Some Day Somebody (45 page)

Carrie bit her lower lip in worry. “Just send them home now, please. They need to pick up around here. I’m baking chicken for supper and you and Nick are invited.”

“Sure, what can I bring?”

Carrie checked the fridge and made a face. “Ugh, I can’t afford to support their addictions to canned drinks. They’ve cleaned me out already. It takes enough to keep them fed.”

“Yep, I made a pop run earlier today. We’re a Coke family, but I picked up some DP’s since that’s your kids’ drink of preference. I’ll bring some over.”

Carrie placed the seasoned pan of chicken, potatoes, and onions in the oven and glanced up as her daughters walked in.

“Just in time to fold the clothes,” she said, pointing to Gretchen. She swiveled around to address Lauren. “You can wash the dishes. I believe I asked the two of you not to leave the house unlocked, or in a mess, didn’t
I
?”

“Oh, sorry Mom,” Lauren said, as she started to load the dishwasher.

“Yeah, sorry.
Nick and Mr. Sam asked if we wanted to go watch some
t.v
. over there, since we don’t have cable,” Gretchen added.

“Lock up before you leave, that’s all I’m asking. When y’all finish up I want you to go straighten your rooms.”

“Okay Mom,” the twins said in unison. “Can we watch Oprah when we’re done?” Gretchen asked. “It’s supposed to be pretty good today.”

Carrie couldn’t help but remember how Dave would fuss if he caught her and the girls watching the talk show in the afternoons. He claimed her ‘men-hating’ opinions were a bad influence. “You sure can. Nobody’s going to tell us we can’t watch some Oprah if we want to. New house, new rules, and I make them.”

Later that evening, Sam and Nick walked into a home filled with the delicious aroma of baked chicken and vegetables.

Carrie glanced up as she emptied two cans of green beans into a pan of sautéed onions and mushrooms. “Hey, guys.”

Nick told her hello then met the girls in the living room. As Carrie stood at the stove, Sam walked up behind her and put his hands on her waist to pull her close to him. She leaned her head back against his chest then turned in his arms. “Hmm, I could get used to this set-up,” she murmured against Sam’s neck after a good, long kiss from him.

“God, I love having you and the kids so close,” he whispered.

“Hang on,” she told him. “I need to uncover the chicken so it’ll brown.” Carrie leaned over the oven to remove the lid and turned back around to find Sam adjusting himself uneasily. She gave him a smug look as he intercepted her gaze.
“The baking?”

He shook his head helplessly. “The bending...sorry, Babe,” he admitted, smiling at her amused ring of laughter.

“You’re such a guy.”

“Nice of you to notice,” he answered.

“Oh, I’ve noticed,” she said, giving him a mischievous smile. “I need to feed Toto,” she told him as he followed her outside. Carrie poured some fresh dog food into the dog’s dish while Sam filled his water bowl. The dog alternated between eating and looking up at his mistress as though he adored her. Carrie knelt down to scratch him behind the ears.

“That dog sure seems to love you and those kids,” Sam admitted.

Carrie smiled and gazed into the eyes of her faithful pet. “He’s been with us for nearly eight years now.”

“That’s a pretty good stretch for a dog.”

She nodded as she gave Toto one last rub behind the ears and stood up to let him eat. “Yep, he’s a part of the family.”

After Carrie, Sam, and the kids finished a pleasant meal, interspersed with lively conversation, they watched a couple of one hour programs on the tube. Nick walked home afterwards and Carrie stepped out to the porch to talk quietly with Sam for a few minutes.

“No cigarettes out here tonight?” he asked.

She sniffed the air. “Nah, that guy won’t bother with me now that I have a dog, you’ll see. I can give you that radio back now that my phone is connected.”

“Hang on to it for awhile longer, just until this thing is completely settled.”

She hugged him tightly.
“If you insist.”

“Goodnight, pretty girl. I love you.”

She smiled up at him. “I know you do.”

He groaned as he pulled himself away from her and headed home. She called out to him when he reached the street.

“Call me later, okay?”

***

***

By nine thirty, Carrie and her girls were showered and in their rooms for the night. Quiet murmurs came from Gretchen’s room as her girls talked and listened to music on a low volume. Carrie picked up her latest read from the nightstand while she waited for Sam to call. The fast paced, romantic suspense demanded her attention, and after a good half hour of reading, she yawned and checked her alarm clock. “Well, hell Sam,” she muttered, slightly annoyed. “I thought you’d have called by now.”

She picked up the phone, and frowned as dead silence greeted her from the earpiece. Carrie got up to check the other phones in the house, with the same results. She stood stock still and felt a moment of panic before remembering the radios. Crawling back into bed, she pulled the radio out of the drawer. When she pressed the button, nothing happened. She took the back off and changed out the batteries with new ones.
Still nothing.

“
Dammit
!” Trying not to panic, she dropped it on the bed and put her hands to her face.
Now what the hell am I going to do?

She took a deep breath, and rechecked the radio to see if she’d inserted the batteries correctly.
When she noticed the switch was off, she flipped it on. Her radio emitted a shrill screech, indicating a page. She raised it to her mouth and hit the button. “Sam?”

“
Carrie...I was about to walk over there,”
he said, sounding as panicked as Carrie felt. “
Who’s been on the phone all night long?
Over!”

“Nobody,” she answered. “I’ve been waiting for you to call and I finally picked it up to call you. All three of my phones are dead.
Over.”

“I’m calling Doug and I’ll be there in a minute...hang tight, babe.”

Carrie watched Sam’s departure from her window, amazed that the mere sight of him comforted her. She opened up the door for him. “Don’t upset yourself for nothing, Sam. I bet it’s just a short in the wiring or something,” she insisted.

He placed his hands on her shoulders. “Babe, you don’t know how bad I hope you’re right. Where’s that flashlight?”

By the time she walked out on the porch with it, Doug was also there with his own light. The three of them walked over to the box that fed the phone line into the house. Nothing looked amiss until Sam reached down and pulled on a wire that came loose much too easily. The two men directed both flashlight beams on the wire and groaned as Carrie’s breath caught in her chest.

“That’s a cut,” Doug said.

“Son of a bitch!
That’s all it takes,” Sam said.

Carrie’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh...God...” She turned to Sam, her eyes huge with panic.

The rare sound of panic in her voice concerned him more than anything. “Are your girls sleeping yet?”

She nodded as she stared into the darkness of the back yard.

“I’m getting Nick, Carrie. We’re staying here tonight.”

She continued to stare blankly into the darkness, her eyes fixed on a particular spot. Then she turned toward the neighbor’s house and gazed at the spot they’d found the first cigarette butt. She pivoted slowly, adjusting her stare in the direction of the intersection where the truck nearly plowed into their children. She jumped back with a sharp gasp as a large hand landed on her shoulder.

“Carrie, did you hear me?”

“
Wh
...What?”

“I said Nick and I are spending the night here,” Sam repeated.

Carrie fixed her terrified gaze on him and spoke in a shaky voice. “Okay...I’m...Thank you,” she stammered.

“We’ll bunk down on the couch and the chair.”

She turned to walk into the house. “One of you can sleep in Lauren’s bed. When I checked the girls’ phone lines I saw them both asleep in Gretchen’s room. Grant’s futon is available, too.”

“Doug, can you stay here while I go get Nick and pick up a few things?”

“Sure thing, do what you
gotta
to do.”

In Sam’s absence, Doug called the police station for some back up then explained the plan to Carrie. “We’ll keep somebody posted outside for tonight. Between that, and having Sam here, you and the girls will be fine.”

Carrie put a hand to her belly. “The only thing I feel right now is sick.” She excused herself and went to her medicine cabinet to peruse its contents before popping the top on a liquid antacid. After a couple of good size gulps, she lowered the bottle and shuddered.

Feeling vulnerable in her pajamas and robe, she retreated into her bedroom to change. She shed her robe and flannel pajama bottoms, and pulled on some faded jeans. Carrie stared at the windows, knowing he couldn’t see from out there. It didn’t stop her from turning her back to the window, just in case. She slipped out of her shirt, shivering as frigid air nipped at bare skin. Carrie rushed putting on her bra, wincing, sucking in, as cold fabric met with warm mid-section. She hooked it then pulled the sweater over her head to ward off the chill.