Caroline & The Blue Lagoon
Chapter 8
Rated 'R' for sexual content
By:
*****~*****
--Caroline and Richard darted up and looked at each other in total shock and disbelief. Like they thought they had imagined it, but the other's reaction confirmed… it wasn't their imagination.
"I saw the 'help' sign in the rocks on the beach. With the arrow pointing this way. Can I… help with anything?"
They jumped up and Richard grabbed his 'pants' while Caroline covered herself in the blanket. Richard slowly opened the door and looked at the man that was standing outside the shelter. Richard reached out and touched his arm, then looked back at Caroline, who stood in silent shock.
"We've been here for over a year…" Richard started… "We fell off a boat. A cruise ship…"
The man gasped and looked at Caroline, then back at Richard… "You're kidding!"
"I wish I were. We thought we would never be rescued…" Tears started falling down Richard's face, and he turned and hugged Caroline… "This is my wife, Caroline." He said, then extended his hand… "I'm Richard."
"I'm Paul." He shook Richard's hand, then his eyes grew wide… "Wait wait! Caroline? As in Duffy? As in Caroline Duffy? As in 'Caroline in the City'?"
Richard and Caroline looked at each other, then back at Paul…
"Yeah." She nodded, a look of confusion on her face…
"Oh my God! Your disappearance was all over the news! They looked for you guys for weeks!"
"They did?"
"Oh, man! C'mon… my yacht is near the shore. I'll get on the radio and call the Coast Guard or something…"
They looked back ever so briefly before following the man to his boat.
*****~*****
--The Coast Guard got them to the mainland, and Life Flight got them to the hospital. A dozen people flitted about Richard and Caroline, a thousand questions asked at once. It was all very overwhelming. They hadn't seen or heard another person in over a year, and to have 12 people hurrying about them, talking and shouting all at the same time was just too much. Caroline started to cry and Richard immediately became defensive…
"Look, I know you people have jobs to do, but is this really necessary?"
"It is sir. We have to make sure you're ok…" a nurse replied.
"Ok? We're ok! See?" he held his arms out, indicating that he showed no signs of illness, but the nurse paid him little mind.
"Yes sir, but we have to be sure…"
He sighed, irritated… "Ok, but does it take 12 people to make sure 2 people are ok?"
"They all have jobs to do sir."
"And do they all have to be in this room to do those jobs?" He imitated her overly sweet tone of voice, but added just a touch of indignation.
The nurse finally stopped her flurried activity and looked at Richard, then smiled weakly… "Ok, I know at least some of you can do your jobs elsewhere. There are too many people in here…"
With that said, 8 people left the room.
"Thank you." Richard acknowledged her effort to make them comfortable.
"You're welcome. In a few minutes, there'll be someone here from maternity to check out the baby. They'll want to do a sonogram…"
Richard nodded, holding Caroline tight to him. He worried about her state of mind. She had been so easily upset, all this chaos couldn't be helping her sense of anxiety…
"Are you ok, Caroline?" he asked softly. She just nodded her response.
*****~*****
--Richard and Caroline watched in awe as the sonogram tech moved the wand across her stomach, images of their unborn baby showing on the monitor.
"Everything looks fine…" she assured them… "Just going to take a few pictures for the doctors..."
Richard squeezed Caroline's hand and smiled… "You see? Everything is fine…"
Caroline nodded, a weak smile crossing her lips. He could tell she was still worried, and he kissed her forehead… "Try not to worry… ok?"
"I'm trying."
"Do you want to know the sex of the baby?" the tech asked, and they just looked at each other for a moment before answering…
"Sure." Caroline replied, and Richard nodded.
"It's a girl. And you look to be about 18 weeks along."
"You were right." Caroline told Richard, a look of surprise accompanied by joy lighting up her face.
*****~*****
--They were kept overnight for observation before they were announced to be in excellent health and released. Arrangements were made to fly them back to New York, and their friends and family were notified.
--They arrived at La Guardia airport to friends, family, media, and curious onlookers, the turmoil incredible. Caroline spotted her Mom and Dad first, and sprinted towards them, Richard close behind. She threw her arms around her Mom, the tears flowing freely.
"Sweetie, we are so glad you're home!" Margaret, Caroline's Mom said, teary eyed and overcome with joy.
Then her Dad, Fred inched in… "Pudd! Thank God you're ok!"
All three held each other and hugged for a time, before Caroline spotted Annie…
"Annie!"
Annie took that as her cue and approached Caroline, throwing her arms around her… "God, Caroline, I thought I'd never see you again!"
"I know! I'd forgotten what you looked like!" Caroline exclaimed, pulling back to look at her…
"I had pictures to remind me." Annie chuckled, brushing a stray hair back from Caroline's forehead.
Then Caroline saw Del. He smiled and approached her slowly… kissing her cheek and holding her tight upon reaching her…
"Duff…" he whispered, his term of endearment for her… "We looked for you for weeks. Weeks…"
"I know…" she whispered back.
A pang of jealousy hit Richard, and he stepped forward and put his arm around Caroline, wedging his other hand between them. Del pulled back and looked at Richard, his face serious, but not at all angry.
"Richard, right?"
Richard nodded.
"Del…" he extended his hand, but Richard didn't take it. "Yeah, well, thanks for taking such good care of Caroline."
Richard's eyes narrowed, and he held Caroline just a bit tighter, protectively… "Of course I took good care of her. She's my wife."
Various gasps and mutterings could be heard amongst her friends and family…
"Wife?" Del asked, confused…
"Yes. Wife." Richard confirmed.
"But… how is that… possible?"
"With the saying of vows and the exchanging of rings."
There was a moment of silence as Del comprehended what Richard was saying… "Well, yeah, but that's not… legal, right?"
Richard seemed ready to take a step towards Del, and Caroline could tell he was angry, so she stopped him…
"Del, we did what we could under the circumstances. We were on an island alone. We couldn't very well have a Minister preside over the ceremony… BUT, that doesn't make our marriage any less valid." She explained… "If getting a piece of paper and going through a ceremony is what we need to do to make it 'legal' in the sight of others… and the state… then that's what we'll do…"
"So, you're together now?" Del wanted to be sure…
"Yes, Del, we are."
He almost seemed relieved… "Ok. I just wanted to be sure. I didn't know if you'd be coming back and… well… expecting to still be engaged…" He took a deep breath and leaned in towards Caroline, as if to tell her a secret… "Cause, well, after like 6 months… I kinda moved on."
Caroline smiled and shook her head… "Yeah, I figured you would." She admitted… "Who is she?"
"You know her quite well actually…" he said, then put his arm around Annie.
"Annie?" Caroline asked, puzzled
Annie smiled sheepishly, then rushed forward with an explanation…
"We were so upset when they pronounced you dead! And then the funeral! It started out as just support. A shoulder to cry on. It just evolved from there…"
"It's ok Annie. I understand." She hugged her friend, and Annie sighed with relief…
"Oh, I'm so glad you do! I was so worried!"
Annie then directed her attention towards Richard…
"So, Richie…"
"Richard." He corrected…
"Annie." She extended her hand and he took it…
"Mmmm-hmmm…"
"A man a few words." Annie teased… "I like that."
--After all the introductions, Annie and Del had further news for Caroline…
"Your loft was put up for lease after 2 months…" Annie informed… "I couldn't bear to see it go. Plus, it's much nicer than my old apartment… so I rented it…"
"Ok." Caroline nodded. She didn't really expect the landlord to keep the loft unoccupied… receiving no rent for it… but she was concerned about where her and Richard were going to stay.
"Yeah, but see… since Del and I… hooked up, I spend more time at his place. So, you can stay there for now… till we work stuff out…"
"Wow, Annie… thanks."
"No problem at all."
*****~*****
--Caroline entered her former loft, family and friends behind her. It looked the same, except for some of Annie's things, and the sight of it brought back a rush of memories, causing her to tear up.
"You ok?" Richard asked, and she gave him a reassuring smile.
She took a few steps further in, and was greeted by a familiar friend…
"Salty?" Caroline asked, turning and looking at Annie… "You kept Salty?"
Annie nodded, a soft smile on her face, along with a few tears of her own.
Caroline picked Salty up and pet her, snuggling up to her. She held her as she looked around, and her Mom, Dad, Del, and Annie just stood back and waited for her to finish her review of her former life. Richard stood at the door, feeling uncomfortable around all of these strangers that meant so much to Caroline. He felt out of place. Like he didn't belong.
Caroline spun around and spotted him near the door, and walked to him… "Come here…" she said, putting the cat down and linking her arm in his, bringing him into the apartment.
--Annie made coffee and everyone sat around, talking about this and that...
"Oh…" Margaret interjected… "We had a lot of people asking to buy the rights to your 'Caroline' comic, but we turned them down. We knew how much the strip meant to you…"
"Thanks Mom…"
"Any time you want to start it up again… just let me know…" Del added… "I'll be happy to manage it again at 'Eagle Greeting Cards'."
"Eagle Greeting Cards? What happened to Cassidy Greeting Cards?"
"Dad fired me…"
"Oh, I'm so sorry…"
"Yeah, well, it's ok, cause now I have my own company!"
"So, Richie…" Annie spoke up…
"Richard." He corrected… again…
"What did you do? You know… before…"
"He's an artist." Caroline informed proudly.
"But, weren't you working on the ship?" Del asked…
"I was working on the ship to make money. I am an artist by profession."
"So, what kind of art?" Annie asked, nudging further into this man's identity.
"Painting, mostly."
"Mmmm-hmmm…" Annie mused… "So, you an 'outdoor-sy' kinda guy?"
"No."
"So, how'd you know what to do? Like, on the island…"
"Oh, you would be amazed! He has this amazing survival instinct that just… kicked in!" Caroline interjected, smiling at him.
Just then there was a knock at the door…
Fred was closest to the door… "I'll get it…"
He opened the door to reveal an older woman…
"Hello. I'm looking for Richard Karinsky." She informed, looking a bit lost.
Fred stood aside and Richard walked towards the door in slow motion, shocked…
"Mother?"
"Darling! There you are!" Natalie, Richard's Mother croaked in her raspy voice as she approached him, kissing him on each cheek.
"Mother, what are you doing here?"
"What? My son comes back from the dead and I'm not going to come see him? What kind of Mother would that make me?"
"The kind of Mother you've always been?"
She scowled with a smile on her face, like she didn't take him seriously… "Same 'ol Richard." She dismissed him with the wave of her hand, pulling a piece of paper out of her purse, handing it to him.
"What's this?" he asked, looking it over…
"A check."
"I don't want your money Mother."
"It's not my money, it's yours."
"What are you talking about?"
"Well, after you were reported missing and presumed dead, they gave me all your possessions. Then, I had people calling me, wanting your paintings! Of course at first, I didn't want to sell them. I didn't want to make money off my child's death. But after a while, I decided to go ahead and sell them. I mean, you were always wanting to sell your work! It's all there. I only spent some of the interest it brought having it in the savings account."
"You sold all my paintings?"
"Yes. Now, I have to go… I'm running late…" She started to walk towards the door and Caroline stood beside Richard…
"Ummm… Mrs. Karinsky?"
Natalie turned around abruptly… "Yes dear?"
She hesitated at his mother's whirlwind actions before speaking up… "I'm Caroline."
"Nice to meet you!" she stated cordially, then focused her eyes back on Richard… "Keep in touch dear…" She opened the door to walk out, but Caroline spoke up again…
"Mrs. Karinsky?"
She spun around again… "Yes dear?"
Caroline looked to Richard, her expression silently asking for his help…
"Mother, this is Caroline Duffy… Karinsky… my wife."
That got Natalie's attention… "Wife?"
"Yes Mother… wife. Caroline is my wife."
"When did that happen?"
"On the island."
"Well, don't you two just make the cutest couple!" Natalie walked up to Caroline and kissed each cheek, then kissed Richard's cheek… "Congratulations." She looked at her watch, then headed for the door again… "Well, time for me to go…" She stopped at the elevator and pushed the button…
Caroline nudged Richard, but he shook his head.
"Please?" she pleaded with him in a whisper…
He rolled his eyes and called to his Mother again… "Mother? That's not all…"
"What else dear? I really do need to get going."
Richard sighed, exasperated… "We're expecting, Mother. Caroline is pregnant."
The elevator arrived, but she ignored it, continuing to stare at Richard, then she looked over at Caroline.
"Darlings!" she finally said, excitedly… "Very exciting news!" she added, then blew them kisses… "Now I really have to run!"
"But, couldn't you stay? For just a little while?" Caroline asked meekly…
"No, dear, I have a plane to catch."
"Where are you going to now, Mother?"
"London. Thanks to the interest from your paintings. Ta!"
With that the elevator doors closed and she was gone.
"Well, interesting… lady…" Margaret said softly…
Richard shook his head… "Yeah, if by interesting you mean completely insane."
"Wow." Caroline said softly… "You were right about her…"
"Yeah…" Richard just shrugged…
"Is that it for you?" Annie asked… "As far as family goes I mean…"
Before Richard could answer there was an obligatory knock on the still open door…
"No, it's not. There's still me."