I don't read spoilers so nothing in this chapter has anything to do with
what has happened or might happen on the show.
Six months later. . .
Carter was sitting at the table when Susan walked into the lounge. "Carter?" she said. No response. He didn't even move. "Carter!" she said louder.
He jumped. "What?" He looked confused.
"You OK?" Susan asked.
"Uh, yeah.I'm fine." He distractedly walked out of the room.
A few seconds later Abby walked in. "What's up with Carter?" Susan asked Abby.
"What do you mean?"
"He's been acting really distracted all day."
Abby sighed. "Yeah, he's been like this for a couple days. I've tried to get him to tell me what's up but he won't. I'm starting to get worried."
"Maybe its just PMS," Susan joked.
Abby rolled her eyes. "I'm serious Susan. I think. . .I think he's gonna dump me again." Abby sat down dejectedly on the couch.
"Don't be ridiculous," Susan said, sitting down next to her. "He was so miserable without you and ever since you got back together he's been walking around this place like he was king of the world. . .until today."
Abby shrugged. "Yeah, well. . ." was all she could think of to say.
*****************
"You have any plans tonight?" Carter asked. He and Abby were walking towards the El station.
Abby considered teasing him, saying she had a date with a sexy Cuban or something but the look on his face made her change her mind. "No, why?"
"I was wondering if you wanted to maybe get dinner or something." He looked embarrassed; as if this was the first time he was asking her out.
"That sounds great. Where were you thinking of going?" Abby asked, hooking her arm through Carter's.
"Some place quiet. We need to talk."
"John, what's wrong?" Abby asked, standing in front of him.
"Nothing, nothing," he said, shaking his head.
"Now what in our history together makes you think you can lie to me?" Abby asked, trying to get a smile out of him. It didn't work.
He just sighed. "I'll tell you at dinner," he said. "Meet me at Anthony's at 8, OK?" Without waiting for a reply he got on the train and was gone.
******************
Abby watched Carter nervously pick at his fettuccine alfredo. "Are you gonna tell me what's going on or are we gonna play twenty questions?" she asked. She was getting slightly annoyed.
Carter put down his fork. "I don't. . . I don't know where to start," he said. He looked like he was going to cry. "I love you so much, Abby and what I'm about to say is gonna change everything forever."
Abby took hold of his hand. "It's not gonna change the fact that I love you too," she said.
"Well. . . when I was in Africa, after I wrote you that letter. . . I, um, met somebody. And I was upset because I still loved you but I thought that it was for the best. . .I was just trying to move on."
"Did you sleep with her?" Abby asked. Carter nodded. "John, I don't care. It's not like you cheated on me or anything. Is that all that's been bothering you? Don't worry about it. It's over, its in the past. All that matters is that we're happy now."
"Well, that's not all," Carter continued. "She. . . she called me a couple days ago. Apparently, she, uh. . .she's in Chicago now and apparently she had a baby. My baby." Carter looked up at Abby. Her mouth was open slightly and her eyes were blank. She sat completely still for a minute and then silently stood up and walked out of the resturant.
Six months later. . .
Carter was sitting at the table when Susan walked into the lounge. "Carter?" she said. No response. He didn't even move. "Carter!" she said louder.
He jumped. "What?" He looked confused.
"You OK?" Susan asked.
"Uh, yeah.I'm fine." He distractedly walked out of the room.
A few seconds later Abby walked in. "What's up with Carter?" Susan asked Abby.
"What do you mean?"
"He's been acting really distracted all day."
Abby sighed. "Yeah, he's been like this for a couple days. I've tried to get him to tell me what's up but he won't. I'm starting to get worried."
"Maybe its just PMS," Susan joked.
Abby rolled her eyes. "I'm serious Susan. I think. . .I think he's gonna dump me again." Abby sat down dejectedly on the couch.
"Don't be ridiculous," Susan said, sitting down next to her. "He was so miserable without you and ever since you got back together he's been walking around this place like he was king of the world. . .until today."
Abby shrugged. "Yeah, well. . ." was all she could think of to say.
*****************
"You have any plans tonight?" Carter asked. He and Abby were walking towards the El station.
Abby considered teasing him, saying she had a date with a sexy Cuban or something but the look on his face made her change her mind. "No, why?"
"I was wondering if you wanted to maybe get dinner or something." He looked embarrassed; as if this was the first time he was asking her out.
"That sounds great. Where were you thinking of going?" Abby asked, hooking her arm through Carter's.
"Some place quiet. We need to talk."
"John, what's wrong?" Abby asked, standing in front of him.
"Nothing, nothing," he said, shaking his head.
"Now what in our history together makes you think you can lie to me?" Abby asked, trying to get a smile out of him. It didn't work.
He just sighed. "I'll tell you at dinner," he said. "Meet me at Anthony's at 8, OK?" Without waiting for a reply he got on the train and was gone.
******************
Abby watched Carter nervously pick at his fettuccine alfredo. "Are you gonna tell me what's going on or are we gonna play twenty questions?" she asked. She was getting slightly annoyed.
Carter put down his fork. "I don't. . . I don't know where to start," he said. He looked like he was going to cry. "I love you so much, Abby and what I'm about to say is gonna change everything forever."
Abby took hold of his hand. "It's not gonna change the fact that I love you too," she said.
"Well. . . when I was in Africa, after I wrote you that letter. . . I, um, met somebody. And I was upset because I still loved you but I thought that it was for the best. . .I was just trying to move on."
"Did you sleep with her?" Abby asked. Carter nodded. "John, I don't care. It's not like you cheated on me or anything. Is that all that's been bothering you? Don't worry about it. It's over, its in the past. All that matters is that we're happy now."
"Well, that's not all," Carter continued. "She. . . she called me a couple days ago. Apparently, she, uh. . .she's in Chicago now and apparently she had a baby. My baby." Carter looked up at Abby. Her mouth was open slightly and her eyes were blank. She sat completely still for a minute and then silently stood up and walked out of the resturant.