Main Dish (First Course Book 2), page 10
“He just started Monday,” Tom explained. “Mostly, he’s been digging into her finances and things of that nature,” he said. Carrie listened attentively. “Carrie, the house is being foreclosed on.”
“What? Why?”
“She hasn’t paid the mortgage since November.”
Carrie rubbed her face with her hands and then shook her head. “I don’t understand.”
“I don’t either.”
“Do you think that’s why she forged my signature on those disbursement requests?”
“It crossed my mind, but if that was the reason, she didn’t use that money to pay the mortgage, so…”
“Jesus.”
“I know. I met with my attorney this morning.”
Carrie sighed.
“I’ve asked him to try to get supervised visitation only; at least, until after our custody hearing.”
“You think she might take off with CJ?” Carrie asked.
“I don’t know what to think anymore,” Tom admitted. “I can’t take any risks. They may not grant that request, but I think I have to try.”
“I can’t believe this is happening,” Carrie muttered. She had just closed her eyes when her office door flew open violently.
“Well, isn’t this a pretty picture,” Dar’s sarcastic tone made Carrie’s stomach turn violently.
“Dar,” Carrie tried to speak soothingly.
Dar grinned maniacally. She looked at Tom. “The vindictive ex-husband colluding with the traitorous best friend.”
“No one is,” Carrie tried to speak.
Dar cut her off. “I got your papers,” she glared at Tom. He made no reply. Dar turned to Carrie. “I guess since you can’t have any children of your own; you thought stealing my daughter would be your best option.”
Carrie’s heart plummeted in her chest. I can’t believe you went there.
Tom looked at Carrie and saw disbelief and pain mingling in her expression. He struggled with a surge of rage. “That’s enough, Darlene,” he bellowed.
***
Devon had no intention of eavesdropping. She had detected Carrie’s voice, but she had been unable to make out the words. There was no mistaking Dar’s voice, nor her words. Devon froze in place. Why wouldn’t you tell me? She felt the urge to bust into Carrie’s office and throttle Dar. She stopped when she heard Tom’s voice. Carrie? Why wouldn’t you tell me? Devon took a deep breath and decided it was best to step away. Intruding now would have seemed as if she had intentionally listened in. And, what would she say to Carrie? Should she pretend she didn’t hear anything or should she tell Carrie what she heard? Shit. Devon pushed back tears of frustration and quietly made her way back down the hallway to the exit. What now?
***
“Oh, it doesn’t even scratch the surface,” Dar bit back at Tom.
“This is not Carrie’s fault.”
“No? Whose fault is it, Thomas? The two of you and your petty jealousy,” Dar said.
“Jealousy?” Tom’s voice raised measurably.
“You hate me for having the guts to do what I want; you both do. You always have.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Tom disagreed. “You have created this situation for yourself—for all of us.”
“Please,” Dar drawled. She looked at Carrie. “Crocodile tears,” she hissed.
Carrie closed her eyes to control her emotions.
“I said, that is enough!” Tom made his way and stood eye to eye with his ex-wife. “Unless you have something you’d like to tell us that we don’t already know, I think you should leave,” he said.
Dar sniggered, and looked a Carrie again. “You want everything I have; is that it? You want this company. You want my family? What else would you like to take?”
Carrie took a deep breath and pulled herself to her feet. She walked straight to Dar and looked her in the eye. “All I ever wanted Darlene, was to be your best friend. I guess it was my mistake to think you were capable of that.”
“Fuck you, Carrie.”
Carrie held her ground. “When you decide you want to tell me the truth; you let me know. Otherwise, I think we are through here.”
“We’re not even close to through,” Dar said menacingly.
“Just go, Darlene,” Tom said sadly.
Darlene chuckled caustically again and opened Carrie’s office door. “Be careful what you wish for,” she told them. “You might just get it one day.” She walked out and disappeared in the distance.
Tom made his way to Carrie’s side and immediately pulled her into an embrace. “Carrie…”
Carrie sniffled and pulled back. “I don’t know who that was.”
Tom sighed. “Me neither.”
“What do we do?” Carrie asked.
“What we have to,” Tom answered honestly. “She’s made her bed. She has to lie in it. I can’t let her drag CJ down with her, and you can’t let her drag you or this company along for the ride to hell either.”
“I know,” Carrie said. “Why does that not make me feel any better?”
Tom smiled. “Because you’re a good person,” he said. “Don’t let Dar make you second guess that. If anyone is jealous, it’s Dar of you. It always has been.”
“I don’t think…”
“No, I know,” Tom said. “Trust me on this one,” he smiled.
“She hates me.”
“No,” he said. “She hates herself. I don’t think she could ever hate you, Carrie. Don’t let her take you there. You have too many things to look forward to. You were right; unless she wants to come clean with you, there’s no more to say.”
Carrie nodded. “I wish there was another way.”
“So, do I. I’m here for you,” he promised.
“I know. Me too.”
Tom nodded. He squeezed Carrie’s hand. “What she said…”
Carrie smiled weakly. “It’s true, well, at least, it might be true. Not about CJ, but about having any myself.”
“Well, I’m no fortune teller,” he said. “But, I have faith it will all work out.”
“I hope so,” Carrie replied. “For all of us.”
“Me too.”
***
“Hey,” Devon’s voice came over the line.
“Hi. How’s your night going?” Carrie wondered.
Carrie sounded upbeat, but Devon could detect the melancholy in her voice. It was scarcely concealed. She would’ve noted it without overhearing the blow-up with Dar that afternoon. She still wasn’t certain how to approach Carrie about what she had heard. She was confused, angry, frustrated, and hurt; most of all, Devon was worried about Carrie. All the competing emotions in her heart, and thoughts in her head were making her dizzy.
“Dev? You okay?”
“Yeah, sorry. Just a little crazy here. I wanted to call to say goodnight.”
“I’m glad you did,” Carrie replied. “I miss you.”
Devon closed her eyes. She missed Carrie too. “I miss you too. Everything okay there?”
“We’re good,” Carrie said. “It was an interesting day, but we survived.”
“Oh? You want to talk about it?”
Carrie sighed. She did want to talk about it. She needed to talk about it, but not over the phone. “I do,” she said. “When you’re here; I do.”
Devon could understand that. She imagined more had happened than what she had heard, and that alone was enough to set anyone reeling. “You know, if you need me…”
“I know. You have a busy weekend. So do I,” Carrie chuckled.
“Is the monkey there?” Devon asked.
“She is. She will be until Saturday night.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, some things are happening with Dar. I don’t even know where to begin,” Carrie said wearily. “Long story short; it looks like she’s losing her house. Tommy hired a PI.”
“He hired a private investigator?”
“Yeah. Apparently, she’s heading off to Vegas again tomorrow. He’s going along with the investigator.”
“Is that a good idea?”
“I don’t know,” Carrie admitted. “I think he feels like he needs to see it to believe it. I don’t even know what he expects to see. He’ll be back on Saturday evening. So, I will have company while you are working.”
Devon was relieved to know that Carrie would have CJ. “Do you need me to pick her up tomorrow from preschool? I can cut out at four, and drop her off at your office,” Devon offered.
I love you, Dev. “Thanks. I took tomorrow off. I need a little time away from the office.”
“You let me know if you need something.”
“I promise; I will.” I wish you were here.
“Okay. I’ll call you tomorrow sometime.”
“Devon, I know it’s crazy for you the next two days. Don’t worry; okay? I know you have a lot on your plate.”
Now, is that because you don’t want to talk to me or is that because you are worried about me? Devon sighed. “I’ll call.”
“Okay. I love you, Dev.”
“I love you too.” I do, Carrie. Why won’t you let me in?
***
Carrie thought she heard something and pried her eyes open. She strained in the dark to bring the small figure standing next to her bed into focus. “Hey, monkey,” she yawned. As her eyes adjusted, Carrie managed to see CJ’s forlorn expression. “Hey,” she woke herself up and held out her arms. “Climb up here. What’s wrong, sweetheart? Did you have a bad dream?”
CJ nestled against Carrie and nodded.
“Aww, honey; it’s okay. You never have to ask to climb up here.”
“Auntie?”
“What, sweetie?” Carrie asked.
“Why are you sad?”
Carrie felt the air rapidly leave her lungs. She is so intuitive. “I’m not sad, monkey.”
“You was cwying.”
Shit. I didn’t think you saw that. “Well, sometimes even when we get big, we cry.”
“I don’t want you to be sad,” CJ said.
“Well, guess what? I’m not sad right now, because I have a monkey in my bed,” Carrie tickled CJ lightly.
CJ giggled. “I wuv you,” CJ whispered.
“Oh, CJ,” Carrie started to cry. “I love you too, honey.”
“Why’s you cwying?”
“Because I love you,” Carrie said honestly. “And, sometimes when we love somebody a whole lot, we cry because it makes us so happy.”
CJ nestled closer. “I will take care of you,” she promised.
Carrie trembled with emotion. “You do take care of me,” she told CJ. “And, I will always be here for you.”
“Fowevah?”
“And ever,” Carrie said. She brushed her fingertips through CJ’s locks. “Now, go to sleep. We have all day tomorrow to spend together.”
“No school?”
“No,” Carrie said. “No preschool tomorrow. I have the day off.” She could swear she felt CJ smile against her. “Now, come on. This old lady needs her rest if she hopes to keep up with a monkey in the morning.”
“You not old, Auntie.”
Carrie chuckled. Old enough. Oh, Dar, what are you missing?
***
SATURDAY MORNING
“What cat dragged you in?” Jillian took one look at Devon and shook her head.
“Long night,” Devon explained.
“Coffee?” Jillian asked.
“Pot,” Devon replied.
Jillian grinned. “I’m surprised to see you in my kitchen on Saturday morning. I thought you’d be with Carrie.” She raised her brow at the detectable sigh she heard fall from Devon’s lips. “Okay? Out with it. What happened?”
“Nothing happened. That’s the problem.”
“Come again.”
“Mom…”
“Hey, you are the one stumbling into my kitchen at nine in the morning.”
“I knew you’d feed me.”
“I’m sure,” Jillian replied. She pulled down a box of cereal and set it in front of Devon. “You know where the milk is. Knock yourself out.”
“Ha-ha.”
Jillian leaned against the counter and folded her arms across her chest. “You want this pot of coffee,” she gestured to the counter. “You’ll fess up now.”
Devon groaned. “I’m not sure what Carrie wants.”
“Explain.”
“I don’t know what she wants—from me, I mean—with us.”
Jillian’s gaze narrowed. “Did you two have a fight or something?”
Devon chuckled. She and Carrie occasionally argued; normally over something trivial. They’d yet to have what Devon would call a fight. “No.”
“Okay?”
“It’s not okay, Mom. I mean, I don’t know if it’s okay.”
“As much as I pride myself on being able to decode your logic, I have to admit; I’m lost.”
Devon took a deep breath and let it out forcefully. “I overheard her and Dar. Dar mentioned something about Carrie not being able to have kids.”
“Oh.”
“Oh?” Devon looked at her mother. “Wait a minute—you knew?”
Jillian grabbed two mugs and set them on the table. She went about retrieving the cream from the refrigerator and the coffee pot while she considered how to respond.
“Mom?”
Jillian smiled and sat down across from her daughter. “Why does hearing that make you question what Carrie wants?”
“Why aren’t you answering me?”
“Yes,” Jillian said. “I know about Carrie’s concerns.”
“You’re kidding me? She told you and not me?”
“Devon…”
“I can’t believe she would…”
“Devon!” Jillian raised her voice slightly. Devon stopped mumbling and looked at her mother. “Thank you. You were down with your headache,” she explained. “I pushed. I could tell something was on her mind.”
“Why wouldn’t she tell me?”
“You honestly have no idea why she might be reluctant to bring that up?”
“It’s kind of an important thing; don’t you think?”
“Does it change how you feel about her?”
“What? Of course, not!”
“So? What’s your issue?”
“Mom,” Devon stopped and took a breath. “Is it because she doesn’t want that with me?”
“Doesn’t want what with you?” Jillian asked.
“More,” Devon replied. “Jesus, Mom, we’ve been together six months, and she still hasn’t asked me to move in.”
Jillian held back a knowing grin. “I see. Have you let her know what you want?”
“She knows I love her.”
“That’s not what I asked. I asked you if you made it clear to Carrie that you want more, as you put it?”
“Of course.”
“Really?”
“Oh, just say what you want to say,” Devon said.
“Have you decided about the New York job yet?”
“What?”
“Am I speaking Greek? I asked if you made a decision about Jason’s offer.”
“I’m not going to New York,” Devon said as if everyone should know that.
“No?”
“What would make you think I am going to New York?” she asked. “Oh, no… Wait, are you telling me that Carrie thinks I want that job?”
“I don’t think Carrie is sure what you want,” Jillian said. “I do know she wants you to have whatever it is that you want.”
Devon leaned back in her chair as if someone had punched her in the gut. “I wouldn’t go anywhere without her,” she mused.
Jillian smiled. “Maybe you should tell her that.”
“How can she not know that?”
“How can she know that if you haven’t told her?” Jillian asked. “Devon, Carrie is settled here. She owns her home. She has charge of CJ weekly, and we both know she would never step out on that little girl, particularly not now.”
“I know.”
“And, unless you are completely dense, we both know she loves you. Carrie is not the kind of person to make someone choose.”
“There’s no choice,” Devon said.
“Why are you telling me that?”
“Shit. Mom, how can she not know that? I don’t give a shit about going back to the city. We’ve talked about having kids.”
“I’m sure you have. Did you talk about that as something you want with her, or did you muse about how it’s something you’d one day like to have?”
“What’s the difference?”
“There’s a big difference, Devon. You know it.”
Devon leaned her head on the table in defeat. “I bought her a ring,” she said without lifting her head.
Jillian was genuinely surprised. She had felt sure that Devon wanted to be with Carrie. Devon proposing had not been on her radar. “An engagement ring?”
Devon picked up her head and chuckled. “Why does everyone ask that? Of course, an engagement ring.”
Jillian sipped her coffee thoughtfully.
“You’re not going to say anything?” Devon asked.
“Why haven’t you asked her?”
“I don’t know. So much has been going on in her life with Dar, and she’s got so many things to deal with. I don’t want her to think I am pushing.”
Jillian raised her brow and smirked.
“She thinks telling me she can’t have kids would make me feel pressured? That’s crazy. It’s got to be killing her.”
Jillian nodded. “It is killing her, although I think what’s hurting her the most is wanting to tell you, and being afraid to.”
“Mom, she can tell me anything.”
“Not me who needs to hear that,” Jillian pointed out.
“She knows that.”
“Yes, she does. If you want to be with Carrie, then tell her that’s what you want.”
“Propose?”
“Isn’t that what you want to do?”
“Yeah, it is.”
“Then, why don’t you?”
Devon smiled.
Jillian patted her daughter’s hand. “Don’t take for granted anyone knows what’s going on in that brain of yours,” she said with a wink. “I’ve had thirty-two years to decode it. She’s had six months. I know you think she’s some kind of Jedi or something, but trust me, your mind is a mystery at times.”
Devon laughed. “Mom?”
“Yes?”
“I really do want to.”
