Chapter Twenty Five
Karen could only stare at what was in front of her. It was so heartbreaking to watch her sister sit there and cry. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, as Carter's head shot up. She let go of her husband's hand and quickly got out of the chair. "What are you doing here? Who let you in here?" she asked, panicking. "Relax," Karen answered calmly. "Relax? Who the hell let you in here? You don't have a right to be in here!" Carter exclaimed, grabbing her sisters arm and taking her out of the room. "What's the problem?" Karen asked, confused. "What do you think you are doing?" Carter asked back, anger flowing through her. "I know about Kingston. I know that he got shot," Karen answered. "So you think you are something special?" Carter asked. "No, why are you acting like this? I came here to help you," Karen answered, as Carter scoffed. "Help me? Help me like the doctors said they would. How can you help me? Are you going to make my husband come out of the coma he's in?" she asked, as Karen looked down at the floor. "No, but I thought I could be someone you could talk to," she answered, as Carter got a hold of her arm again. "Get out of my house," she hissed, dragging Karen down the staircase. "Don't shut me out, Carter," she said, tears flowing down her face. "I said get out!" Carter exclaimed, opening the door. "Don't shut me out," Karen repeated, but soon got pushed outside and the door slammed in her face.
Thirty minutes later, she arrived at her own house and ran into Jack's arms. "What happened?" he asked worriedly, when he noticed her tear stained face. "She yelled at me and she pushed me out the door. She's shutting me out!" Karen exclaimed, as fresh tears started streaming down her face. "Don't cry. It's going to be alright," he said, as she broke away from him. "You always say that, but how do you know?" she asked, as he sighed. "Just be positive," he answered, as she rolled her eyes. "Thanks for the advice," she said sarcastically, walking out of his room. He followed close behind her as she walked to her own bedroom. "Don't be mad at me. I didn't do anything," he said, as he watched her stomp into the closet. "I want to be alone," she replied, yanking her pajamas out of a drawer. "Karen, please," he said. "No Jack...Respect my wishes and leave me alone," she replied, motioning him out the door. He sighed as he shook his head. "Just because she wants to shut you out, does not mean you have to do the same to me," he said, as he obeyed her wishes and left the room.
The next morning, Jack laid in bed fully awake. He hadn't slept all night because all he could think about was Karen. One minute they were happy and making love and the next, she was asking him to leave her alone. "Something is wrong with that picture," he whispered to himself, as he leaned his head against the headboard. He closed his eyes and tried to picture happy thoughts, but still his mind always went back to Karen. He felt awful about their little argument or whatever it was. As he slowly started drifting off to sleep, he felt something touch his thigh. He opened his eyes and noticed it was Karen's hand. "Hey Poodle," she whispered, a little frightened that the hard stare he had on his face remained. "I thought you wanted to be left alone," he said, as she shook her head. "I couldn't sleep all of last night. Not only because of Carter, but because of the way I treated you. I'm sorry," she replied sincerely. "Come here," he whispered, extending out his arms. She smiled and hugged him tightly. "I love you Jack," she said, as he gently ran his hand through her hair. "I love you too," he replied. They broke off from their hug and the next thing they knew, they were making love.
:: Grace Adler Designs ::
"You know, I didn't expect her to be here, but I get bored sometimes," Grace complained to her best friend. "Get a new assistant," Will suggested, as she hit his arm. "Stop that. Why do you always say that?" she asked. "Because it is true. You need someone who will help you," he answered, as she shrugged. "Well pal, bad news. I'm not firing her," she said, shaking her head. He rolled his eyes and looked at his watch. "Oh no, it's almost time for me to meet Todd at the airport. We are catching the ten thirty flight," he explained. "Sounds fun, want to take me?" she asked, smiling innocently. "Aww Gracie...No," he answered, as she pouted. "You're no fun," she said, as he kissed her cheek. "I'll talk to you later," he said, as she kissed him back. "See you in a week," she replied, waving to him as he walked out.
:: Carter and Associates ::
Carter had just arrived at her office with possibly the word hangover ever. She could have stayed at home, but had opted not to and now, she was regretting it. She grabbed her phone and ordered the secretary to get her a coffee. One minute later, the secretary came in with the cup and set it down on the desk. "Thanks," she whispered, taking a sip of it. This was the first time in her life that she had drank straight coffee. "Woah," she whispered and then blew out an annoyed breath when Grace came into the office. "Hey," she said happily, as Carter covered her ears. "Don't yell," she pleaded. "I didn't," Grace said, as she sat down. "Yes, you did," Carter replied, as Grace shook her head. "No, I didn't," she protested. "Fine," Carter said, not wanting to continue with the same thing. "What's up?" Grace asked, crossing her legs. "Is that why you came? To ask me what's up?" Carter asked back, irritated. "Well yeah. We are friends after all," Grace answered smiling. Carter laughed at the comment. "No we aren't. You just happen to be a friend of my ungrateful sister," she said, as Grace frowned. "What?" she asked. "Look, I don't have time for your annoying comments and stories, so if you don't mind, I've got work to do. You know where the door is," Carter answered, pointing to it. Grace stood up extremely hurt. "I don't know what to say," she said, as Carter rolled her eyes. "Don't speak, just leave!" she exclaimed, raking a hand through her hair. "Umm, I'm...I'm sorry," Grace said, her voice filled with confusion. She left the room, leaving Carter unhappily sipping on her coffee. "Oh screw it," she said, as she grabbed a bottle of vodka and poured it into the cup.
Meanwhile, Jack was laying in bed with Karen hearing her talk about her discussion with Carter. "I think she was upset because I saw him there or because I just walked in without knocking. I don't really know though," she said softly, as he sighed. "Well if you want, we can go talk to her later. Try to sort everything out," he replied, as she smiled. "I'd like that, very much," she said. "Good, then we'll do that," he replied, as she gave him a kiss.
Karen could only stare at what was in front of her. It was so heartbreaking to watch her sister sit there and cry. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, as Carter's head shot up. She let go of her husband's hand and quickly got out of the chair. "What are you doing here? Who let you in here?" she asked, panicking. "Relax," Karen answered calmly. "Relax? Who the hell let you in here? You don't have a right to be in here!" Carter exclaimed, grabbing her sisters arm and taking her out of the room. "What's the problem?" Karen asked, confused. "What do you think you are doing?" Carter asked back, anger flowing through her. "I know about Kingston. I know that he got shot," Karen answered. "So you think you are something special?" Carter asked. "No, why are you acting like this? I came here to help you," Karen answered, as Carter scoffed. "Help me? Help me like the doctors said they would. How can you help me? Are you going to make my husband come out of the coma he's in?" she asked, as Karen looked down at the floor. "No, but I thought I could be someone you could talk to," she answered, as Carter got a hold of her arm again. "Get out of my house," she hissed, dragging Karen down the staircase. "Don't shut me out, Carter," she said, tears flowing down her face. "I said get out!" Carter exclaimed, opening the door. "Don't shut me out," Karen repeated, but soon got pushed outside and the door slammed in her face.
Thirty minutes later, she arrived at her own house and ran into Jack's arms. "What happened?" he asked worriedly, when he noticed her tear stained face. "She yelled at me and she pushed me out the door. She's shutting me out!" Karen exclaimed, as fresh tears started streaming down her face. "Don't cry. It's going to be alright," he said, as she broke away from him. "You always say that, but how do you know?" she asked, as he sighed. "Just be positive," he answered, as she rolled her eyes. "Thanks for the advice," she said sarcastically, walking out of his room. He followed close behind her as she walked to her own bedroom. "Don't be mad at me. I didn't do anything," he said, as he watched her stomp into the closet. "I want to be alone," she replied, yanking her pajamas out of a drawer. "Karen, please," he said. "No Jack...Respect my wishes and leave me alone," she replied, motioning him out the door. He sighed as he shook his head. "Just because she wants to shut you out, does not mean you have to do the same to me," he said, as he obeyed her wishes and left the room.
The next morning, Jack laid in bed fully awake. He hadn't slept all night because all he could think about was Karen. One minute they were happy and making love and the next, she was asking him to leave her alone. "Something is wrong with that picture," he whispered to himself, as he leaned his head against the headboard. He closed his eyes and tried to picture happy thoughts, but still his mind always went back to Karen. He felt awful about their little argument or whatever it was. As he slowly started drifting off to sleep, he felt something touch his thigh. He opened his eyes and noticed it was Karen's hand. "Hey Poodle," she whispered, a little frightened that the hard stare he had on his face remained. "I thought you wanted to be left alone," he said, as she shook her head. "I couldn't sleep all of last night. Not only because of Carter, but because of the way I treated you. I'm sorry," she replied sincerely. "Come here," he whispered, extending out his arms. She smiled and hugged him tightly. "I love you Jack," she said, as he gently ran his hand through her hair. "I love you too," he replied. They broke off from their hug and the next thing they knew, they were making love.
:: Grace Adler Designs ::
"You know, I didn't expect her to be here, but I get bored sometimes," Grace complained to her best friend. "Get a new assistant," Will suggested, as she hit his arm. "Stop that. Why do you always say that?" she asked. "Because it is true. You need someone who will help you," he answered, as she shrugged. "Well pal, bad news. I'm not firing her," she said, shaking her head. He rolled his eyes and looked at his watch. "Oh no, it's almost time for me to meet Todd at the airport. We are catching the ten thirty flight," he explained. "Sounds fun, want to take me?" she asked, smiling innocently. "Aww Gracie...No," he answered, as she pouted. "You're no fun," she said, as he kissed her cheek. "I'll talk to you later," he said, as she kissed him back. "See you in a week," she replied, waving to him as he walked out.
:: Carter and Associates ::
Carter had just arrived at her office with possibly the word hangover ever. She could have stayed at home, but had opted not to and now, she was regretting it. She grabbed her phone and ordered the secretary to get her a coffee. One minute later, the secretary came in with the cup and set it down on the desk. "Thanks," she whispered, taking a sip of it. This was the first time in her life that she had drank straight coffee. "Woah," she whispered and then blew out an annoyed breath when Grace came into the office. "Hey," she said happily, as Carter covered her ears. "Don't yell," she pleaded. "I didn't," Grace said, as she sat down. "Yes, you did," Carter replied, as Grace shook her head. "No, I didn't," she protested. "Fine," Carter said, not wanting to continue with the same thing. "What's up?" Grace asked, crossing her legs. "Is that why you came? To ask me what's up?" Carter asked back, irritated. "Well yeah. We are friends after all," Grace answered smiling. Carter laughed at the comment. "No we aren't. You just happen to be a friend of my ungrateful sister," she said, as Grace frowned. "What?" she asked. "Look, I don't have time for your annoying comments and stories, so if you don't mind, I've got work to do. You know where the door is," Carter answered, pointing to it. Grace stood up extremely hurt. "I don't know what to say," she said, as Carter rolled her eyes. "Don't speak, just leave!" she exclaimed, raking a hand through her hair. "Umm, I'm...I'm sorry," Grace said, her voice filled with confusion. She left the room, leaving Carter unhappily sipping on her coffee. "Oh screw it," she said, as she grabbed a bottle of vodka and poured it into the cup.
Meanwhile, Jack was laying in bed with Karen hearing her talk about her discussion with Carter. "I think she was upset because I saw him there or because I just walked in without knocking. I don't really know though," she said softly, as he sighed. "Well if you want, we can go talk to her later. Try to sort everything out," he replied, as she smiled. "I'd like that, very much," she said. "Good, then we'll do that," he replied, as she gave him a kiss.