Not Alone

Chapter 9

"Abby?"

She turned around and faced Carter.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, as he closed the door. She stood up and walked towards him. "I had to come back."

"I knew that you would come back, Abby. Do you want something to drink?" he asked as he walked towards the kitchen.

Abby followed him. "It's not what you think, I'm not coming back to stay, I just had to come back and tell you this to your face, and then I am leaving town tonight and I'm not coming back this time."

"What are you talking about Abby?"

Abby took a deep breath before she spoke, she didn't know how she was going to say this to Carter. The only thing she could say was. "I'm breaking up with you, John."

"You come all the way to back to Chicago just to tell me that you are breaking up with me? Why?"

"Because you deserve to know," she said, as she walked away from him. He followed her into the living room. "I deserve to know what…that you don't love me anymore? I think I rather have a letter instead."

Abby turned around, and looked at Carter. This was harder than she thought it was going to be, how is she suppose to lie to the one person that been through everything with her?

"I don't love you anymore, John."

He looked at her. "I don't believe you, Abby. I can see that you are lying to me. I know that you still love me."

"Listen John, thank you for everything that you did for me, but I think it is best for us to go our separate ways, I know that you will find someone that really loves you as much as you deserve."

"Why can't that be you?"

Abby shake her head. "Just can't be. I don't love you anymore," Abby repeated again.

"I don't believe that. We can make this work, please. I love you Abby."

Abby walked up to Carter, and touched his shoulder. "I know you don't understand this right now, but this is the best thing for you," she said, as she started to walk away from him.

"Wait, Abby, just answer me one question. Did you ever love me?"

She looked at him. "Of course I did, John, but sometimes relationships don't go as we planned."

Abby grabbed her jacket and put it on. "I should go now, John. I never meant to hurt you this much."

Carter watched as Abby left his apartment, leaving him alone. "I'll never forget you, Abby," he whispered to himself.

{{{

As Abby walked out of his apartment, she started to think about John, and how much she hurt him. She turns back and looked. "This is for your own good, John," she whispered to herself, as she got into her car and drove away.

She got to the hotel, booked a room, walked up the stairs, and opened the door to her new home. She put her stuff on the bed and layed down on it.

She turned on her phone and checked the messages. There was one from Susan, asking how it went with Carter and if they were back together.

I can't phone Susan, and explain to her that I broke up with Carter, she would never understand, Abby thought to herself. I don't ever understand myself why I did it, but it was the best thing for John. He deserves better than me, and that is what I am giving him.

She then pulled something out of her bag. It was a picture of her and Carter together a few months ago. She touched the picture. "You were the best thing in my life; I will always love you.

"Goodbye John," she said, as she threw the picture away in the trash can.

The next day,

Susan was on her couch when there was a knock at the door. She got up and opened it. "Abby!"

Abby looked at Susan. "Can I come in?"

Susan nodded. "Sure"

Abby walked into the apartment.

"Would you like something to drink?" Susan asked, as she walked over to the kitchen. Abby nodded. "Coffee would be great," she said, as she took off her jacket.

"I thought you left town last night?" Susan asked, as she came over to Abby and handed the coffee to her.

"How did you know that?"

Susan sat down next to Abby on the couch. " I talked to Carter this morning, and he told me that you came over last night, broke up with him, and was leaving town right after you talked to him."

"He also told me something very interesting that you told him, that you didn't love him anymore, but I know that isn't true."

"It is true," Abby replied.

"Then explain why you are still here in Chicago if you don't love John anymore."

Abby got up from the couch, and walked away from Susan. She went into the kitchen and sat down on a stool.

"Because I want to say bye to you before I leave, and it was too late last night to see you."

Susan followed her. "You are lying to me."

"Lying about what?"

"You didn't stay here because you want to say goodbye to me, you are staying because you still love John."

"Why would you think that? I already told you that I don't love John anymore. How many more times do I have to tell you?"

"You can tell me over and over again, but I will not believe you. It's obvious, Abby. I can see that you still love him."

Abby didn't know what to say to that. Susan was right. She did still love John, but she just has to forget about it. It's easy, right? To fall out of love?

Susan looked at Abby. "Talk to me. Tell me the real reason that you broke up with Carter."

"I told you!"

"Why did you come over here if you didn't want to tell me, Abby?"

Abby stood up. "I came to see you before I left town, but I'll leave now," she said as she grabbed her jacket.

"Don't," Susan called out. "I just don't want you to regret your decision. Carter won't wait for you forever."

Abby turned around. "Fine. I love John more than you ever know. I never stopped loving him. Is that what you want to hear?"

"Yes, Abby. I don't want you to lie to me anymore. Now tell me exactly why you are doing this?"

"I can't, you won't understand," Abby replied.

"You would be surprised," Susan said, as she led Abby to the couch.

Susan and Abby both were silent. So Susan decided to start the conversation. "So why are you breaking up with Carter if you still love him?" Susan prodded.

"It because I love him so much that I broke up with him."

Susan looked at her. "You know that doesn't make sense."

Abby took a deep breath. "It all started the day that I had to go to Omaha to deal with Eric."

"Didn't Carter go there to be with you?"

Abby nodded. "Carter was so kind. He's been there every time my family has a problem, but I couldn't be with him anymore. I would have to drop anything to deal with my family, but what happens if John and I get married, and Eric or Maggie did something that I had to fix, how could I choose with one… do I stay with John or deal with my family?"

"I never told you about my sister Chloe, did I?"

"No, I have heard some stuff."

"Well just I had my own share of family problems, you see my sister Chloe was a drug addict, I have to clean up her mess all the time. There was one time that I had to look after my niece for a few months."

"You didn't mind doing it?" Abby asked.

Susan looked at Abby. "I love Susie. But my sister never learned. She said that she'd stop doing drugs, but then she started again."

"Do you still clean up after her messes?"

Susan shook her head. "After my sister lost Susie in New York City, and I had to go and find her, I realized that I couldn't clean up my sister's messes all the time."

"Do you still hear from your sister?" Abby asked. Susan looked at Abby. "The last time I heard from her, she was clean."

"Why are you telling me all this Susan?"

Susan glanced at Abby. "I know that you broke up with Carter because you didn't want him to become second best in your life, but you have to realize that you can't keep on cleaning up your family messes. You have to get on with your life."

Abby stood up. "Thank you for telling me this, but I have to really getting going Susan. I just wanted to say goodbye," Abby said, as she hugged Susan. "You've been a great friend."

Susan looked at Abby. "Are you still going to leave?"

Abby nodded. "I know that you want Carter and me to get back together, but that isn't going to happen."

"Where are you staying tonight?" Susan asked. Abby turned around. "Motel 6,"

"And then you are leaving Chicago for good?"

Abby nodded. "Yes I am."

"Call me when you get to whenever you are going."

Abby nodded and waved goodbye to Susan.

The next morning,

Carter woke up and saw that there was a message on his answering machine. He hit the button and listened.

Hi John, it's Susan. I need to talk to you. Please call me.

Carter wondered why Susan wanted to talk to him. He picked up the phone and called Susan.

"Hey John, why didn't you call me before?" Susan asked.

"I had a late shift, and I didn't check my messages. What's wrong? Is everything okay?" he asked.

"I can't tell you on the phone, I'll be at your place in 15 minutes."

Carter sighed. "Sure," he said, as he hung up the phone.

}}

A while later,

Susan showed up at Carter's place. She knew that she shouldn't be doing this, but she had to, this was the only way. She knocked on the door.

"John," she said, as she walked in.

"What is so important that you need to see me?"

Susan looked at Carter. "Abby still loves you,"

"Where did you get that information? Abby just told me that she doesn't love me anymore."

Susan looked at Carter. "Abby come over to my place last night and told me everything about why she broke up with you, and it is not because she doesn't love you."

"Then why? Tell me Susan."

Susan shook her head. "I can't tell you, that is up to Abby."

"Then why did you call me, if you aren't going to tell me?" Carter asked.

Susan looked at Carter. "I just thought you would like to know," she said, as she started to walk away, and then she turned around. " She was at the Motel 6 last night, but I don't know if she is still there."

{{{

Carter walked towards the hotel. He didn't know if she was still there, but he needed to talk to her.

He then saw Abby coming out of the hotel. "Abby?!" She turned around.

"Carter, what are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you."

"But haven't we talked about everything?" Abby replied as she started to move away from Carter.

"No, Abby, we haven't, but we are now. We're going to get it sorted out before you leave. I know that you still love me."

Abby slowly set her suitcase on the ground and looked up at Carter. His eyes burned into hers, asking questions he couldn't vocalize, reading her answers. She stared back at him, at a loss for words. Now what.

To be continued!!!