Chapter 25 – Christmas Afternoon (Rated)
Disclaimer: Lyrics "What if?" belong to Coldplay
"I'll carve the turkey" Ray offered, he picked up the knife. He is sporting his usual rocker sleeveless t-shirt. Neela, Chuny, Carter and Jane sitting down at the table, licking their lips at the Christmas dinner laid out on the table. Abby is in the kitchen, finishing making the gravy.
"Get stuck in guys!" Abby announced walking to the table with a jug in her hand. She placed it on the table and sat down. They are all putting servings on their plate and passing round the bowls of vegetables, potatoes or meat to each other.
"So how's ER this morning?" Carter asked after his first swallow of his food.
"Gee Carter, do we really have to talk about work?" Abby said in disbelief
"Well yeah we don't want to talk about it but I can't resist telling you guys what me and Chuny had to deal with" Ray pointing his fork at everyone, eating with his mouth full
"What happened?" Neela asked looking intrigued.
"This geezer came in with superficial burns from his turkey"
"Wow! The bird jumped out at him from the oven?" Carter laughed
"He tried to defrost the turkey in the microwave"
"Yeah and he forgot to take out the bag of giblets from inside of the turkey" Chuny said wearing her favorite bright pink top.
"Oh my god! The pressure from the bag, it expanded…" Abby said curling her top lip trying imagining what happens next.
"BOOM!" Carter interrupted loudly that made everyone jump.
"Jesus Carter!" They all shouted, cursing him. Carter is still laughing.
"It's not really that funny Carter, poor guy maybe scarred for life," Jane muttered, taking a sip of her wine.
"Who asked you?"
Jane jerked back when Carter snapped at her. Abby kicked Carter's leg under the table
"Ow!"
"Don't be rude!" Abby narrowed her eyes at Carter, she gave him the look, she was not happy…
"Is everything alright?" Neela asked everyone trying to change the subject.
"Delicious!"
Abby takes a sip of her 7up and noticed Carter knocking back the wine, unlike him. She is getting concerned about his characteristics… they're out of line… is he really not coping with the pregnancy? It would be damn mean of him to say how wonderful the news and not really meant it. Never lie to Lockhart because she will kick ass if she finds out. She always wants to know where she stands…
Abby always wants truth, even if the truth hurts…
An hour later, they all finished the festive feast, they were all stuffed, and there were leftovers. It is always best to make too much than less. Everyone got up and head to the lounge and crash out on the couch rubbing their nice big full bellies.
"I'll make a curry with those lefties" Neela suggested to Abby, who is loading the plates and bowls in to the dishwasher.
"Let's have some tunes on" Ray said, looking at the CD on Abby's pile of opened presents, Coldplay's "X&Y" new album and put its in the CD player on the Stereo.
The table is cleared; everything put away, the dishwasher whirring with all the pots in it and everyone chilling out with their drinks. Abby walked in clasping her hands together nervously.
"Carter, shall we?" Abby pointing in the direction of the bedroom. Everyone raised his or her brows looking at her, thinking what she's up to?
"Oh my god she's gagging for it!" Carter jumped up with drunkenness.
"Carter! Not like that!" Abby scolded at him with her face like thunder. "That talk…" she hissed through her teeth.
"Oh yes… let me go to the bathroom first" He slurred.
Abby is looking out of her bedroom window with her hands on her waist. She is waiting for Carter to come in from the bathroom. She is clicking her tongue waiting anxiously and thinking over what she has to say. She is quite embarrassed at his behaviour.
Coldplay's "What if?" is heard playing from the other room…
What if there was no lie
Nothing wrong, nothing right
What if there was no time
And no reason, or rhyme
What if you should decide
That you don't want me there by your side
That you don't want me there in your life
What if I got it wrong
And no poet or song
Could put right what I got wrong
Or make you feel I belong
Carter walked into the room, Abby doesn't hear him. He is very intoxicated from the red wine he drank and staggered over to sit down on the end of her bed.
What if you should decide
That you don't want me there by your side
That you don't want me there in you life
"That dinner was delicious" Carter said, his presence had made Abby jump, she didn't released he was in the room, she turned and smiled at him. She sat down next to him.
"I need to know where I stand in all this? It's all too confusing about whether you are coming or going," She asked looking down, rubbing off a smudge or a spill on her pants.
Ooh, that's right
Let's take a breath, try to hold it inside
Ooh, that's right
How can you know it, if you don't even try
Ooh, that's right
"I've handed my notice in, because County won't let me have the time off, if I needed to come back I would do my job voluntarily until a position arises"
"But you are still not making things clear!" Abby said, shaking her head and clenching her hands resting on her lap. "Is it me or my brain not functioning anymore?"
"It's too early days, my priority is Kisangani this minute, the relocating is the problem we're having"
Abby threw her arms over her head to lie down on the bed and lets out a sigh in frustration.
She is thinking this is no good… great! He's drunk and still not very clear… is he on something? Is he hiding something?
Every step that you take
Could be your biggest mistake
It could bend or it could break
That's the risk that you take
Carter turned and quickly climbs over to straddle on top of her. He is grinning and with one hand he firmly gets hold of both of her wrists that are placed above her head. Abby winced and grunted trying to wiggle to free herself. She is trapped beneath him.
"Has anyone told you how beautiful you are?" He leaned over to kiss her and licked her top lip. She can taste the dry fruitiness of the wine as he explored his forced tongue into her mouth. With his free hand he is tracing it down the side of her body, tracing it up her inner thigh. He rubbed his hand firmly between her legs that made Abby let out a cry. He knows he has power over her now, he knows which button to press to make her weak. Carter moved his head to plant kisses on her neck. He gave her soft gentle blows in her ear and tried to undo the buttons on her pants.
"Will you get off me?" She whimpered, still trying to free herself. "Carter you are still not giving me any answers"
"You want an answer?" Carter said arrogantly nodding his head.
What if you should decide
That you don't want me there in your life
That you don't want me there by your side
He slipped his hand inside her underwear and massages her roughly. Abby gritted her teeth squirming away from the discomfort Carter giving her.
"I have doubts if this baby is mine?"
"Huh?" Abby gasped in shock, she managed to free her hands and grabbed his wrist to pull his hand away from between her legs. She tried to push him off.
"Get off me!" Abby shouted with tears welling up in her eyes from the humiliation. She swung her arm to slap him across the face.