Carrie walked with her around to the back of the house. “The yard is fenced in and the screened back porch is plenty big enough for him to stay when it’s cold and rainy. This place is perfect for Toto.”
Lauren gave her mom a weak smile. “I guess so, but we’ll miss him at Dad’s.”
Carrie watched her daughter walk quietly away from her and into the house. Her daughter’s statement had settled on her chest like an anchor, a heavy reminder that nothing had changed. If her children didn’t accept this...well, she didn’t want to think about the rest of it. Sam joined her a moment later, his face filled with concern.
“Everything all right?” he asked.
Carrie tried to smile. “Just hoping the kids will like it here.”
He pulled her into his arms for a quick hug. “It’ll be fine, you’ll see,” he told her. “Now come on inside and show us where you want everything.”
***
By six o’clock all five vehicles were unloaded and furniture placed where Carrie wanted it. Beds were made and ready to be slept in thanks to extra sets of sheets and blankets Carrie’s children had packed. By eight o’clock everything else was unpacked and put where it was supposed to go. The extra help left to go home, with Carrie’s profuse thanks and a promise to cook them a meal at the first opportunity.
The four teenagers sat in the living room, munching on chips and canned drinks, comparing schools, teachers, and friends. Sam and Carrie walked from room to room, Carrie with her pad and pencil again, adding to her previous list of things she’d need for the house.
“I’m amazed at how much more we need in this place. Thank God for my family, and for Len leaving the utilities on in here,” she admitted. “I put aside four hundred dollars of that money for deposits, but I’ll have to hit the stores for a few things tomorrow. The kids thought to bring bedding, towels, and wash cloths. At least we can take baths tonight.” She turned to Sam. “Are there any stores open right now?”
“The convenience stores are open, but it’d be cheaper to wait and hit the Market Basket tomorrow.”
“I need to feed my kids some kind of supper. I’m not worried about breakfast. I’ll have time to go shopping tomorrow morning before any of them crawl out of bed.”
“Why don’t y’all come on over and I’ll heat up our leftovers,” Sam suggested. “I’ve got enough to feed an army.”
She gave him a brief hug. “That’d be nice. Thanks.”
After walking over to Sam’s, the teens headed to the living room with plates of reheated leftovers to watch MTV, talking and joking like they’d known each other for longer than a few hours. Sam and Carrie settled at the small dining room table to talk quietly among themselves.
Carrie pushed her food around with her fork, too worked up to eat. “This feels strange, like I’m living someone else’s life.”
“It’s your life, all right, just a different one.”
Carrie dropped her fork on the paper plate. “I just hope it’s better for them,” she said, nodding toward her children.
He placed his hand on hers. “It’ll be fine.”
“God, I hope you’re right. A week ago, I would never have thought it possible that this could be happening tonight.”
They talked at the table until their kids clambered back into the kitchen with empty plates.
“Mom, is it all right if we go take a spin in my truck?” Grant asked. “Nick wants to show us around the place.”
Carrie gave Sam a questioning look and he nodded. “Go ahead, but be careful.”
She helped Sam put the food away, and then pulled out the growing list. “Storage containers and bags...a trash can, liners, soap, dishwashing liquid...I need a vacuum cleaner for the bedrooms. At least the kids brought a TV set from the house.” She looked up at Sam. “I want to go back to my place. Want to come with me?”
“Sure,” he said. “Let me get some laundry going then I’ll go meet you.”
Carrie nodded before she closed the door behind her and stepped into the brisk winter air. She walked slowly toward her new place and stopped at the intersection to observe her surroundings. Her place was the one house as far as she could see down both streets without Christmas decorations of some kind.
I’ll get a wreath for the door.
She looked at the door in question and couldn’t help but smile. “I’ll get a wreath for
my
door,” she whispered.
The occasional faint booming of bass speakers from highway traffic was the only sound to penetrate the peaceful, Christmas evening. Sam was right about it being a quiet neighborhood. She smelled the sweet, woodsy, aroma of oak logs burning in a fireplace, and searched the area, wondering which house it came from.
She continued the walk to her new-to-her home, noting the kids had left the lights on in their bedrooms, as usual. “Time for the old penny pinching speech again,” she murmured, using her key to unlock the door. As she turned on a lamp, the strangeness of the place hit her full force. Other than a few items from home, nothing seemed familiar.
She searched out those items as she walked to the bedrooms the kids chose for themselves. She peaked inside one, smiling at the familiar mess of a portable boom box with CD’s scattered on the dresser, a McAllister donation. She turned that light off and went into the other room, already littered with posters and scrapbooks, another familiar mess. Grant’s old futon was set up in the equally sized office...He’d sworn it was all he needed, along with the computer desk, printer, and PC. She switched off that light then walked through the kitchen.
Carrie frowned at her own reflection in the large, bare, window pane, and then reached over to turn off the light. She stood before it, feeling somewhat less like a mannequin in a storefront window. A slight movement to the left had her body clenching with awareness as a dark shadow took shape, then disappeared, swallowed up by the darker night. She recoiled from the window then jumped as Sam stepped through the front door.
“What happened to the lights?”
“Oh...” Her breath rushed out in relief as she switched on the lamp. “I felt like a window display, so I turned off the lights.”
She placed a hand over her pounding heart. “It’s nothing, I guess.”
He placed both hands on her tension filled shoulders. “Tell me.”
“You didn’t go out in the back yard first by any chance, did you?” she asked, even though she knew he couldn’t have been two places at once.
His brow darkened. “I sure as hell didn’t. What did you see?”
She waved it off. “I’m sure it’s nothing but my paranoia at being in a new place, and that damn window,” she finished lamely.
Sam searched the darkness, but didn’t see anything. “You got anything big enough to cover this?”
She shook her head. “Not unless I strip one of the beds.”
“I’ll be back with something to use until you get curtains for that thing.” He turned when he got to the door. “Is
that
on your list?”
She stuck out her tongue at his sarcasm. “Yes, and you may as well know now that I
believe
in lists.” She waited by the locked door until Sam returned with a king size flat sheet a few minutes later. Together they tacked it up over the window.
Carrie backed up to observe their handiwork and breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s better.” She pulled the sheet aside to look outside. “I sure thought I saw something out there.”
“It was probably a stray dog.”
“Inside the fenced in yard?
Grant checked it for gaps and said there weren’t any, and I latched it myself, earlier.”
“Let’s check again,” Sam said, as they headed outside. He raised the closed latch in a smooth, silent motion and lowered it again. “Maybe one of the kids left it open and the wind just blew it closed.”
Carrie’s nose wrinkled at an odd chemical smell. “Did you oil the latch? It squeaked when I tried it earlier.”
“It wasn’t me. It must have been Tom or Red before they left.”
They walked back inside and Carrie brushed her hands over her arms at the chill in the air.
Sam pulled her close. “Come here and let me warm you up,” he said, rubbing his hands briskly along her arms and back.
“How’s that?”
“Much better.”
She snuggled for two seconds before spying a sales catalogue in the stack of mail the kids brought for her. Twisting out of Sam’s arms, she reached for it.
“Oh yeah!
After Christmas white sales.”
“Nothing like the thought of shopping to get a woman excited,” Sam snorted.
“You got that right. I need to find something to put in that window.” She stopped suddenly on a page. “Oh, I like that,” she said, pointing to a lamp in the catalog. She turned toward her empty end tables. “I could use a pair of lamps.” She pulled the list out of her pocket and began looking for a pen.
Sam grabbed the list from her hands and slapped it on the snack bar. “No more list. You worked hard. It’s time to sit back, relax, and enjoy it for a little while.”
As Sam pulled her into his embrace, she put her arms around his waist and lay her head on his chest. “Everyone worked hard. I owe you big time.”
He smiled and kissed the top of her head. “Glad to help, pretty girl.” He gazed out into the living area. “You got this place pulled together quick, that’s for damn sure.”
“I never could stand to see a box that needed emptying. I like to get it over with as quick as I can.” She pulled herself out of his embrace.
Sam’s head dropped to his chest as she pulled away. “
Why
do you keep doing that?”
He wrapped her in his arms again. “You keep pulling away from me.” He nuzzled her as she tilted her head to the side in sweet surrender. He moved her hair with one hand and kissed her neck softly. “Damn, you always smell so good. Make sure you never run out of that stuff.”
Carrie’s eyes rolled back in bliss. “It was a gift,” she murmured. “I can’t afford to buy it for myself.”
“Then I’ll buy it for you. Who makes it?”
“
Mmmm
...
and
where do I find it?”
“Any department store...” she breathed. “A little pricey,” she managed to add as he layered gentle kisses and nips on her neck, creating the most tantalizing sensations.
Sam gave a triumphant groan as she felt the shiver run through her upper body, but his next words came out in a low growl. “I don’t care.” She let her head fall back and he was quick to take advantage of her moment of weakness.
