Some Day Somebody (55 page)

“I mean...I want you to stay.”

He nodded, and took a step closer. “How long have you
been

here
?”

Carrie looked at her watch. “About forty-five minutes.”

Sam shook his head slowly, clucking his tongue. “You should have called me sooner, Baby.  Think of all the time we wasted.”

“A girl needs time to fix herself up when she’s about to throw herself at the man she loves.
And Sam?”

“Yeah?”

“I love it when you call me Baby.”

CHAPTER 26

Slowly...very slowly
...Carrie became aware of her surroundings. Her head lay on a broad chest, and she could feel, as well as hear, the steady
thump...thump...thump
of his beating heart.

The heart of the man who claimed to love her.

So...Did she believe him when he said he loved her?

Absolutely.

Would he love her enough to forsake all others?

She believed with all her heart that he would.

Could she love him the same way?

Carrie passed her finger softly along the side of his face, smiling at the twitch of his nose in his sleep.

Could
she?

EPILOGUE

Carrie Langley
passed the duster over the items on the large credenza placed below the fifty inch flat screen hanging on the wall. She picked up the shadow box, filled with mementos of their wedding for closer examination. They’d been married in a simple civil ceremony in early December, nearly a year after the Tim Hardin incident.

Tim Hardin, the man who had been responsible for the rape of sixteen women in three different states, only one of which had lived to tell about it. She shivered, clearing her mind of the evil that had come so close to her and her loved ones.

Her mind returned to their wedding, which had been attended by their children, other family members, close friends, and several of their co-workers. Carrie lifted the latch on the shadow box to open it, revealing the treasured items. The guest book, signed by the attendees, a snapshot of the hall...decorated in festive red and green by a co-worker, and now a dear friend, Joan. Another one of the cake, her soul sister, Darlene’s contribution...a beautifully simple and delicious concoction, covered in frosting she’d tinted to match the antique white table cloth covering the bride’s table.

The invitation was an especially treasured memento, hand drawn and designed by Dale, their supervisor who had passed away from cancer several years ago. She passed her hand lovingly over the photo of her and Sam’s thinner, younger versions of themselves. Photos, all taken by Jeff, their co-worker, who’d graciously acted as wedding photographer.

Memories of that cold, rainy, December day came flooding back to her. The hall, filled with the aroma of good food, cooked by Sharon and Randy, and the sounds of their favorite music being played on a sound system by D.J. Mike, an old friend of Sam’s. Grant had walked her down the aisle to meet Sam, and Amanda and Nick had signed the license as witnesses. Sam’s mother, Mrs. Lucia, had baked one of her ‘special’ three layered, home-made coconut cakes with the boiled cream filling that Carrie loved so much, such a success that Carrie and Sam didn’t get a slice.

Despite the dismally wet day, it had turned out beautifully. The family photo showed the two of them, beaming, along with their five children. Amanda, big and pregnant with Austin, the first of their grandchildren, stood next to the only in-law at the time, Joe.

Carrie closed the case, wiped it free of dust, and placed it back onto the credenza. She reached for the most recent family portrait of them, taken last Christmas at the Chicot Lake cabin she’d rented...Everyone smiling, wearing a New Orleans Saint shirt of some kind. She counted seven grandchildren in that photo. Amanda and Joe’s Austin and
Emmelia
, Gretchen’s three...
Cathryn
, Allie, and stepson Drew. Lauren and Bryan’s contributions were Gage, and Ava.

Nick stood next to Trisha, a lovely girl, tall, dark haired, with the same exotic dark eyes as his. Grant stood alone in that portrait, but since had begun seeing Anna, a beautiful girl they’d known since she was in Kindergarten with the twins. This year’s photo would include Gretchen’s new baby girl, Lilly, and Lauren’s baby boy, Colt, as well as Anna, Grant’s girlfriend, and her four year old son, Logan.  Hopefully the youngest member of the family, Grant’s baby boy,
Kadin
, would be there, too. Before he and Anna had begun dating, a lady friend of his had conceived his child.  The situation had proven to be a challenge for everyone, but Carrie admired both Anna and Lindsey,
Kadin’s
mother, for handling the situation as well as they had.

Sam had recently retired from the survey crew and worked as park keeper for the baseball park there in Kenton...a huge advantage during ball season, since all grandchildren seemed to be drawn to the sport. Carrie had seen B & L Engineering grow from one resident engineer to three, all of whom were younger than her, one young enough to be her son. They were still a close group, although some faces had changed. Roxie retired, and J.C. had moved on, but others had taken their places and become friends as well.

Sam’s parents had both passed away, but Carrie’s mom, Elaine, was alive and well in Gardiner.

Sam and Carrie had a good life. They weren’t rich, but didn’t want for anything. Love and trust ruled their lives, as well as a good dose of babysitting grandchildren. They tried not to complain, realizing how lucky they were to have the children and grandchildren close enough to be a bother sometimes.

For whatever reason, their marriage had worked, and the two were as in love with each other as they had been in the first year of their marriage. Sam was a doting grandfather and a wonderful influence on Carrie’s children and grandchildren, well, most of the time, anyway. There were always the occasional lapses in grandfatherly judgment when he taught them how to make
fart
noises with their mouths, showed them the old ‘pull your finger’ joke, and got them in trouble at school. Gage’s innocent comment that his Paw
Paw
Sam had a dog named ‘
Dammit
’ had earned Lauren a talk with his teacher.

Carrie smiled at the memory, able to confess that she still loved that man so completely, it hurt. More importantly, she knew he felt the same way.

Sam chose that moment to walk in and find his wife lost in memories of the past. He moved in behind Carrie and wrapped her in his arms. “I love you pretty girl,” he whispered in her ear as he kissed the side of her neck.

She smiled as she rested her head against his broad chest. “And I love you, Big Boy...I always will.”