Disclaimer: I don't own it or get paid for it : ) I don't own the
characters and therefore have no hope of making any money off this.
From 39
The Stiles women walked in the living room to see their husbands in an embrace. "Saying goodbye?" Katherine asked her husband and stepson.
"Yeah," the younger man answered. Terri noticed the deep red color of her husband's eyes, but didn't say anything. She hoped that if they were discussing anything she needed to know that he would tell her later.
A few moments later, after everyone said their goodbyes, A.B. Stiles climbed into his car with his parents and headed for the airport. Terri stood in her living room window and watched them drive away. She was finally at home.
**************************************************************************** ****************
"That's the other thing I want to talk to you about. Can you arrange for the team to be available at 7:00 Friday night? I'd like them to come over and meet the kids. Terri will be a surprise.
Carl eagerly agreed. The team would have an evening meeting at Stiles' house under the auspices that they could meet the kids and kill two birds with one stone. Carl would also tell them that since Stiles and the kids were still getting used to each other, he needed to be home early.
CHAPTER 40: "Consequences"
While Stiles was at Langley for his first official meeting with the new Director, Terri was at home trying to get used to being back. While she was fixing lunch, she thought she heard a strange noise coming from the front of the house but dismissed it as nerves. When she heard the same noise the third time, she went to investigate.
Standing in Terri's living room, staring at the mantel, was Kara Matthews.
"What are you doing here?" Both women asked at the same time.
"My fiancé gave me a key! I came to welcome him home."
When Terri realized that Kara was looking at Terri's wedding photos she couldn't resist making a comment. "I already shredded the ones of you. Sorry."
Then, to add insult to injury, Terri held out her hand and calmly stated, "Give it to me."
"Give what to you?" Kara asked, completely perplexed.
"The key. This is my house and you have no reason to have a key to it."
Kara slid the key into her pocket and crossed her arms across her chest defiantly. "A.B. gave it to me. If he wants it back, he'll have to ask for it. By he way, where is my fiancé?"
With a grimace and through her teeth Terri answered her. "My husband is not here."
Kara was furious. She wanted to know how on earth this woman got off that island and ended up back in the house.
A.B.'s wife is dead! You're some kind of imposter. You better watch your back because I won't let you take advantage of him!" Kara said the word dead with as much spite as she could muster.
Terri had been through too much to let Kara get to her now. "No, she's very much alive and if you think you're going to have any part in Stiles' life, you're mistaken."
Kara held out her left hand. "Well, the last time I checked, and I talked to him last night (she lied) we were engaged. I love him and he loves me."
When Terri saw the rock on Kara's hand, all of the anger, frustration and sadness she had felt over the years took over. She grabbed Kara's arm and pulled it behind her back. While Kara grimaced in pain, Terri fired questions at her.
"If you love him, why didn't you tell him I was alive?"
"Why would I do that? He loves me and I make him happy."
Terri tightened her grip. "He was lonely, that's the only reason he was with you. He told me how you followed him around like a love-sick puppy until he finally asked you out, and how you practically begged him to propose to you."
"How dare you! If you care so much why did you let him think you were dead for four years?"
Terri, showing amazing restraint, ignored Kara's last question. "Why did you let him continue to think I was dead when you found out I wasn't?"
"What are you talking about? I didn't' know you were alive until 10 minutes ago."
"How dare you stand in my living room and tell that lie! You knew I was alive the day I came to the hotel in Andros. Do you even know why Stiles was on Andros?"
"He was there to say goodbye to you. He wanted you out of his life!"
"We went there together five years ago. It was our . . ."
"I don't care!"
"Well you're going to listen anyway! He was there because five years ago he promised me that we'd come back and dig up our time capsule. We fell in love on that island. We started a time capsule, burying things that were important to us. We decided to come back five years later. That's why he was there—to keep his promise to me." Terri finally let go of Kara to show her her locket. "I dropped this in his hotel room the day you saw me. A local saw you drop it on the beach and brought it back to the hotel. The clerk gave it to Stiles. You saw the picture inside and realized who I was; then you tried to get rid of the locket so Stiles wouldn't know. Am I getting warm?"
Kara felt she was too far in to tell the truth now. "You're crazy. I don't know what you're talking about!"
"You even had the nerve to show up at my house. You saw the pictures of my kids!" Terri got within arms reach of Kara, looking at her incredulously and asked, "Even if you didn't want Stiles to be with me, how could you keep him away from his kids?"
In her heart, Kara felt defeated, but she wasn't about to let Terri see that. "Okay, fine, I figured out who you were, but I decided that if you wanted to be dead so badly you could stay dead! And as far as those kids, they could be anybody's. I don't know who you've been with!"
Terri had had enough. She smacked Kara hard; the look on Terri's face told Kara she dare not hit her back. "I want you out of our house, now! Neither I nor my husband want anything more to do with you!"
Kara wasn't finished. She had one more jab for Terri as she turned toward the door. "Humph! That's not what he said when he was making love to me in your bed!"
Terri had taken as much as she could stand. Without thinking and before Kara could move, Terri lunged at the other woman. She grabbed Kara's arm again and twisted behind her back with as much force as she could. "In case he didn't tell you, I can kill you with my bare hands. . ."
"Terri! What's going on?"
Terri turned to see Stiles standing in the doorway.
When Kara saw him she was relieved. "A.B. get her off of me. She's crazy!"
"Terri, let her go. You're going to break her arm."
Terri was now so angry she had tears running down her cheeks. "I know. That's exactly what I had in mind."
"Terri, please let her go."
"Yeah, let me go. You break my arm and I'll have you in jail so fast you'll wish you were dead."
"Oh please."
"Terri! Let her go, please."
Reluctantly, Terri let Kara go with a shove.
"I want her out of my house, now." Terri said as she walked to another part of the room and folded her arms across her chest.
Kara ran into Stiles' arms waiting for protection.
Stiles gently pushed her away then asked Terri to give them some time alone.
"No."
Stiles walked over to Terri and looked her in the eyes. "Honey, please. Give us a few minutes." When Terri still didn't move, Stiles leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I love you. Please, just give me a few minutes." He pleased.
Terri still didn't want to go, but one look in her husbands clear gray eyes gave her the gentle push she needed. Purely for Kara's benefit, Terri replied to Stiles plea in a voice much louder than necessary.
"I'll be upstairs with OUR children."
From 39
The Stiles women walked in the living room to see their husbands in an embrace. "Saying goodbye?" Katherine asked her husband and stepson.
"Yeah," the younger man answered. Terri noticed the deep red color of her husband's eyes, but didn't say anything. She hoped that if they were discussing anything she needed to know that he would tell her later.
A few moments later, after everyone said their goodbyes, A.B. Stiles climbed into his car with his parents and headed for the airport. Terri stood in her living room window and watched them drive away. She was finally at home.
**************************************************************************** ****************
"That's the other thing I want to talk to you about. Can you arrange for the team to be available at 7:00 Friday night? I'd like them to come over and meet the kids. Terri will be a surprise.
Carl eagerly agreed. The team would have an evening meeting at Stiles' house under the auspices that they could meet the kids and kill two birds with one stone. Carl would also tell them that since Stiles and the kids were still getting used to each other, he needed to be home early.
CHAPTER 40: "Consequences"
While Stiles was at Langley for his first official meeting with the new Director, Terri was at home trying to get used to being back. While she was fixing lunch, she thought she heard a strange noise coming from the front of the house but dismissed it as nerves. When she heard the same noise the third time, she went to investigate.
Standing in Terri's living room, staring at the mantel, was Kara Matthews.
"What are you doing here?" Both women asked at the same time.
"My fiancé gave me a key! I came to welcome him home."
When Terri realized that Kara was looking at Terri's wedding photos she couldn't resist making a comment. "I already shredded the ones of you. Sorry."
Then, to add insult to injury, Terri held out her hand and calmly stated, "Give it to me."
"Give what to you?" Kara asked, completely perplexed.
"The key. This is my house and you have no reason to have a key to it."
Kara slid the key into her pocket and crossed her arms across her chest defiantly. "A.B. gave it to me. If he wants it back, he'll have to ask for it. By he way, where is my fiancé?"
With a grimace and through her teeth Terri answered her. "My husband is not here."
Kara was furious. She wanted to know how on earth this woman got off that island and ended up back in the house.
A.B.'s wife is dead! You're some kind of imposter. You better watch your back because I won't let you take advantage of him!" Kara said the word dead with as much spite as she could muster.
Terri had been through too much to let Kara get to her now. "No, she's very much alive and if you think you're going to have any part in Stiles' life, you're mistaken."
Kara held out her left hand. "Well, the last time I checked, and I talked to him last night (she lied) we were engaged. I love him and he loves me."
When Terri saw the rock on Kara's hand, all of the anger, frustration and sadness she had felt over the years took over. She grabbed Kara's arm and pulled it behind her back. While Kara grimaced in pain, Terri fired questions at her.
"If you love him, why didn't you tell him I was alive?"
"Why would I do that? He loves me and I make him happy."
Terri tightened her grip. "He was lonely, that's the only reason he was with you. He told me how you followed him around like a love-sick puppy until he finally asked you out, and how you practically begged him to propose to you."
"How dare you! If you care so much why did you let him think you were dead for four years?"
Terri, showing amazing restraint, ignored Kara's last question. "Why did you let him continue to think I was dead when you found out I wasn't?"
"What are you talking about? I didn't' know you were alive until 10 minutes ago."
"How dare you stand in my living room and tell that lie! You knew I was alive the day I came to the hotel in Andros. Do you even know why Stiles was on Andros?"
"He was there to say goodbye to you. He wanted you out of his life!"
"We went there together five years ago. It was our . . ."
"I don't care!"
"Well you're going to listen anyway! He was there because five years ago he promised me that we'd come back and dig up our time capsule. We fell in love on that island. We started a time capsule, burying things that were important to us. We decided to come back five years later. That's why he was there—to keep his promise to me." Terri finally let go of Kara to show her her locket. "I dropped this in his hotel room the day you saw me. A local saw you drop it on the beach and brought it back to the hotel. The clerk gave it to Stiles. You saw the picture inside and realized who I was; then you tried to get rid of the locket so Stiles wouldn't know. Am I getting warm?"
Kara felt she was too far in to tell the truth now. "You're crazy. I don't know what you're talking about!"
"You even had the nerve to show up at my house. You saw the pictures of my kids!" Terri got within arms reach of Kara, looking at her incredulously and asked, "Even if you didn't want Stiles to be with me, how could you keep him away from his kids?"
In her heart, Kara felt defeated, but she wasn't about to let Terri see that. "Okay, fine, I figured out who you were, but I decided that if you wanted to be dead so badly you could stay dead! And as far as those kids, they could be anybody's. I don't know who you've been with!"
Terri had had enough. She smacked Kara hard; the look on Terri's face told Kara she dare not hit her back. "I want you out of our house, now! Neither I nor my husband want anything more to do with you!"
Kara wasn't finished. She had one more jab for Terri as she turned toward the door. "Humph! That's not what he said when he was making love to me in your bed!"
Terri had taken as much as she could stand. Without thinking and before Kara could move, Terri lunged at the other woman. She grabbed Kara's arm again and twisted behind her back with as much force as she could. "In case he didn't tell you, I can kill you with my bare hands. . ."
"Terri! What's going on?"
Terri turned to see Stiles standing in the doorway.
When Kara saw him she was relieved. "A.B. get her off of me. She's crazy!"
"Terri, let her go. You're going to break her arm."
Terri was now so angry she had tears running down her cheeks. "I know. That's exactly what I had in mind."
"Terri, please let her go."
"Yeah, let me go. You break my arm and I'll have you in jail so fast you'll wish you were dead."
"Oh please."
"Terri! Let her go, please."
Reluctantly, Terri let Kara go with a shove.
"I want her out of my house, now." Terri said as she walked to another part of the room and folded her arms across her chest.
Kara ran into Stiles' arms waiting for protection.
Stiles gently pushed her away then asked Terri to give them some time alone.
"No."
Stiles walked over to Terri and looked her in the eyes. "Honey, please. Give us a few minutes." When Terri still didn't move, Stiles leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I love you. Please, just give me a few minutes." He pleased.
Terri still didn't want to go, but one look in her husbands clear gray eyes gave her the gentle push she needed. Purely for Kara's benefit, Terri replied to Stiles plea in a voice much louder than necessary.
"I'll be upstairs with OUR children."