Chapter 2
"Wow. You live here?" I asked, not so surprised but amazed at the beauty of the mansion. In front of me stood the grand building where John and his grandmother lived.
"Yeah. It looks bigger than it really is." he said with a smile. I knew he was just trying to make me feel better, and for a split second I forgot about my worries.
We walked toward the front door, Carter still carrying the now half melted ice cream. I looked around me, practically in a daze, and spotted a statue of a dog sitting on the step. It looked almost exactly like my neighbor's dog, Jobo, who Susie fell in love with. I felt a tear slide down my face but I quickly wiped my hand across my cheek. I didn't want John to see me cry, not now.
Inside the mansion was even more beautiful than the outside, which is almost impossible. Bright flowers adorned every table. Oriental rugs were sprawled across empty floor space. The furniture was antique and looked as good as new. I followed behind John and we made our way to the second floor.
We finally settled down in Carter's room, spoons in hand and ready to devour our ice cream. His room was huge, like every other room in the house, probably bigger than my apartment. There were photos hanging along each wall, each one telling a different story. One in particular caught my attention. It was the one of a young couple with a newborn baby. 'How perfect that must be' I thought.
"You like that photo?" Carter asked.
"What?" I didn't realize I was staring that much into the picture. "Oh....yeah. I like it."
"Yeah, it's one of my favorites. My cousin, Chase, shot it, you know. He's very talented."
"Must be great." I wasn't too interested in his cousin, and I must've sounded bored.
"Sorry. I don't mean to bore you. I was only trying to make conversation."
"I know, Carter. I appreciate it. It's just been a bad day, a really bad day."
He placed his ice cream carton onto the table and sat down next to me. "Well, I'm here. You can talk to me about anything." His hand moved on top of mine and suddenly I felt different, a new warmth was inside me.
I looked into his eyes and sat silent for a moment. I wasn't sure if I should tell him everything, but something told me that he is there to help me and for me to confide in. I took a deep breath and began my story. "They took Susie.....away from me." I couldn't hold back. The tears ran down my face and onto my lap. "I don't know what to do."
Carter could clearly tell that I was hurt. His eyes filled with tears but he found the strength to keep them from falling. "Susan, I'm so sorry....." He didn't know what else to say. He pulled me closer to him and I rested my head on his shoulder. The tears soaked his shirt but he seemed unfazed, like it's his duty to keep me calm. Carter gently ran his hand through my hair, confirming that everything would be alright.
"Wow. You live here?" I asked, not so surprised but amazed at the beauty of the mansion. In front of me stood the grand building where John and his grandmother lived.
"Yeah. It looks bigger than it really is." he said with a smile. I knew he was just trying to make me feel better, and for a split second I forgot about my worries.
We walked toward the front door, Carter still carrying the now half melted ice cream. I looked around me, practically in a daze, and spotted a statue of a dog sitting on the step. It looked almost exactly like my neighbor's dog, Jobo, who Susie fell in love with. I felt a tear slide down my face but I quickly wiped my hand across my cheek. I didn't want John to see me cry, not now.
Inside the mansion was even more beautiful than the outside, which is almost impossible. Bright flowers adorned every table. Oriental rugs were sprawled across empty floor space. The furniture was antique and looked as good as new. I followed behind John and we made our way to the second floor.
We finally settled down in Carter's room, spoons in hand and ready to devour our ice cream. His room was huge, like every other room in the house, probably bigger than my apartment. There were photos hanging along each wall, each one telling a different story. One in particular caught my attention. It was the one of a young couple with a newborn baby. 'How perfect that must be' I thought.
"You like that photo?" Carter asked.
"What?" I didn't realize I was staring that much into the picture. "Oh....yeah. I like it."
"Yeah, it's one of my favorites. My cousin, Chase, shot it, you know. He's very talented."
"Must be great." I wasn't too interested in his cousin, and I must've sounded bored.
"Sorry. I don't mean to bore you. I was only trying to make conversation."
"I know, Carter. I appreciate it. It's just been a bad day, a really bad day."
He placed his ice cream carton onto the table and sat down next to me. "Well, I'm here. You can talk to me about anything." His hand moved on top of mine and suddenly I felt different, a new warmth was inside me.
I looked into his eyes and sat silent for a moment. I wasn't sure if I should tell him everything, but something told me that he is there to help me and for me to confide in. I took a deep breath and began my story. "They took Susie.....away from me." I couldn't hold back. The tears ran down my face and onto my lap. "I don't know what to do."
Carter could clearly tell that I was hurt. His eyes filled with tears but he found the strength to keep them from falling. "Susan, I'm so sorry....." He didn't know what else to say. He pulled me closer to him and I rested my head on his shoulder. The tears soaked his shirt but he seemed unfazed, like it's his duty to keep me calm. Carter gently ran his hand through my hair, confirming that everything would be alright.