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“I can’t raise them, CarolAnn.I know nothing about babies and what they might need.I don’t know how to love anyone but you guys.”She told her that she’d find a man and he’d make everything perfect for her.“There isn’t anyone out there like that.Not for me.Not that I’m looking, either.I don’t want to have to be attached to someone that will hurt me.”
“Not everyone is like Randal, honey.You do know that, don’t you?”She nodded, her heart broken again for what had been done to her.“Carrie, honey, don’t let one asshole make you not try to love again.If you do, then your loss will be overwhelming.”
“I’m not closing off my heart to anyone.”CarolAnn just stared at her.“All right, I am, but I’ll be all right.I’m much too caustic for anyone to want to get near me anymore anyway.And I think that I like that—”
The limo had stopped.She hadn’t any idea when but she knew that it had been a while.Her brothers were out, and she was sitting there with Barkley, who was on his cell phone.The door was open to the car, and she could see her brothers.She did wonder why they’d not poked her or something.Carrie looked at Barkley when he said her name.
“Are you all right?”She said that she wasn’t sure anymore.“Yeah, I get that.It’s going to be all right.My family, along with yours, is working hard to make sure that the two of them pay.And they will too.”
“I don’t know if I believe you or not.Not you, but believe in justice anymore.”She looked out the window and then back to him before continuing.“I’m jaded, I’ll admit to that.Things in my personal life as well as professional life, have made me that way.I don’t trust easily.I certainly don’t lean on many people, even when I probably should.People, my sister included, are mean, selfish people that only have their best interests in mind when they plot and plan things that they know aren’t right.”
“What is it you do?”She told him.“That’s right.I remember you telling me that on the phone.I can see where that would have you jaded.Even having as limited idea of what your job would entail, I can see where people would be pissy with you about denying their claims.Like this case with the Cartwrights.I’m sure you see this all the time.”
“I do.More than I think people realized it.”Barkley asked if she’d been able to look over the policy that was on her sister.“I have.He will get double the payout if she was murdered.Not that there is any doubt that she was murdered, but if he had anything at all to do with her demise, he’ll get nothing.I think that’s why he wants her cremated so badly.”
“My dad, he’s looking into the fact that Mick doesn’t want her to be autopsied and get around him on that.Not that they’ve not already taken blood and tissue samples from her and sent them off.This was done legally before he told anyone of her supposed wishes.”Barkley got out of the car and put his hand in to help her out.Anyone of her brothers would have done the same thing, but it was different when a stranger did it.“I was just speaking to my family, and they’re going to meet us all in town for some dinner.They’d gotten so wrapped up in what they were doing that they forgot they were having guests tonight.”
“They don’t have to do that.”Barkley simply told her that it was his parents, and he didn’t question them when they told him what to do.“Aren’t you a little old to be afraid of your parents?”
“Old or not, I’m terrified of them.”They all laughed and joked with Barkley about his fear.“I think I’m most afraid of disappointing them.Especially my mom.But the look on my dad’s face when he feels like we didn’t give something our best is something that I strive not to see again.”She asked him what he’d done.“I pretended to be sick so that I’d not have to go school at the Sadie Hawkins dance.I hadn’t gotten any of the girls to ask me.”
“So it was your ego that got you into trouble.”Barkley nodded while laughing.“I think that even knowing you as little as I do, your ego could take a few hits to it, and you’d come out on top.Besides, I doubt very much you have any trouble getting a date from anyone now.You’re not too bad looking for a man.”
“Thank you.I think.”They entered the restaurant and were seated right away.They were in a large private room that was already made up and waiting for them.Christ, it was a fucking long table with what looked like a million chairs around it.“My brothers are coming as well.Jenson and Clay’s wife, along with my grandma.You’ll like her.She’s a hoot.Well, I guess you’d like them all.They’re all good people.”
While they waited on the family, Barkley ordered some appetizers for them.When she took one of the stuffed mushrooms off the platter, she moaned at the taste.It was the best she’d ever eaten of the treat.When there were no more left, her having the most of them, she stabbed the one on Barkley’s plate and stuck it into her mouth.She was both embarrassed as well as enjoying the look on his face when she looked at him.
“We should have warned you about Carrie.She loves food and will steal from strangers to have what she wants.”Barkley nodded at Aaron, her other brother, then gave her the one that he’d hidden under the deep-fired ravioli that she didn’t care for.“You should also protect your drinks.She’s sneaky about taking the last sip of whatever we’re all drinking.
When his family showed up, Carrie fell in love with them all.Especially Lisa, as she insisted they all call her.She also had pictures of the twins, also sharing how much she was enjoying them being around.
Chapter 3
Clay read over the contracts that he’d been sent twice.Then his father read them before Clay read them again.The NASA program was his to run.All he had to do was sign on the dotted line, so to speak.He looked up when Lizzy said his name.
“Shit, or get off the pot, Clay.You want the job, and all you need to do is sign it.Look.They even made it easy for you by putting little tabs where you need to put your name.”He asked his wife why she was pushing him.“I’m not pushing you.Not really.I’m just tired of you looking that thing over like you’re expecting something to leap out at you all of a sudden.Your dad even told you to sign it.You’re getting the best deal he’s ever seen.Not to mention all the perks that come my way when you’re there.”
Lizzy smiled at him.“You know I love you, right?”She told him that he’d better.“I do.Trust me.But I’m afraid to sign it, to be honest.I’m afraid that it will change us somehow.”
“Change us into what?”He said he didn’t want to be like the men he was replacing.“Not going to happen.I’ll keep you on the straight and narrow when you start to look like that is your plan.Besides, since you’re aware that it might happen, I have no doubt that you won’t ever become them.”
She sat on his lap and held him.All he could think about was just how much he loved his wife.And the fact that she loved him back was like ice cream with his favorite pie.She was the best that he’d ever seen.
“The house that they gave us when we needed to be in town for very long is nice.I love the fact that there are several bedrooms in it just in case your family wants to come and visit us while there.”He said there would be plenty of room for their family as well.“Yes, there is that.While we’re on the subject, I’m going to have your baby.”
Clay was still sitting there when she got up and left him.He had to run it through his head several times before he could come to terms with what she’d said to him.Laughing and getting up, he sat back down long enough to sign where the tabs were.Putting it in the envelope that would send it via a courier, he went in search of his wife.His pregnant wife.
He found her in the kitchen with her dad.Since Clay didn’t know who knew about the baby and she didn’t mention it again, he listened in on the conversation that was going on between the two of them.Something about a job.
“I know that you can support me, honey, but I want to find me something to do.To get out and meet people again.I’ve only just realized how much time I’m spending by myself, and I don’t like what thoughts enter my head.I need to become a member of society.Get out there and do something with my life.”Alfred hugged his daughter as he continued.“You and Clay have given me a second chance at life.And I’m not going to waste it by feeling sorry for myself while waiting to die.I need to be productive to keep the demons away.”
“Don’t say things like that, Dad.I’m going to have a baby soon, and I’m going to need you here to help out with it.”Alfred pulled away from his daughter and asked her if she was serious.“Yes.Completely.But I’ve only told you and Clay, so let’s not spread it around just yet.”
He wasn’t nearly as shocked by the news as he’d been.Picking Lizzy up, he swung her around and around until she begged him to let her go.When he hugged her again, Alfred reached for him to make it a group hug.Clay thought that it was one of the best hugs he’d had in all his life.
“I don’t know what to do.”Lizzy asked him if he still wanted to work because she had the perfect job for him.“All right.You tell me what it is, and I’ll do it.I’m so happy right now that I could about bust.A baby in the family again.I don’t know how much help I’ll be with helping you, dear, but I’ll start reading up on it right away.No.No, if I do that, check some books out of the library.Everyone in town will know about it before I make it home.No, we’ll learn together, the three of us.My baby girl is having a baby.”
Alfred continued to babble on about reading and books as he left them in the kitchen.His half-eaten sandwich was still on the counter, as was his glass of tea.He didn’t bother moving it.Having been around Alfred for the past few months, he was sure he’d be back when he remembered that he’d made himself something.Pulling Lizzy into his arms, he held her tightly.
