AUTHOR'S NOTES: Part Three! I never thought I'd get this far!! LOL *-* Keep
reading... PLEASE!! Don't leave me now! It's starting to get even more
dramatic! And better have read the first and second parts!
SUMMARY: What happens when your heart won't let you live without the one you love?...
~*~
Carter received the call at 5:13. He was wide awake. Never went back to bed. He was on the next plane to Chicago at 6:05. Gamma had died in her sleep. He knew his parents would take a few days to even call. But he had the arrangements ready. Carter knew this day would come, and he was thankful he had everything prepared, because he wouldn't be able to do anything now. He was sad. But not surprised. As he sat on the plane, he mentally debated whether to call Susan or not when they landed. She had told him to call whenever he was in town, and Susan did know Gamma, but then again, so did *she*. He decided to wait. He didn't want to put any extra pressure on himself right now. He zoned back as he heard the announcements. They would be landing in about 15 minutes. Back to Chicago, he thought. The Windy City, the city with so much to do and see, yet none of it appealed to him anymore. Only one person. His heart ached. He pulled himself together, as he stepped off the plane to claim his luggage.
~*~
Abby got up, but noticed Luka was gone already. He's probably up with Annette. They both liked to get an early start. Always. She laid back down, and noticed a rose on Luka's pillow. It had a card. "Abby, I love you with every breathe of my being. You make my life complete, worth living. I hope you feel the same way. Love, Luka." Did she feel the same way? Or was she holding on to a broken dream? A lost wish? A hopeless cause? She reached into her drawer, and pulled out the engagement ring from years ago. She didn't know why she had kept it. She looked at it again. The inscribed message always made her laugh. "Abby, coffee and pie? Love you, forever and always. Johnny." She knew he hated that name. But she had called him that every night in bed. She laughed. She slipped the ring onto her finger. It felt like it was still meant to be there. That was 3 years ago. It felt like only yesterday. She pulled the ring off. It was a lost memory. She whipped the ring across the room, as a small tear escaped her eye. It was over. Done with. She got out of bed, and walked past the white flowing dress. Today was the day. Why did it feel so wrong?
~*~
Carter walked up the stairs, as his cell rang. He didn't have to even think about calling Susan again, she had read his mind.
"Hey Susie."
She hated that name. That's why he used it.
"Don't call me that. Your signing your own death certificate."
He laughed, she laughed, but then a moment of silence was appreciated.
"I heard about your grandmother, John. I'm sorry. If there's anything I can do..."
He knew she was sincere.
"Thanks. Umm, Susan, are you off today?"
He needed to talk to someone, anyone.
"No, but I haven't taken a sick day for about 2 weeks. I'll be over in about 20 minutes."
He was relieved.
"Thanks Susie."
Yet once again, they both laughed. That's what he liked about Susan. She was easy to talk to. Easy to get along with. She boosted his spirits.
"You're gonna get it Johnny."
He laughed as he closed his cell and put it back into his pocket. He had a strange feeling about being called Johnny, but he couldn't remember why. Carter started up the stairs. He needed to get the rest of Gamma's papers before Susan arrived. Gamma had some last wishes he needed to respect. He noticed the house was empty. And dead silent. His father must have already called and let the help go early. There was no reason for them to be there anyway. Carter liked the silence anyway. He walked past his bedroom, but returned to it. On opening the door, a wave of roses, and scented candles hit him. The bed held so many memories for him. Then he remembered. She had always called him Johnny. Only in bed. Only when she said she loved him. He quickly walked out, and shut the door. It was too hard for him. He barely got to the study when the bell rang. It was probably Susan. He ran down the stairs, and opened the door. There she stood. Susan Lewis, MD. Blonde hair, longer now, and blue eyes. But she was still the same. She gave him a hug. They stood there for a while. Half the time, he was thanking her for coming. The other half, wishing that this was all a dream.
"Thanks for coming, Susan."
He meant it.
"Yeah, well it's better than getting barked at by Weaver all day."
He smiled.
"How is Kerry? And everyone else?"
He wondered, mostly about a certain person.
"Everyone is okay. We miss you Carter. You should come back."
He had pondered that thought many times. His whole family, or whatever was left of it, was in Chicago. Also, all of his friends. He didn't socialize too much back in Seattle. But, it was too painful.
"How's uhh..."
He knew she read him face. He didn't need to say her name.
"She's with Luka. But it's... She's not... I don't know... She's falling apart."
Instead of pity, he felt satisfied, but only for a second. She did it to herself. Then he wished again, that those weren't the words he had to hear. He shouldn't have even asked.
"Carter, are you okay?"
Maybe, he thought.
"Yeah. I'm fine."
They sat in a moment of silence.
"Carter, there's something you need to know."
He looked at her. Her eyes were pleading for an easy way to say something. She grabbed his hands, and held them.
"Carter, today, today's the wedding. I'm sorry..."
He didn't expect that. The last thing he needed was to find that out today. He looked up at Susan. He was still trying to avoid eye contact. He then felt her arms wrap around him. His face buried into her chest, and he cried.
"Carter, you should come. Say good-bye. You need to move on. Somehow."
He knew she only wanted the best for him. He couldn't say it. He just nodded his head okay.
SUMMARY: What happens when your heart won't let you live without the one you love?...
~*~
Carter received the call at 5:13. He was wide awake. Never went back to bed. He was on the next plane to Chicago at 6:05. Gamma had died in her sleep. He knew his parents would take a few days to even call. But he had the arrangements ready. Carter knew this day would come, and he was thankful he had everything prepared, because he wouldn't be able to do anything now. He was sad. But not surprised. As he sat on the plane, he mentally debated whether to call Susan or not when they landed. She had told him to call whenever he was in town, and Susan did know Gamma, but then again, so did *she*. He decided to wait. He didn't want to put any extra pressure on himself right now. He zoned back as he heard the announcements. They would be landing in about 15 minutes. Back to Chicago, he thought. The Windy City, the city with so much to do and see, yet none of it appealed to him anymore. Only one person. His heart ached. He pulled himself together, as he stepped off the plane to claim his luggage.
~*~
Abby got up, but noticed Luka was gone already. He's probably up with Annette. They both liked to get an early start. Always. She laid back down, and noticed a rose on Luka's pillow. It had a card. "Abby, I love you with every breathe of my being. You make my life complete, worth living. I hope you feel the same way. Love, Luka." Did she feel the same way? Or was she holding on to a broken dream? A lost wish? A hopeless cause? She reached into her drawer, and pulled out the engagement ring from years ago. She didn't know why she had kept it. She looked at it again. The inscribed message always made her laugh. "Abby, coffee and pie? Love you, forever and always. Johnny." She knew he hated that name. But she had called him that every night in bed. She laughed. She slipped the ring onto her finger. It felt like it was still meant to be there. That was 3 years ago. It felt like only yesterday. She pulled the ring off. It was a lost memory. She whipped the ring across the room, as a small tear escaped her eye. It was over. Done with. She got out of bed, and walked past the white flowing dress. Today was the day. Why did it feel so wrong?
~*~
Carter walked up the stairs, as his cell rang. He didn't have to even think about calling Susan again, she had read his mind.
"Hey Susie."
She hated that name. That's why he used it.
"Don't call me that. Your signing your own death certificate."
He laughed, she laughed, but then a moment of silence was appreciated.
"I heard about your grandmother, John. I'm sorry. If there's anything I can do..."
He knew she was sincere.
"Thanks. Umm, Susan, are you off today?"
He needed to talk to someone, anyone.
"No, but I haven't taken a sick day for about 2 weeks. I'll be over in about 20 minutes."
He was relieved.
"Thanks Susie."
Yet once again, they both laughed. That's what he liked about Susan. She was easy to talk to. Easy to get along with. She boosted his spirits.
"You're gonna get it Johnny."
He laughed as he closed his cell and put it back into his pocket. He had a strange feeling about being called Johnny, but he couldn't remember why. Carter started up the stairs. He needed to get the rest of Gamma's papers before Susan arrived. Gamma had some last wishes he needed to respect. He noticed the house was empty. And dead silent. His father must have already called and let the help go early. There was no reason for them to be there anyway. Carter liked the silence anyway. He walked past his bedroom, but returned to it. On opening the door, a wave of roses, and scented candles hit him. The bed held so many memories for him. Then he remembered. She had always called him Johnny. Only in bed. Only when she said she loved him. He quickly walked out, and shut the door. It was too hard for him. He barely got to the study when the bell rang. It was probably Susan. He ran down the stairs, and opened the door. There she stood. Susan Lewis, MD. Blonde hair, longer now, and blue eyes. But she was still the same. She gave him a hug. They stood there for a while. Half the time, he was thanking her for coming. The other half, wishing that this was all a dream.
"Thanks for coming, Susan."
He meant it.
"Yeah, well it's better than getting barked at by Weaver all day."
He smiled.
"How is Kerry? And everyone else?"
He wondered, mostly about a certain person.
"Everyone is okay. We miss you Carter. You should come back."
He had pondered that thought many times. His whole family, or whatever was left of it, was in Chicago. Also, all of his friends. He didn't socialize too much back in Seattle. But, it was too painful.
"How's uhh..."
He knew she read him face. He didn't need to say her name.
"She's with Luka. But it's... She's not... I don't know... She's falling apart."
Instead of pity, he felt satisfied, but only for a second. She did it to herself. Then he wished again, that those weren't the words he had to hear. He shouldn't have even asked.
"Carter, are you okay?"
Maybe, he thought.
"Yeah. I'm fine."
They sat in a moment of silence.
"Carter, there's something you need to know."
He looked at her. Her eyes were pleading for an easy way to say something. She grabbed his hands, and held them.
"Carter, today, today's the wedding. I'm sorry..."
He didn't expect that. The last thing he needed was to find that out today. He looked up at Susan. He was still trying to avoid eye contact. He then felt her arms wrap around him. His face buried into her chest, and he cried.
"Carter, you should come. Say good-bye. You need to move on. Somehow."
He knew she only wanted the best for him. He couldn't say it. He just nodded his head okay.
