive, she was going to have to tell him what he wanted to hear...
"I love you too..." she said softly.
"Oh, right! Sure you do!"
"I do. I thought Richard was who I wanted, but I was wrong." she lied, and convincingly too.
"Oh sure. Then why didn't you come to tell me? Why were you still there with him?"
"I wanted to wait till after the holidays. I thought it would be better..."
Randy looked at her, and his expression softened... like he was believing her.
"I've thought of nothing else... but you... since you left me that day..." he said as he approached her.
"I'm sorry it couldn't have been pleasant thoughts..." she said as he reached out to hold her. She hugged him back, forcing herself not to react negatively to his touch.
"I want to marry you Caroline..."
She nodded, then took a deep breath...
"I want to marry you too Randy. Can you please put the gun down now?"
Randy pulled back and looked at her... studying her eyes. She thought for sure her expression was going to give her away, give away the fact that she didn't love him, but was scared of him and willing to lie to protect herself. After a moment, he smiled and placed the gun on the coffee table, then embraced Caroline again. She sighed, relieved that the gun was down.
*Now, to get out of here...* she thought to herself as Randy held onto her tight.
He pulled away, then started kissing her. She wanted to pull away, but she didn't dare for fear it would anger him. He started running his hands over her body, and sheer terror swept through her as she realized where all this was going.
*I am NOT having sex with him!* she told herself, forcing herself to stay calm. *I have to get out of here NOW...*
With an abrupt movement she grabbed the gun off the coffee table and bashed Randy in the head, causing him to fall to the ground. She screamed at her actions, instinctively dropping to the floor to see if he was alright. She checked his pulse... he had one, and he was breathing. She was shaking hard, and she took a deep breath hoping it would settle her nerves... of course, it didn't. She looked around for a phone, but couldn't find one...
"How can there be no phone?" she asked nobody as she looked around, trying to figure out what to do next.
Randy started to moan a bit, and not wanting to be there when he came to, Caroline ran out the door and into the freezing cold night.
*****~*****
--The road to the cabin was snowed in, so Richard got out of the car and started walking towards it. It was still quite aways off, but he could see it in the distance... or at least he could see the lights from it. His legs were getting numb from the snow, but he ignored the pain and cold. Caroline was his top priority. He silently wished he had thought to bring a flashlight with him, the moonlight only providing a small amount of light. He had barely finished the thought when he tripped on something, causing him to land face first into the snow. He rolled over and sat up, trying to make out the object he had tripped on. He moved closer, struggling to make out features of some kind...
"Oh my God..." he said softly, realizing what it was... who it was... "Caroline!"
Richard gathered Caroline up in his arms and brushed the snow from her face...
"Caroline!" he called to her, trying to get her to answer.
She didn't. He placed his ear near her mouth and listened and felt for her breath. He swallowed hard and sighed as he realized she was breathing. She was alive.
"Caroline? Talk to me..."
He shook her gently, and she slowly opened her eyes...
"Richard?" she whispered... "Am I dreaming?"
"No, love, you're not. I'm here."
He took off his coat and wrapped it around her, then lifted her up and headed for the car.
*****~*****
--Richard was pacing nervously in the hospital hallway when Del, Annie, and Caroline's parents came running up to him, Stefano in Annie's arms. They all started talking at once and Richard reached for Stefano, then shushed everyone with a loud hissing sound...
"SSSHHH!"
He hugged his son, then shook his head to help clear his mind...
"Caroline is fine. They are running some tests to be sure, but they feel she will be just fine..." he informed everyone as they looked nervously to him for answers.
"Thank God..." Margaret sighed, hugging Fred for comfort.
"Mr. Karinsky?" the elderly doctor asked Richard as he approached the large crowd of people.
Richard looked to him quickly and nodded...
"Yes?"
"Your wife is going to be fine. A little hypothermia, so we're going to keep her a few hours for observation, but she is going to be just fine." he said with a smile.
"Thank you doctor... thank you..." Richard said, shaking the doctors hand.
"No thanks necessary... just doing my job." The doctor started to walk away, then stopped abruptly and turned around... "Oh! And the fetus is fine..."
All the soft conversations everyone was having amongst themselves stopped instantly, and everyone looked to the doctor... shocked expressions on their faces.
"What?" Richard asked calmly, his eyes expressing the amazement his voice didn't.
"You didn't know she was pregnant?" the doctor asked, somewhat sheepishly.
"No. I didn't. Did she? How far along is she?" A million questions popped into Richard's head.
"I don't know if she knew, and I don't know how far along she is. An obstetrician could tell you better about that..."
Richard just stared at the doctor for a moment, then finally snapped out of his daze...
"Can I go see her?"
"Of course..."
Richard handed Stefano to Margaret, then started walking towards Caroline's room when a commotion coming through the emergency room doors caught his attention.
"I said I was fine." Randy said to the police officers who were escorting him into the hospital.
"It's procedure..." one of the officers stated simply as he approached the check-in window.
Richard and Randy locked eyes, and immediately rage grew in Richard. Without even thinking he sprinted over to Randy and punched him square in the face. Randy fell to the floor, unable to break his own fall because he was handcuffed. One of the officers jumped at Richard and grabbed him, physically preventing him from further attacking Randy. Richard struggled to get loose as he yelled at Randy...
"You PSYCHOPATH! She could have died! Our unborn baby could have died!"
"Caroline is pregnant?" Randy asked quietly.
Richard growled and fought harder to get loose...
"Don't you even SAY her NAME! Not EVER! Do you hear me?! EVER!"
One of the police officers helped Randy off the floor, but Randy kept his head hung low, looking down at the ground.
The officer holding Richard pulled out handcuffs as soon as Richard calmed down and proceeded to cuff Richard...
"Richard Karinsky, you are under arrest for assault. You have the right to remain silent. If you give up this right..."
"You're not seriously going to arrest him, are you?" Annie asked, standing up for Richard... "He was provoked! This lunatic KIDNAPPED his wife and endangered HER life and his unborn baby's life!"
The officer stopped and looked at Annie, then at Richard. Richard was now very calm and sadness had replaced the rage in his eyes. The officer looked over at the other officer and seemed to be silently asking for his opinion.
"If it matters, I don't want to press charges..." Randy added to the situation, avoiding eye contact with Richard.
"C'mon!" Del interjected... "His pregnant wife is lying in there because of this guy! He normally isn't a violent man. Give the guy a break!"
The officer nodded ever-so-slightly, then un-cuffed Richard...
"Fine. Less paperwork this way..."
Richard rubbed his wrists and extended his hand towards the officer...
"Thank you officer..." Richard said as he shook the policeman's hand... "Can I...?" he asked, gesturing towards Caroline's room.
"Yeah. Go ahead. Go see your wife..."
*****~*****
--Richard tiptoed quietly into Caroline's room, as if the sound of his shoes hitting the floor would hurt her.
"Hi! I wondered when you were going to come see me..." Caroline said cheerfully when she opened her eyes and saw Richard standing there.
Richard leaned forward and held her, too choked up to speak.
"It's ok Richard... I'm fine..." she assured him, and he pulled back and kissed her gently on the lips...
"Thank God..." he said, sitting on the edge of her bed. "Did the doctor... talk to you? About the tests?"
"Well, he said I have a mild case of hypothermia..."
"Yeah. They want to keep you here for a few hours for observation. What else did he tell you?"
Caroline looked at him skeptically...
"Nothing. Why? What's going on?"
Richard took Caroline's hand and kissed it gently, then looked deep into her eyes, with all the love he felt for her showing through...
"Caroline, honey, you're pregnant. We're expecting..."
Caroline's mouth dropped open and she sat in stunned silence for a moment, letting that enormous piece of news sink in.
"Pregnant?" she asked when she finally found her voice.
Richard smiled and nodded... "Yeah..."
A small smile crossed Caroline's lips as she watched Richard's reaction. He seemed genuinely happy that they were going to have another child.
"This is... ok?" she asked hesitantly...
Richard nodded... "Yeah. It's better than just 'ok'... it's wonderful!"
He leaned forward and embraced her, pulling her gently into his arms.
"Coming from the man who didn't want children..." she quipped lightheartedly.
Richard leaned back and glared jokingly at her...
"Well, it gives YOU someone to play dress up with besides that stupid cat!"
Caroline chuckled, then her expression turned serious when she saw the bruise on Richard's knuckles...
"What happened to your hand?"
"Nothing..."
"Richard..." Caroline scolded... "Tell me what happened to your hand!"
"Promise you won't get mad?"
"Ok..."
"I hit Randy..."
"What?!" Caroline shot up in bed... "When??"
"A few minutes ago. The police brought him here to the hospital cause he was bleeding..."
"I made him bleed?"
Caroline looked and sounded concerned, and Richard shook his head at her...
"Don't you do that! Don't you feel bad for hitting him! You did what you had to do!"
"I know, I know. It's just... it's kinda my fault--"
"No! Caroline... this is not your fault! I am no stranger to heartache... and I never snapped and took a hostage! Much to the surprise of many. Don't make excuses for him!"
Caroline just nodded sadly. Richard leaned forward and kissed her softly and gently on the lips...
"Tell me what happened. Tell me what happened when you were there with him..." he demanded with quiet kindness.
Caroline debated whether or not to tell him, and Richard could sense her reluctance...
"Please tell me Caroline..."
She took a deep breath and nodded...
"He was acting real... odd. He started rambling about how he loved me... and asked how I could leave him for you. I... I told him..." she hesitated for a moment, and Richard grasped her hand tightly, hoping it would encourage her to continue... "I told him that I still loved him. Cause I thought if he just stopped being so angry... that maybe I could talk to him... or escape..."
"And it worked..."
"Yeah..."
Richard could tell there was more...
"Then what happened?"
"He kissed me..." she said, embarrassed.
Richard felt a pang of jealousy and anger, but pushed that down deep...
"Then what?"
"Nothing. He started... touching me... and that's when I grabbed the gun and hit him with it."
Richard nodded and held her tight. The closeness consoled him as much as it did her.
*****~*****
~~THREE WEEKS LATER~~
--Caroline walked in the front door of the loft and dropped several shopping bags to the floor, then collapsed on the couch...
"Rich?"
"Not yet..." he answered back jokingly as he came out of the downstairs bathroom. "How was your doctors appointment?"
"Good."
"That's good..." Richard replied as he started cleaning up his paints and supplies... "The DA from Wisconsin called..."
"Oh yeah?"
"Randy is in mandatory treatment... instead of jail. He has to stay sober and attend classes on anger management and he has to see a psychiatrist..."
"Sounds like he's gonna get the help he needs then..."
"Yeah. So, what did the doctor say? How far along are you?"
"She said everything looks great. I'm about 10 weeks along..."
"Ten weeks? So, when did you get pregnant then?"
"Remember that night in front of the fireplace before Thanksgiving?" she smiled, taking his hand as he sat next to her on the couch.
"Ah, yes. How could I forget?" he smiled, tracing little circles on her hand with his finger.
"I know I never will..."
Richard leaned in and kissed her lovingly, brushing the stray hairs back into place behind her ear.
"Neither will I..." he admitted.
"I know we don't have a fireplace... but... care to... reenact that wonderful moment? Before I get so huge you won't want to even look at me..."
"I will always and forever love looking at you... and I will always and forever love you completely..."
He took her hand and pulled her gently to her feet, then headed for the stairs...
"Where's Stefano?" Caroline asked as she took a quick look around.
"Annie and Del's. They were watching him while I painted. They can watch him a little longer..."
Caroline chuckled as she followed Richard up the stairs...
"Yeah... they gotta get used to caring for a little one anyway..."
Richard stopped dead in his tracks and spun around, looking at Caroline with shock and amazement written all over his face.
"Annie and Del are...??"
Caroline just smiled and passed him on the steps, taking his hand and leading him the rest of the way up the stairs. They spent the better part of the day making love, wrapped in each other's arms... knowing that all too soon these type days would be few and far between.
THE END
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