Caroline and the Surprise Shower

Chapter 6

The cab, a gaudy, yellow, beat up old '84 Plymouth Valiant, weaves its way through traffic back towards Caroline's apartment. The ride is blanketed by silence. Caroline and Richard sit, space between them on the roomy back seat. Both are preoccupied with their own thoughts.

"What did he mean by that, when he was talking about sincere amore?" Caroline wonders. "Was he talking about it generally, or that he's searching for it, or was he talking about… us? He's never given me any indication. I know Annie and Remo thought he had a thing for me once, and I almost believed them, but then I caught him with another woman. And he never bothered to clear that up… but he doesn't have to, he's just a friend… isn't he?" Caroline quickly glances over at Richard.

At the same time "The five hours are almost up" Richard thinks, his mind racing. "This afternoon… I'm feeling some real closeness to Caroline. I think she feels it also. But once she opens the door to her apartment, she'll think that everything I did this afternoon, I did only as a friend, just to help out with the party. I have to do something! But… as someone who does care for Caroline, maybe it's better for her that I don't express my feelings. Why cause her more stress and doubt?" Richard quickly glances over at Caroline, only to see that she is also looking at him.

At that instant, the cab hits a pothole. Both Caroline and Richard are jostled, and Caroline's hand momentarily brushes Richard's. He quickly pulls it away.

"Oh! I am so very sorry!" exclaims the cabbie in a crisp East Indian accent, without taking his eyes off the road.

"Oh!" Caroline thinks, appalled. "So that's how it is. Richard's a friend. He wants to help out. When he forces himself to consciously think about it, he can try to console me. But when he's surprised, his instincts are to pull away."

"Oh my god! Oh my god!" Richard thinks, panicky. "She must think that, deep down, I don't care. I should do something… or should I?" Richard struggles internally, then makes a decision. He reaches out, and takes Caroline's hand.

"What?" Caroline mouths softly. She stares at Richard for a few seconds, then cuddles up to him. "Friend… or something more? I don't know. But this just feels too damn good!"

******

The shower is turning into a disaster. Some of the guests are keeping themselves occupied, by playing party games (which should not have been played until the shower). However, most are grumbling or bickering, letting their impatience get the better of them. Vicki is still by the window, hopefully watching for Caroline. Beth wanders from person to person, wailing "Why would Steve leave me? I just don't understand."

Linda is talking on her cell phone "No… no, don't offer a penny more than 5.3. … What do you mean he won't believe you? … No, I know I should be there, but this party, which should be over by now, hasn't even started… Well, just do your best. … Yeah, well, call me back." Linda hangs up, frustrated, and turns on Annie "This is all your fault!"

"Yeah, yeah. I heard you the first time… and the second time… and the third time…" Annie retorts. Unable to bottle it up anymore, she finally explodes "Listen, I could have really been irresponsible, and mistakenly told Richie to keep Caroline out too few hours, instead of too many. But hey! All the decorations are done, all the food's prepared, and Caroline will be happy when she walks through that door and sees us,…" Annie looks over the room and raises her voice "… if we all would just cheer up." Everybody looks at Annie for a second, and the grumbling subsides. Annie turns back to Linda "And that's the important thing, isn't it?" Annie adds under her breath "…bitch."

Linda mumbles "Yeah, I guess you're right" and dials her cell phone again.

Suddenly, panic sets in as they hear a key being placed in the door. "She's here!" Annie whispers loudly. "Everybody get in place! Get ready!" She turns to Vicki at the window "How did you miss them?"

"I don't know!" Vicki squeals, as she moves away and hides.

The door swings open.

"SURPRISE!!!"

A shocked Charlie stands at the door for a second, then rolls in. "A surprise party? Pour moi? I just don't know what to say."

A confused and angry Linda blurts out "Who the hell is that?"

"That's Charlie, a friend of Caroline's" Annie answers. She turns and asks "Charlie, what are you doing here?"

"Like you don't know. Uh, Annie, you're doing it all wrong. You're only supposed to pretend before the guest of honor arrives" Charlie says as he skates past.

"Charlie! No, Charlie! You got it all wrong. Please leave, Charlie!" Annie pleads.

"Ah! Stop it! You're killing me!" Charlie says as he plops down on the chair by the partners desk. "So, what's next?"

……

In Caroline's apartment, most guests are milling about, in a somewhat better mood than before. Vicki still looks out the window for Caroline. Charlie still sits on the chair by the partners desk.

Vicki sounds the alarm "Hey everybody, I just saw Caroline. She's on her way up."

Charlie chimes in "Caroline's coming too? Man, this is the best surprise party anyone's ever thrown for me!"

An irate Linda turns on Charlie "Hey, listen… crazy little man, for the last time, this party is not for you. Now will you leave?"

Charlie is skeptical "Oh yeah, this was just a coincidence. My birthday was seven and a half weeks ago today. Del sends me here with a card for Caroline, and asks me to pick up some strips from her. She's not here, and no strips are ready, I arrive and discover a fiesta. No way, come on, I'm not an idiot!"

"Shhh! Shhh! I hear a key!" says Vicki.

"Everybody ready?" whispers Annie.

Several seconds pass… a minute… two minutes…

"What's taking so long?" whispers Linda.

"Don't wet you pants, Linda! Just hold on!" whispers Annie.

……

The elevator reaches Caroline's second floor hallway and opens. Caroline and Richard walk out, hand in hand.

"This is it" Richard thinks. "I've got to do something before she opens that door. Otherwise she'll think I did all of this, just as a friend, to get her away for the party." They reach Caroline's door.

"Caroline…"

"Richard…?" Caroline turns around, just after putting the key in the door.

Richard's face hovers over Caroline's for a second. He hesitates momentarily… then he kisses her. A deeply passionate kiss. Caroline, startled, doesn't return the kiss at first. "Del," she thinks "… Del". But then all thoughts of Del melt away, as she kisses Richard back. She never knew Richard could be this passionate, could have this much feeling. Caroline's toes start to tingle, her knees get weak. "Richard…" she groans softly.

"Caroline…" he replies softly. Richard is so intent on kissing Caroline, he doesn't realize that she had gotten the key into the door. He doesn't see her right hand reach behind her to the knob, her right foot ready to swing back to kick the door open.

"… Let's take this inside" Caroline murmurs.

It takes an instant for what she said to register with Richard "What?... No, wait…!"

SURPRISE!!!!!!