The Vicarage Bench Anthology (16 page)

Ashley’s shoulders slumped. He carried both drinks to the table in front of Carrie. She started to laugh and couldn’t stop. Her infectious giggle caught at Ashley’s funny bone and he joined in. The tension, which only moments ago had permeated the room, dissolved.

The lovely young woman and the handsome man discussed the diabolical miracle that had occurred, while the spirit glowered, frustrated, in the background, and wasn’t allowed out. The double whiskey never passed Carrie’s lips.

* * *

Carrie explained, in detail, the happenings of the last week, purposely leaving certain personal tidbits of information out. Her calm, detailed account, along with the prior appearances Rhett had made, soon convinced Ashley she was the real deal. “Of course we’ll go back. It’ll take a few days to make the arrangements, but I’ll start first thing in the morning.” Ashley’s attitude was genuine and caring and went a long way toward soothing Carrie’s qualms.

“Where is Rhett’s body now?” Carrie wanted to see him as soon as possible. She needed the assurance that he hadn’t suffered from his long journey, travelling back to the States.

“He’s been living in a secluded care facility. Their reputation is the best in the city. I’ve been up to visit him every day. The doctors here suggested talking to him, trying to stimulate him. I’ve done my best, but nothing has helped. We’ll go early in the morning and get the paperwork started.”

“Ashley, I commend you for the care you’ve given your brother, and for looking after his business interests. I know how important this place is to him. He really does appreciate what you’ve done. He’s just sulking right now.”

“Humph!”

“If he does, it’ll be the first time he’s ever cared about anything I’ve done. Maybe he did when we were younger, but not now.”

“That’s not true. In fact you’re the only one he’s ever cared about.”

Tears welled up in the young man’s eyes as he stared into hers, trying to see into her, inside her, searching.

“You’re saying that for him, aren’t you?”

“No, she’s not,” replied the deeper voice. “I’m saying it for myself. It’s true, kid. You’re the only one who ever mattered to me. In my whole miserable life, you’ve been the one steadfast person I could depend on, who cared if I lived or died. You near drove me crazy when we were kids, following me around everywhere, and you’re still doing it. But had you stopped, my life would have been empty and even more shallow.”

A laughing sob broke from the young man’s lips as he gathered the shaken girl in front of him into his arms and admitted in a broken voice, “I’ve been terribly scared. I thought I’d lost you.”

Carrie rocked him back and forth, patting his back and shushing him like a mother would do to a weeping child.

“Enough of this nonsense.” A brisk voice, coming from Carrie’s lips, was ready to break up the touching scene. The sentiments made him uncomfortable, and Carrie in Ashley’s arms made him jealous. Not because his brother was holding her but because he himself couldn’t.

Chapter Ten

It was three days before they were ready to travel back to England. Arrangements were made for Rhett to sit in a special wheelchair and be strapped into a place across from Carrie and Ashley. They hired a young nurse to travel along, to be with Rhett and watch over him. Her loving glances at the male idol in the chair were a source of entertainment for Ashley and Carrie, but not for Rhett. He called her tender care “incessant familiarity with his person.”

“Hang it all, look at her. The idiotic woman keeps rubbing my lips with goop and running her persistent fingers through my hair. Silly, annoying female! She’s supposed to be here to do nursing stuff like checking my pulse.”

“I imagine she’ll have a fine time getting you ready for bed tonight, undressing you and…”

“Oh-h, no! No way is she getting at me without my clothes on. Carrie? Promise me!”

“Calm down, dearest. I’m teasing. She’ll be returning on the next flight back to America. We’ll have you settled into Dr. Andrews’ house with Ashley’s help. Don’t fuss so.” Her tone of voice sounded suspiciously like the one Gran used when dealing with Granddad.

Her teasing attitude infuriated him. He sensed payback, not realizing this sort of deviltry kept her sane. Especially since he’d been driving her insane for days.

* * *

By the time their plane landed at Heathrow Airport, Ashley was ready to strangle Rhett’s empty, sleeping body, since he didn’t think it honorable to strangle Carrie. After all she was only Rhett’s container and mouthpiece. Strung out from the tension created by Rhett at his most quarrelsome, he could only imagine how much worse Carrie had it. After all, she had to deal with the explosive energy of his brother’s worry every minute. By her silences he knew conversations were being carried out inside her mind, and by her changing expressions—fierceness followed by calm, then grim determination followed with tenderness—he had no doubt she won most of the battles.

In the talks he’d had with his brother over the last few days, he’d found it disconcerting listening to Rhett’s words while watching Carrie’s mouth form them. He sensed the two were in love and prayed they would have a happy ending. He wouldn’t let on to Carrie, but he was skeptical of their plans and very afraid for them.

When he caught Carrie softly giggling, her face filled with gently glowing adoration, he took solace. But as they got closer to their journey’s end, he noticed her expression mostly mirrored confusion, doubt and worry. They were about to face their future, and it didn’t look promising.

“Carrie, what is it? My brother seems to have made himself scarce these last few hours. Now you look upset.”

“He has. He won’t respond to me at all. He’s doing his disappearing act. I’ve tried to reason with him, but he refuses to discuss it any longer. It’s terribly difficult for someone like him to be confined as he has been. He’s a born boss, a master at managing people and used to being in control. He’s had to either coach me or step in for me many times. I’m rather a pale individual. I tend to just take people and situations as they are and deal with them. Your brother, on the other hand, adjusts events and people, forcing things to suit him. As you say, it’s been rather trying, but a giant lesson for me.”

“Are you sorry it happened?”

“Not for one split second. I love him.” She said the words simply, without flowery speeches, and believability rang in her voice.

“I’m glad. You know, Rhett’s always gotten the short end of the stick. Mother and Scarlett treated him abysmally, as we were growing up, and they still try it on, only he doesn’t put up with it anymore. Father just ignored everyone, so he was no help. Everything Rhett has accomplished happened because of his own grit and determination. He went to Vietnam as an enlisted man and soon earned his stripes and the Bronze Medal for bravery and the Silver Star for saving four men’s lives.”

“He never told me about being in the war.”

“He wouldn’t. He doesn’t talk about it much. He came back and finished his master’s degree in business management, and then he travelled, searching for his permanent place, a settling place. One day, he stopped in Las Vegas and never left. Building the casino, earning the respect of some pretty powerful characters, fulfilled him. He’s the closest to ‘happy’ I’ve ever known him to be.”

Carrie nodded. “He does love Vegas. He’s told me that when he stopped there he felt he’d come home. He originally planned on staying only a couple of nights. But the casinos called to something inside him. There was adventure and business all rolled up in a challenge, he said. Perfect for him.”

“And for me,” Ashley responded. “Life was a lark—a big party, even with all the work, but now suddenly both our lives are a mess. When Father died, Rhett was forced to take his body to England because neither Mother nor Scarlett wanted to go. I said I’d do it, but he felt it was his place as the oldest. Then I got the call from England saying that he’d fallen ill. It seems as if the whole universe is working against us Parks boys. Like we aren’t allowed happiness or success. Does that sound hypersensitive to you?”

“Not at all, pet. Life has a way of throwing out odd twists and turns, but I believe there’s a reason for the things we go through.”

“Maybe you’re right. He got to meet you, didn’t he?” Ashley turned to stare out the plane’s window.

He remembered times, as a boy, when Rhett had suffered from their mother’s anger and meanness. She’d used him as her personal whipping post, many times literally, when he was small. Only once did the boy turn on her. It was the night she decided her own baby boy needed a shot of the same medicine. Rhett had reared up instantly, and his protection of Ashley taught her an unforgettable lesson: Use your fangs on me but leave my brother alone. It was never forgotten, and because of it Ashley had led a very sheltered life.

His love for Rhett was based on his early idealistic hero worship, but the young boy had grown into a fine man, a man who still felt the same adulation for his big brother and was ecstatic that Rhett now had Carrie to love him, also. Ashley made up his mind to do all in his power to support her and look after his brother, no matter what the day’s outcome. The young woman beside him was very easy to love and, pray God, would one day be a wonderful sister to him.

* * *

Carrie was happy to see that Dr. Andrews had remembered to arrange the ambulance to meet the plane, just as promised. After their long flight, she was anxious to see the doctor, whose confidence in his own abilities instilled her with tenacious hope. The kindly man inspired trust, and she’d placed all her faith in him, especially after their first meeting when he’d called on Rhett to speak. He’d somehow known what had happened in the rose garden, and that went a long way in her mind to gift him with the powers of a magician.

Rhett’s massive sigh of relief as Carrie said goodbye to the disappointed nurse stimulated a smile, which had her covering her mouth and lowering her eyes. The lovesick girl had drawn his coat tighter around his neck and let her hand linger as she checked his vitals for the last time.

“Carrie, I’m warning you…”

“Thank you, nurse. Mr. Parks and I appreciate all your kindness and attention to details. We wish you a comfortable journey home.”

“Attention to details, my ass!”

“He’s a very handsome man, Miss Temple. It was a pleasure taking care of him.”

“Yes he is that, nurse. Very handsome, indeed!”

“Silly woman!”

* * *

From the airport they went directly to Dr. Andrews’ house. He wanted to review the medical reports for Rhett and to know whether anything had occurred in the States that he should be aware of. A physical examination of Rhett followed to determine whether the trip had overly tired him.

A waiting pot of strong tea, prepared to revive Carrie, was greatly appreciated; while the stiff whiskey Ashley gulped helped put him to rights.

Finally zero hour came. They strapped Rhett into the wheelchair and trundled off to the bench, framed by the glorious rose bushes, in front of the vicarage. Two hearts pulsated with nervous hopefulness. One scared soul, his heart locked in a sleeping body, prayed. Only the doctor felt calm and full of anticipation.

As they’d previously discussed, Rhett was positioned on the wooden bench first. Ashley handed a scented white rose clipping to Dr. Andrews, who very carefully pricked Rhett’s finger and passed the same rose to Carrie to use on herself. She sat down next to Rhett, feeling a slight queasiness.

“Rhett, I need you. Talk to me.”

She heard him whisper loud and clear, “Please, Lord…”

Chapter Eleven

Nothing happened.

Absolutely nothing.

They waited a few moments and then repeated the same ritual.

Again nothing happened.

“Carrie, I told you, this doctor is a quack.” Ashley was incensed as he bent to whisper in her ear. He then stomped back and forth, his hands flailing around his head as if he swatted at attacking flies.

Carrie was devastated.

Rhett was gone—again.

“Doctor, you promised it would work. You said you knew the answer—to redo what we’d done originally—and it was all gibberish. You lied.”

“No my dear. I didn’t lie. Carrie, think! It made sense to you at the time, when I explained about my friend Lucy McGilicuddy. It’s happened before. There’s a power or magic connected to that blasted rosebush. I’m sure of it. Otherwise…”

“Otherwise what?”

“Otherwise, how do you explain Rhett existing inside of you?”

“I can’t. It’s unexplainable.” Tears gushed and her limbs started shaking. Her hands covered her mouth, damming back the moans of pain she couldn’t seem to stop.

“We must return to the house. I have to review my notes.” The group was somber on the return trip. Hopefulness had crumpled into hopelessness.

Back in the doctor’s office, Dr. Andrews stood pale and shaken. He twisted his neck right and left and then in a small circle to eliminate some of the strain, stopping with his head bent as his brow furrowed before he began pacing back and forth, deep in thought, muttering under his breath.

Ashley sat in a corner chair with his face in his hands, not moving.

Carrie wept softly, sitting next to the wheelchair. She held the hand of the man who hadn’t made a move except to breathe. He seemed paler and looked less robust, as if the body sensed the unhappiness of its missing soul.

It was the worst night of their lives. Supper, prepared by Dr. Andrews’ housekeeper, was left to congeal on all three plates. The nurse Dr. Andrews was forced to hire arrived from the hospital and on the doctor’s orders set up a temporary intravenous drip and efficiently put Rhett to bed. Before leaving, she promised to return first thing in the morning to look after Mr. Parks until other arrangements could be made.

Carrie and Ashley were both assigned rooms, and everyone chose to have an early night.

At midnight Rhett’s message erupted in Carrie’s head and woke her from a troubled sleep. She sprang up from her mangled bed and, like a wild woman, roared down the hallway, pounding on everyone’s door, screeching indiscriminately. “Get up. We’ve got it. Get up! Hurry! Please!”