"So they're going to get married? How exciting!" Krista wanted to know all the details. "What kind of dress is she going to wear? Are they doing it in a church, or what?" Andy laughed. "I don't know... I really don't. I'm surprised my mom found out where I was. It's been years since I've seen her." He ran his hands through his hair. "To think, she's marrying the guy she got onto me for talking to at Wal-Mart like a thousand years ago..."
***
Karen was coming. Maggie heard the sound of car wheels driving up her driveway. She was here! Maggie felt an overflow of joy. It had been so long since she'd seen her. So very long. They had so much to catch up on- Johnny, the girls, her plan of an orphanage...
And also about Charles. Maggie stopped at the door. What would Karen say about him? What would she do? What would she think? She felt a mix of joy and fear. She wanted to see Karen and Mike, she really did, but she was afraid. She was afraid she'd done wrong. Bringing hurt back into their lives. She hoped Karen would understand. She hoped Karen trusted she was doing the right thing. She tossed her hair, trying to gain herself confidence, and opened the door. Karen was sliding out of the car, smiling and saying something to Mike. Oh, their faces! It'd been so long since she'd seen them! "Karen!" she called.
Her friend looked up. "Maggie!" she exclaimed, leaving her bags to embrace her friend. "Maggie! It's been so long!" She hugged her tightly. Maggie held her back, but the thought of her friend's face when she saw that familiar nightmare kept her worried. "I have so much to tell you!" Karen said when she finally let go. Mike was bringing the bags. "Oh, here, honey, let me help," she said, taking some of his load on her own shoulders. Maggie smiled wanly and let them in. "Yah..." she said slowly as they entered the dining room, where Mike let down the heavy luggage with a breathy huff. "I've got a lot to tell you too, Karen..."
The dining room door opened."Ms. Maggie? Did you want me to wait to do the dishes until after dinner? It looked like a big pile to me, so I'm washing them now. Is that alright?" Maggie froze. Karen covered her mouth, and Mike's eyebrows rose. "Umm..." she turned to see Chucky, covered in soap and a dishtowel in his hands. "Why don't you go do them now? That's a great idea," she said, trying to push him back in to the kitchen. "A very good idea..." He looked at her questioningly, no doubt because of her behavior, but he nodded and disappeared back behind the door.
"What... is he... doing here?" Karen whispered. She was holding Mike's hand. Mike's eyes were fixed on the door, and Maggie knew well enough that that meant he was getting into his obnoxious detective-novelist behavior. But he said nothing, and she was grateful. "About all that I needed to talk to you about?" she began awkwardly. "That's one of them." Karen stared at her, and instantly understood Maggie's tone of voice. "We need to have a long talk, don't we?" she slowly. Maggie nodded. "Yup," she said. Karen breathed in and out through her mouth in the shape of an "o". "You can lead me to my room then," she said, picking up her suitcases. "And Mike can..." she looked around, trying to find something for him to do. "Talk to Johnny!" Maggie said hurriedly. "You'd love him. Johnny!" she called.
After they had gotten the men settled, they snuck upstairs to the room Maggie had designated for them and shut the door. "Are you crazy?" Karen asked, not angry, but not all too pleased either. She held her hands up to her cheeks for emphasis. "Him? Why? What happened? Why is he here?" Maggie sat down on the bed and picked up one of the pillows. "It's a long story," she said. Karen joined her and put her hands in her lap. "I've got two weeks until my wedding Maggie," she began. Maggie tensed. But Karen held her hand. "I've got time. I want to know where your logic is behind all this madness."
***
He had come back for another session. Kyle shifted through her notepad to find his section. "Hello, Damien," she said with a smile. She was in a really good mood. Not even his familiar sour face was ruining it today. Mrs. Barclay had remembered her. She had gotten the wedding invitation in the mail, and Mrs. Barclay, soon to be Mrs. Norris, wanted her to be a bridesmaid. "You look disgustingly cheery today," he grumped, making himself comfortable in the cushioned pillows on the couch. "Look, Damien," she said, folding her hands and leaning over her desk to get closer to her. "I've got a proposition. Seeing how all we ever do in these little "sessions" of ours is me talking and you being... well, being you, I suggest we do something else next time." She tossed the wedding invite at him. "My friend is getting married in two weeks, on the same day your next appointment is. How about we go there instead?" Damien scowled. "Hum. No way," he said flatly. Kyle shrugged. "Fine. Do you mind skipping that day then, and meeting some other time?"
She had really expected him to agree, or say something rude. But instead he held the invite and looked at it quietly. "Aren't you scared I'll set the place on fire?" he asked. She snorted. "Hun, I saw my foster mother cut up and sewn together by a sewing machine. Nothing scares me now." She adjusted the books on her desk. "So are you coming?"
He looked up at her. His eyes were green and gold. Strange. Usually they had those frightening blue eyes. Or maybe that was just her remembering other things. "How long is it going to be?" he asked quietly, still fingering the card where Mrs. Barclay and her fiancé's picture was printed. "Two hours, tops. Though I really don't know. They're having it in the city park, so I expect it shouldn't be so stuffy." He nodded. "And you're going to be there too?" he asked. What kind of a question was that? "Hum... yes," she said, emphasizing the yes. "I'm one of the bridesmaids, so I won't be sitting with you. But I'll have my eye on you," she pointed two fingers at her eyes, then at him, "so don't try anything funny."
Was that a smile on his face? She honestly didn't know.
***
Karen was still pondering what Maggie had told her when she heard a sound. A stifled sound, like crying. Probably in the room next door, because whoever it was obviously didn't want anyone knowing. She looked over at Mike, who was sleeping with his arm hung over the side of the bed, his mouth open. He looked like such a dork. She smiled at him before quietly getting up and tip-toeing across the room to the door.
What was she going to do about that killer? That doll, or whatever he was now? It still hurt. If he hadn't come into her life, she would have never lost Andrew. Or Andy. It was his fault. How could she forgive him? Mike made a muffled sound in his sleep, and she turned back to gaze at him. She did love him, with all her heart. She was glad she met him. And she had to realize that, had it not been for this doll, she wouldn't have met Mike. They wouldn't have found each other.
She snuck out the door into the hallway. She was right. It was next door. One of the little girls, perhaps? Maybe. Maggie had told her about them too. Sara and Sarah. Friends because they had the same name. Poor dears. She crept to the other door, slowly turning the doorknob, and crawling around the door into the dark room. She realized instantly it wasn't one of the girls.
They wouldn't be crying for Andy.
She stopped. She couldn't do this! He did not deserve her pity, or her mercy, or whatever it was. He had done wrong. He should pay, right? She watched him clutch the pillow and sob into it pitifully, an unending cry that was only silenced by coughing. She was such a woman, feeling sorry for him. This wasn't right, was it? She was still deciding this when she heard him call for his mother. His mother. Elizabeth. Perhaps he didn't deserve it, perhaps he did. He seemed to have suffered, to be suffering now. Besides, she remembered, she was his godmother. She had promised Elizabeth. She'd promised.
She crawled over to the side of the bed and gently shook his shoulder. "Charles?" she whispered. How strange, she had never actually spoken to him before. He opened his eyes slowly, trying to blink out the tears as he woke. His eyes! He had her eyes. She remembered. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "I didn't mean to wake you up. It just happens..." Karen held his hands. "Do you remember me?" she asked. He nodded. "I know. I saw you earlier," he sniffed. He seemed to shrink away from her. "You don't have to stay and look at me, you know," he said. "I probably disgust you."
Karen didn't say much. She just sighed and curled her arm underneath him, cradling him. "Your eyes are like your mom's," she said gently. He looked up at her. "You knew my mom?" he asked, wiping his eyes. She nodded. "We met because your father and my husband were childhood friends. It was she and I that thought up your name," she replied. How, she wondered, how could he look so small now? He had seemed like a threat and was a nationwide danger once. And now he was not? "Tell me about her," he said, watching her with those wide blue eyes. "Tell me about my mother..."
***
The wedding was beautiful, despite the fact there was that horrendous news in the paper saying that America was going to war, and was now recruiting. The sun shone brightly as ever, and the returning autumn leaves added so much color. It was Mike's favorite season. Maggie and Kyle smiled and nudged each other as Karen walked across the grass. Her bare feet could feel the cool grass with each step. There were the typical coos and gasps at her dress, or her hair. Mike was waiting with a relaxed smile on his face.
Damien had come. Kyle was surprised he had shown up. But he had (up front, too!), and he was watching every moment. He had actually cleaned up nicely, as well. He looked more like the grown man that he was rather than a juvenile. Maybe it was just the removal of the lip ring. Kyle had always hated those for some odd reason. But what really caught her attention about him was that he was moved by this. His face was losing that cold exterior with every step Karen took towards her husband-to-be, and she swore she saw his eyes water. She cheered herself inwardly for telling him to come. Perhaps it had done some good.
Andy was sitting on the left side of the group. He saw a lot of people he didn't know. He was glad he had asked Krista to come along. Ellen was late, but Howard couldn't make it. Something to do with Shelton. Quanisha was on tour, already miles away, but she had sent back a letter saying she wanted pictures, and lots of them. He also saw some people he did know. Maggie for one. He remembered the blonde woman standing next to Maggie, but he couldn't recall her name. He also vaguely recognized Quanisha's mother, but the man sitting next to her he'd never seen. He had a thick cast on his leg. Andy turned back to watch his mother's face. He hadn't seen her so happy in such a long time- heck, he hadn't seen her in a long time in general. He smiled when Krista squeezed his hand. Much as she acted like a boy, liking guns and combat, she was also such a girl when it came to weddings. "It's so beautiful," she whispered happily. He turned to reply, but something else had caught his eye just then.
Chucky saw Andy. He knew it was him. He didn't know what to do. And he was right over there. He wasn't that far away, only a few steps. But he couldn't. He just couldn't. For some reason, he really just couldn't face him. He just seemed so happy, sitting with that girl. Chucky remembered that girl too. Krista. He couldn't just walk over there and ruin Andy's happiness. Andy deserved to be happy. Andy did not deserve to suffer again. So he stayed away, though it hurt so very badly.
Andy had hugged his mother tightly when it was over. There were lots of tears of joy. He would have stayed longer, to tell her how much he had missed her. They had so much to catch up on. But the academy called, saying they needed to talk to him. And it was urgent.
Andy Barclay found himself sitting on his cot that night, reading an official letter, each word dragging his heart down lower.