Chapter 4

"Ohh I'm sorry…"
"Ohh sorry about that…"

"Carter!" "Abby!" They both said in unison, shocked at the person who was standing before them.

They both laughed and stood opposite one another watching each other for what felt like hours, both somewhat in awe at the glow coming of the other one.
"Hey! So, Carter, what are you doing?" Abby motioned towards the door.

Carter laughed. "I was looking for Kem. I think she's still in there"

"Ohh…Well I'm going in there, do you want me to…"
"Would you?" Carter interrupted.

"Sure" Abby replied.
There was another pause, an awkward silence. Neither of them knew how, or what to say to the other. They hadn't seen one another in over 7 months and they hardly parted on the happiest of terms.

"So…uhh…the others are at the desk. They're checking in then we'll be ready for dinner" Abby said with hint of confidence in her voice hoping this would break the awful silence.

"Ohh great, yeah I've left my dad in the restaurant on his own" Carter laughed.

Abby smiled. "Well you better get back to you dad, and I'll try and find Kem. I'll see you in 5" Abby said as she turned to enter the restroom. Carter grabbed her arm as she moved.

"Hey Abby, can I just say, exclusively – It's great to see you" Carter said nervously

"It's great to see you too Carter" Abby smiled back at him. Carter let go of Abby's arm and watched her enter the restroom.
He then moved down the corridor and stood against the wall. He placed his head on the wall and with a great air of frustration he hit his head off the wall muttering "why" and "not now" under his breath.

Abby entered the plush restrooms with a smile on her face. One that was soon gone at the sight of Kem, coming out of one of the stalls, her eyes blood shot and face stained with tears.

"Kem? Are you ok?" Abby asked, genuinely concerned.

"Ohh!" Kem was startled. "Abby…when did you get here?" Kem asked, not answering Abby's question

"About 5 minutes ago" Abby laughed. "Are you alright?" She asked again

Kem smiled "Of course I am, why wouldn't I be. I'm getting married in two days" Kem feigned a smile.
"I know your lying, and I doubt that if you wanted to talk about what was wrong that you'd talk to me" Abby said.

Kem looked at Abby as she thought about telling her. She couldn't tell her. Half of it involved her, and the other half involved John, Kem's future husband, and the love of Abby's life.
"Don't take it personally" Kem said

Abby laughed. "Don't worry about it" she said almost disappointed. "Carter is pretty worried about you"

"You've seen John already?" Kem asked.
"Uhh yeah, he asked me to look for you." Abby answered

Of course John found Abby…Kem thought to herself

"He did? That's interesting" Kem stated

"I'm sorry…what?" Abby asked, confused by Kem's last statement

Kem smiled. "Ohh ignore me, I guess I'm just tired. Well I better head back out there. I'm guessing everyone else has arrived?"
"Yeah, we'll all be in the restaurant in like 5 minutes."

"Okay, good"

"Ohh and Kem" Abby said as Kem started to walk away.
"Yes"
"Whatever it is" Abby started, "Don't let it get to you. It can't be nearly as important as the fact that you are getting married on Saturday" Abby smiled.

Kem looked at Abby and smiled. "Yeah, you're right" She said walking away. As she did so she was plagued with thoughts. It was so easy for Abby to say that. Abby was the 'thing' that was getting to her. She knew John still carried a torch for her, something that was made much clearer by Mr. Carter's comments about Abby. I doubt he talks about me like that. Maybe she was just being stupid and paranoid. Carter had chosen her, and they were getting married. Soon a huge smile crept across her face and she entered the restaurant.

"Everyone ready" Chirped a gleeful Susan.

"Not yet, Abby's still not back." Said Jake.

"Did we say we'd wait for her?" Asked Sam

"Yeah…Ohh it's ok, she's coming" Said Susan who had noticed Abby frantically moving towards the group.

"What about the bags?" Asked Luka

"The concierge is taking them up to the rooms for us" Replied Susan

"Cool" Luka nodded.

Abby rushed towards Jake and clung to his arm. "So are we all ready?" She asked looking for the restaurant.
"Yeah lets go" Said Jake who led Abby forward with him, followed by the rest of the group.

"Glad you decided to re-join our table John. Kem has been back for 10 minutes. Where did you go?" Jack Carter asked his son

"I…Uhh…went looking for Kem." He replied rather confused. "Did Abby find you?" Carter asked Kem.

"Yeah, she did." Kem said lucidly.

"Abby's here?" Jack sat up in his chair but as he did so he received a rather 'unhappy' look from his son. "Where is she, I mean, where are they?"

"Are my ears burning?" joked Abby who was now standing at the side of Jack Carter.

"Hey! Abby!" Jack said as he stood from his chair and brought Abby into a friendly embrace. As he did so Carter and Kem also stood.

"Hey Jack" Abby said as she hugged him back.
Just then Carter announced "Dad, you've met everyone right?"
"Uhh no, John. I haven't" he replied.

"Well dad, you know Abby. This is Jake" Jake reached out and shook hands with Jack, and he then leaned forward and placed a kiss on Kem's cheek. "and you know Susan, her husband Chuck and little Cosmo over there. And of course, Luka, Sam and Alex" There was a frenzy of hugs and formal greetings between the large group until they eventually sat down.

Carter sat looking round at his friends with a massive grin on his face.

"It's so great to see all of you. It's been too long" He said still smiling

They smiled back at him.

"So how was your flight?" Kem asked the guests

Suddenly a groan escaped the mouths of Susan, Chuck, Sam and Luka.

"It was boring!" complained Alex.
Sam glared at her son.

"It was long…" Sam stated
"Very long…" Susan confirmed with a laugh

"Not that I'd know" said Abby
"Yeah, you slept most of it" Jake commented smiling at Abby.

"So, you guys excited?" Asked Chuck who had spent the last 5 minutes in total silence.

Carter and Kem looked at one another and smiled, then they both answered "Yes" simultaneously.

Carter diverted his gaze from Kem as the rest of the guests engulfed themselves in conversation. He looked over at Abby who was having her own little conversation with Jake. They sat each with one elbow on the table holding hands and staring contently at one another, laughing and joking. Carter smiled. He loved seeing her so happy.

"Right, well I think this calls for a toast" proclaimed Jack Carter ushering towards a waiter.
"I would like one bottle of your finest please"

"and a diet coke" Sam said as she looked towards Alex.

Abby looked towards Carter who returned the same look of worry. She smiled at him.

"And two glasses of water please" Abby requested. She then looked back at Carter and smiled. Jake looked confused and learnt towards Abby

"Who is the water for" he asked

"Not now Jake" She said

"What…" he asked

"Never mind" She said sternly.

Soon the waiter arrived with the drinks. Sam took the diet coke and placed it in front of Alex. Jack took it upon himself to pour the wine whilst Abby reached forward and picked up the two glasses of water, handing one to Carter as she fell back to her seat.

"Thanks" he smiled

Abby looked at Jake and smiled.
"Abs, I'm sorry, I totally forgot" Jake apologised.

"Hey, it's ok." She smiled and kissed him gently on the lips.

Jack stood up and cleared his throat.
"I'd like to make a toast. To my son and to Makemba, who on Saturday will be married" He said looking at Carter and Kem.

Carter stood up and said "And to marriage. To the soon to be married" she said looking at Kem, then towards Abby and Jake. "And to the married" He said looking at Luka and Sam, and Susan and Chuck.
"Let's hope all your marriages are as happy as mine" Jack Carter said sarcastically.

The table laughed as Eleanor Carter made her way to the table
"Always were one to make a joke now weren't you dear?" She said as Jack, Carter and even Abby's face fell to the point where they all looked as though they would burst into tears.

"Good evening Eleanor." Said Jack "so…nice to see you…" he grimaced.