Emergence (Awakening Series Book 2) (15 page)

Chapter 28

Carson

The days after the fire were incredibly tough for Lou. She wasn't sleeping, she was barely eating, and I hated watching her wade through insurance forms, phone calls, and visits with detectives, but the worst of it all was seeing the look on her face when she returned to her home for the first time afterwards.

Mom stopped by my place to watch Carly while I went with Lou to meet Kelly at the duplex. The yellow police line still surrounded the property, warning people to stay out.

We had parked behind Kelly and Reece, and as soon as Lou was out of the car, she and Kelly were clinging to each other, in tears. It broke my heart not to be able to fix this for her. I felt helpless, so I did all I could do, and held her hand when she was ready to walk through the charred rubble.

"The detective said it looked like it could have been faulty wiring," Kelly said. "I'm so glad you talked me into getting renters insurance. I don't know what I would do without it."

"Me neither," Lou replied, "although, it seems like it's going to take quite a while for my claim to get processed. What about yours?"

"Same with mine. I have to document everything, provide receipts for what I can. Everything is burnt to a crisp, how am I supposed to remember all the stuff I owned?"

"My insurance company asked me to do that too, and when I explained it was a total loss they said they were going to send an adjuster by to take a look before they issue a payout. Plus, with such a large sum of money, it's not like they can just write you a check, or maybe they can. I don't know," Lou said.

All four of us stopped at the edge of the foundation.

"I don't think we're going to find anything worth salvaging. I'm going to sift through what I can, but I mainly came to get my safe. It's fireproof, so it's in there somewhere," Lou said, sounding overwhelmed.

Kelly and Reece started toward her side of the building, while I followed Lou through the frame of the front door and into what used to be the living room.

"Here," I said, handing her a face mask from my back pocket. "I use these when I'm sanding things or blowing the driveway. It'll keep the ash and the smell out of your nose." She placed it over her nose and mouth and I pulled one over my face as well.

What was left of the wall was black as tar and I could see through the burnt out support beams straight into the kitchen. As Lou headed toward the bedrooms, I walked toward the kitchen, checking the cabinets for anything worth keeping.

Most of the pots and pans were blackened beyond recognition, as well as the silverware. Most of the glass and ceramic items appeared to have been crushed by the weight or force of the water, or maybe by the heat of the fire. Everything was still a sodden, black, acrid smelling mess.

The appliances were burned and melted into odd shapes, the linoleum floor was unrecognizable, and there was a giant hole in the ceiling where water still dripped in.

Leaving the kitchen, I made my way towards the back of the house. Walking down what remained of the hallway, I paused to take a picture of Carly off the wall. It had to have been recent because she was sitting up and smiling with her adorable blonde curls and her two bottom teeth. Her bright blue eyes twinkled as if she didn't have a care in the world.  I was really glad that she was too young to understand what was going on at that moment.

It appeared that only the backing of the frame was damaged, but the picture was still in good shape. I figured I'd reframe if for Lou. Carrying the picture I stepped carefully over some debris, the water soaking through my sneakers and the hem of my jeans. "Lou?" I called, wanting to check on her as I neared the master bedroom.

"In here. I found the safe, but it's too heavy for me to carry out through all this debris. I think I'm just going to lift it out the window, and get it when we get back out front."

"Here, let me do that for you," I said, handing her the picture of Carly as I leaned over to pick up the safe.

Once it was set down outside, I took the picture from her hand and set it on top of the safe before I turned back to Lou. "How are you doing?"

She nodded, tears coming to her eyes as they darted around what used to be her room. "I just keep thinking, what if it had been the middle of the night? If we were all asleep and got trapped in here," she sobbed.

"Hey, you can't think like that," I said, taking her in my arms. "You're all safe, and that's all that matters. All your stuff can be replaced."

She nodded against my shoulder before wiping her eyes with the back of her hands and making her way over to the closet, wrenching the door open.

"Do you think I could launder any of this?" she asked me, digging through her clothes.

"I don't think so. It's all soaking wet from the fire hoses, and I'm sure it smells like smoke. Come on, let's go check in Carly's room."

"No. I just want to look around in here some more. You go. I don't know if I can even handle looking in there anyway."

I watched her for another minute as she shoved things around in her closet, searching for something. Maybe searching for something to cling to.

When I finally made it to Carly's room and pushed open the door the sight that greeted me was awe inspiring and somewhat miraculous.

Although it appeared that everything was ruined through water damage, and perhaps smoke, the fire didn't reach this part of the house. The sun shone through the window, casting a peaceful glow around the pink and white room.

I walked over to the closet and pulled it open, noticing a couple of plastic bins set on the top shelf. I pulled them down, opening them one by one.

The first one had stacks of pictures organized into Ziploc bags and labeled for each month of Carly's life. In the bottom there was a scrapbook and tons of scrapbooking materials.

I closed that one and opened the next, hoping to find something equally important. Inside the second box was another scrapbook, this one complete. I pulled it out, opening it to see pictures of Lou when she was a baby, along with, who I assumed was her twin, Charlie.

There were pictures of her laughing with her mom, dad, and sister on family vacations, and at summer camp with her friends. I set the book aside and looked further into the box, finding all sorts of mementos from Lou's life. A trophy for the MVP of her high school soccer team, a medal from a track meet, her varsity letter jacket, and several other certificates and accolades.

"Oh god," Lou said from the doorway as she surveyed Carly's room. She lifted her hands to her cheeks and sobbed. "It looks so perfect in here, minus all the water. I was so afraid of walking in here and seeing everything burnt to a crisp. I don't think I'd ever be able to erase that image from my mind. But," she choked, "my beautiful baby's nursery... is there nothing in here we can keep?"

I stood and walked over to her, carrying her scrapbook with me.

"Nothing is salvageable, but I did find these," I said, pointing to the boxes and holding up the scrapbook.

She gasped, taking the scrapbook from me, tears threatening again.

"Thank goodness these are safe. Look," she said, opening the scrapbook. "That's my mama, and that's Daddy."

Her voice cracked and she broke down, crying full out as I reached for her, sandwiching the scrapbook between the two of us.

"Call them. Invite them to visit. I'll pay for the tickets and whatever they need," I told her, trying to find something to lift her spirits.

"Carson, you're too good to me."

"Baby, I love you and I just want you to be happy. They're your parents and it's obvious that you miss them. Invite them to come, I know you could really use their support right now."

I continued to hold her as she sobbed, more determined than ever to do whatever necessary to make her world right again. After she calmed down, we put the scrapbook back, and carried the boxes out to the front.

Kelly and Reece were already loading some things into his truck when we came out. I set Lou's boxes in the back of my truck, and after I'd packed up the safe and Carly's picture I walked over to where Lou was talking to Kelly.

"Carson, would it be okay if Kelly watches Carly at your house for a while, just until I can find a new place for us to live? I still need to be able to work, and I know Kelly does too," Lou said.

"Of course, whatever you need," I replied, a little unprepared for her to mention looking for a new place to live. Somehow I thought we'd covered that she was moving in with me, but I left that conversation for another day. It had been a sleepless and emotional week, and I didn't want to push her.

Chapter 29

Lou

"I know Mom," I said, "but I don't know what to tell you. I know a hotel isn't ideal, but there really isn't another choice."

I didn't want to force my parents to stay in a hotel, especially knowing their financial situation, but I didn't have anything else to offer. If I'd still had my house I would have let them have my room and slept in Carly's. But as it was, there were no choices other than a hotel.

"Okay, honey. If that's what we have to do then that's what we'll do. The most important thing is getting to spend time with you and Carly, and I'm very excited to meet Carson. He sounds like a wonderful man."

I sighed. "He is Mom, you're really going to love him. He's amazing."

"Okay sweetie, we'll see you in a few weeks! And please, thank Carson for us again. He was really so sweet to fly us out there. I really can't say enough about it."

"I'll let him know Mom. I love you."

"I love you too, honey. Talk to you soon."

After I hung up the phone two arms slid around my waist and I turned into Carson, pressing my hands into his chest.

"Hey sexy," he said,  running his hands up my bare back. "I love that you only wear panties to bed. I could totally wake up to this view for the rest of my life."

I bit my bottom lip, trying to contain a smile. I loved it when he talked about our future together. "Keep talking like that Mr. Foster and I might let you take me to bed and have your dirty way with me."

He laughed. "I would take you up on that, but you've got to be exhausted. You're going back to work tomorrow and it's been a really long week. Let's just relax."

I pouted. "That's very gentlemanly of you, and it has been an incredibly stressful week, but I could honestly use a moment of normal, and orgasms are good for relaxation, right?"

He laughed a full belly laugh. "Your wish is my command mistress," he said, sliding one hand from around my back, down over my belly and into my panties.

He turned me around so my back was to his chest and I leaned into him, letting him support my weight as he stroked through my wetness. His other hand slid up to tease my nipples while he whispered filthy things into my ear.

"I love how wet you get for me. It makes me hard just thinking about sliding my cock into you. I want to feel myself stretching you out and fill you up with my cum."

I grew wetter listening to him as he slid his fingers through my slickness and made several passes over my clit.

"Carson, please," I pled.

My body was ablaze. His touch consumed me. There was no fire, no worries, no stress, no insurance paperwork, no detectives, no house hunting, nothing except the exquisite pleasure he was bringing to my body.

He leaned down and picked me up, carrying me to the bed and laying me down gently before grasping the sides of my panties and sliding them down my legs.

I spread my knees wide, knowing that he liked looking at me. He raised his hand to his mouth and inserted two fingers inside, sucking them before lowering them to my core, and pushing them deep inside me.

I bucked my hips against him, feeling a swath of wet heat wash over me and radiate outward from my center.

"Fuck baby, you want it bad don't you?" he asked, quickly discarding his clothes and laying down on top of me.

"Yes," I breathed out, rubbing my breasts along his chest and my hands up the hard ridges of muscle in his back.

"Just let me take care of you," he whispered as he slid down the bed until I could feel his warm breath against my sensitive skin.

His hands slid around my hips, lifting me toward his mouth as his tongue softly licked up my center and around my clit, causing my back to arch in pleasure. He continued that slow torture of licking and sucking until I was writhing underneath him, my entire body tingling and on edge.

"Come for me, sweetheart," he whispered with one last suck on the sensitive bud of my desire which sparked pleasure that began radiating outward from my core. I arched my back, forcing myself into his mouth as I rode the waves of pleasure, crying out his name as he pulsed two fingers inside me, forcing my body to climb even higher.

As I came down from my orgasm I could feel Carson's hands on my face and my body, softly caressing me as he whispered words of love and comfort.

"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me Lou. I'm so glad we found each other again. I'm going to love you for the rest of my life if you'll let me."

When he positioned himself and pushed into me I felt complete, like the world could end in that instant, and I would die happy. As Carson slowly rocked against me, kissing my face and seemingly touching every part of my body with his, I realized that this experience was so much more than we'd shared before.

We weren't rushed, we weren't talking dirty to each other, we were making love. Slow, intense, sweet, delicious love. And when we came together and then snuggled up, wrapped in each other's arms, I finally slept soundly for the first time since the fire.

**

A week later I watched as Carson made breakfast, while I fed Carly. We felt like a little family, in a sense, spending time together, living together, for now... I could picture my life in this kitchen, Carly running in and out the door with her friends, me baking and cooking meals, Carson coming in from a run, or working in the yard. It would be everything I ever wanted.

But the reality was that Carly and I were living out of our suitcases, or lack thereof. We didn't own anything anymore, aside from the few things we had been given since the fire. If it weren't for Carson taking us in, I don't know where we'd be.

It was several days after the fire when I realized that I never talked to Carson like I had planned. The stress had overwhelmed me and I completely forgot that I had decided to tell him. And because of our circumstances, I couldn't bring myself to. If he reacted poorly, where would we go? What would we do? I needed to give it a little more time, hope that the insurance money came in, and continue to look for a place for Carly and I to live. Until then we were living on borrowed time.

"Hey, what's on your mind?" Carson asked, setting a plate of bacon and eggs on the table in front of me.

"Oh, I was just daydreaming," I said, deflecting. "Thanks for breakfast, this looks delicious."

"Listen, I've been thinking... My parents have gotten most of the stuff they wanted out of the house already. I need to buy a few things like a new sofa and a flat screen for the living room, but while I'm at it, I thought moving into the master bedroom would be a good idea."

"Sure, I can help you move your furniture down the hall."

"Actually, I think we should go pick out a bedroom set for the master, and hang some new curtains, maybe paint the walls and make it our own. I want you to feel comfortable here. You've barely taken anything Caroline brought for you out of the shopping bags, and you hardly take up any space in the closet. I want you to spread out, make yourself at home."

I loved what he was saying. He wanted me to be comfortable and feel like I belonged there, and there was nowhere else I'd rather be, but the reality was I couldn't just take advantage of him like that. He'd been kind enough to let Carly and I stay for a while, until we got back on our feet, and I didn't want to get too comfortable when the reality was that I'd eventually have to move.

"Thank you for saying that Carson. It really means a lot to me. I'm happy to help you redo the master."

He nodded. "And there's one more thing. I want you to ask your parents and Charlie to stay here when they visit. We have plenty of room. We'll redo the master, and then make up my room as a guest room, and since all of Caroline's furniture is still here, someone can stay in there too, and we'll just put Carly in the master with us."

"Carson..."

"Lou, I'm not asking you, I'm telling you. Ask them to stay here and tell them I won't take no for an answer. You haven't seen your parents in a long time, and I have this big ole house. Tell them to come stay and that way you'll be able to spend more time with them than if they were in a hotel."

"But..."

"No buts," he said, placing a finger over my lips to quiet my objections.

My eyes began to water as I realized how much Carson cared for me. Not only did he love me, but he was genuinely invested in making my happiness his priority.

"Okay, I'll talk to them," I acquiesced, going back to feeding Carly. "And Carson?" I waited for him to look at me, raising his eyebrow. "I love you."

A wide smile ate up his face as his eyes sparkled. "I don't think I'll ever get tired of hearing that, Lou. I love you too."

I turned away from him as guilt washed over me. Accepting his decision to have my parents stay with us was tough. I loved him, and I knew he loved me and just wanted to make my life easier if he could. There was no way for him to know that I was keeping something from him that could potentially turn his world upside down, and it was eating me up inside. All I could do was pray that I could find an affordable place to live and that the insurance money would come through soon, and that eventually Carson would be able to forgive me for my trespass.

I did have a few apartments lined up to check out and I had been calling the insurance company daily, but with so many things up in the air, I didn't feel like I should rock the one ship in my life that was steady, and that was Carson.