"No way." Alex held his ground. "I'm not going to sit back and allow my best friend to turn herself into a prostitute."
"Do you really think I want to do this? I don't have a choice."
"It's still a form of prostitution, Carrie-Anne. You're being paid to have sex with someone, whether it's a man, another woman, or maybe both at the same time. The only difference is that someone is filming you while you're lying on your back so that other people can watch it later on, and somehow that makes it all legal. I'll be damned if I'm going sit back and allow you to do that. You haven't signed a contract have you?"
"Not yet, but I have it with me."
"Let me see it."
Carrie sighed as she pulled it out of her satchel and handed it over. Alex looked it over before turning to Steve.
"I'll let them know, in no uncertain terms, that the deal's off." He placed it into her file. "Just so you understand, Carrie-Anne, even if you had signed this, I still would have tried to break it."
"You know, Alex, it's really easy to be virtuous when you have food in your stomach and a roof over your head, but right now I don't have that option. I just got another letter in the mail. The nursing home was threatening to turn my mother's account over to collections, so I had to use my grocery money get them off my back. Like Old Mother Hubbard, there's nothing in my cupboard."
The room began to spin around her. She grabbed the edge of the table, trying to steady herself as she began to sway in her chair.
"Carrie-Anne, are you all right?"
"I'm okay, I'm just really stressed out, that's all."
"When was the last time you had anything to eat?"
"The day before yesterday."
"What!" Alex looked at Steve.
"I'm on it." He raced out of the room.
"Where's he going?"
"To the break room to get you something to eat. Carrie-Anne, you're in way over your head. You can't handle this on your own anymore. I'm your friend, so please, let me help you."
Steve rushed back in with a couple of bananas, an apple, and a bottle of fruit juice. Carrie eagerly reached for one of the bananas and quickly began to peel it.
"Not too fast," warned Alex. "You don't want shock your system. But while you're eating, please listen to what Steve has to say."
"From time to time, Carrie, we take pro bono cases. Alex and I had a discussion about this before you got here. We can prove your signature was forged and your identity was stolen. If Louise is smart, she'll drop her vendetta against you and work with us to find out who the real culprit is. If not, and she decides to pursue you anyway, then she's a fool, because she can never win. So, if she forces the issue, we'll file a motion requesting that you be awarded attorney fees. If the judge agrees, then it will be on Louise's nickel, not yours."
"We need to find out who set you up," said Alex. "You said Louise promised you'd be anonymous, but obviously someone knows. Did you volunteer any information or tell anyone that the photos were of you?"
"The night at the gallery, when Louise's show opened, you were there, Steve." She looked at him as he nodded. "A friend of Allie's was also there. She introduced us. His name was Scott Andrews. We talked for some time, and he offered to take me to dinner. I ended up going out with him a couple of times."
"Did he know you were the one in the photos?"
"Yes. While I was talking to him, he recognized me as the model. He even bought two of the prints."
"Which two?"
"I can't remember."
"Are you still seeing him?"
"No. It was, for lack of a better description, a fling. I'd just ended a ten-year relationship and he told me upfront there would be no long-term commitment. It was what it was."
"Which one of you ended it?"
"Officially, he did," she replied. "All though it happened several weeks after I'd stopped contacting him. He stopped by my office one day out of the blue. Needless to say, I was surprised to see him there. He said he'd reconnected with his old girlfriend and he was leaving town to be with her. He seemed happy, so I wished him well. We shook hands and he left. I can't think of any reason why he'd want to do this to me."
"Carrie," said Steve, "I hate to have to tell you this, but from everything you've told Allie and me about your relationship, Scott fits the profile of a married man."
"What? No way! I sent Allie a text message before I left the gallery that night. I asked her if Scott was single. She said he was. I don't date married men."
"I know that, Carrie." Steve tried to calm her down. "That's what we all believed at the time. Unfortunately, it turns out that we didn't know him as well as we thought we did. By the time we figured out he was married, Allison said you'd already decided to move on, so we let it go. At that point, we saw no need to bring it up, and we didn't want to upset you."
"Damn. I thought I was a better judge of character than that."
"Don't go beating yourself up, Carrie-Anne," added Alex. "I have a hunch he's probably done this a time or two before."
"So what do we do now?"
"We have some paperwork for you to sign. Then, when you're done, I'm giving you a ride home. You can leave your car here overnight. After I drop you home, I'll go out and get you a decent dinner."
"And tomorrow I'll ask Allie to go over to your place," said Steve. "She'll help you pick up your car, and then she'll take you shopping so you can get your kitchen restocked. You can return the favor some other time."
"Guys, I appreciate this, I really do, but it's my problem. I'll handle it."
"How? By starving yourself and making porno films?" She heard the frustration building in Alex's voice. "I guess some things never change. You're just as stubborn as you ever were."
"Look, you're in no position to argue," added Steve. "We're you're friends, so let us help you."
Alex handed her the paperwork. She let out a loud sigh as she grudgingly began filling it out. As soon as she finished Steve gathered it up and said goodbye. She turned her attention back at Alex, who stared back at her.
"So, have you finished pouting yet? If not, I can wait."
He leaned back into his chair, putting his hands behind his head. They stared at one another until Carrie finally started laughing in spite of herself. Alex reached across the table and patted her hand.
"Okay, Carrie-Anne. If you're ready, I'll run you home. We have ten years of catching up to do."
Sixteen
Alex dropped Carrie off at her apartment and she changed into a t-shirt and a pair of shorts. She came back to the living room to lay down on the sofa. After going for two days without eating she felt light-headed and exhausted. That afternoon's meeting had zapped what strength she had left. She must have dozed off, because the next thing she knew she was waking up to sound of someone knocking on her door.
"I'm coming, I'm coming."
She opened the door to Alex's smiling face. He was carrying several grocery bags.
"Alex? What are you doing here?"
"Did you forget? I was going to bring you something to eat, remember?"
"Oh, right. Sorry, I'm not all here right now."
He stepped across the threshold, heading straight to the kitchen and setting the bags down on the counter. He glanced over and noticed she was laying down on the sofa. She looked tired and pale. He pulled a carton of orange juice out of one of the bags, poured her a glass, and brought it to her, along with an apple. She sat up to take a drink.
"You remember my mother's famous homemade macaroni and cheese, don't you?"
"Yeah. It was my favorite."
"Well, I make it just as good as she did. It got me through college, and law school, and it'll be just the thing for you."
"Thanks, Alex." She finished the juice and bit into the apple as he glanced around the room.
"Aha, I see, you've got one."
"What?"
"Your boom box has a slot for an iPod." He whipped out his iPhone. "Remember how my mother was always playing this
for us when we were kids? It was our song."
He punched a few buttons and dropped his phone into the slot on the boom box. Moments later they heard The Hollies singing, "Carrie-Anne." Carrie laughed as he sang along and danced to the beat for a moment or two before returning to the kitchen to begin preparing dinner. As he was working he noticed her cupboards and refrigerator really were empty. The years had not been kind to Carrie. She'd enjoyed so much success in her youth. She was the last person he would have ever expected to end up this way. It was heartbreaking for him to see. He heard the sound of the kitchen timer going off. He took the boiling pasta off the stove and dumped it into the colander. As it drained he looked back at her. She appeared to be asleep on the sofa. He grabbed the juice carton and quickly refilled her glass.
"Alex?"
"Yes, Carrie-Anne?"
"I've missed you. A lot."
"Me too."
He returned to the kitchen, quickly dumping all the ingredients into a baking dish and topping it with breadcrumbs before popping it into the oven. He set the timer and came back in to join Carrie on the sofa. She sat up to make room for him, leaning her head on his shoulder as soon as he took his seat.
"Something's missing here." He glanced around the room. "You don't have a television set."
"No, I'm afraid not. I'm a pauper these days. I don't have the money for a TV set, so I download shows on my laptop."
"Yeah, but then there's no remote control. I'm a guy. How can I possibly live without a remote control?"
Carrie started to laugh. It felt good to have Alex back in her life. "So Alex, is there anyone waiting at home for you?"
"Not anymore. Like you, I seem to be in between relationships at the moment."
"I see. So what's your story? What have you been doing for the past ten years?"
"It's like I already told you, I went to college and then I went to law school."
"Where?"
"I went to law school down in Tucson, at the University of Arizona."
"I see. So did you meet anyone interesting while you were there?"
"You mean did I have any girlfriends?" He glanced at her as she nodded. "Yes, Carrie, I've had plenty of girlfriends. The first significant one was back in college, about the time we lost touch with one another. I met Mattie when you first started going out with Doug. I went out with her for about a year or so. Others came along after her. Some I kept around for awhile, others were just short-term flings, like you and Scott. For the most part, I've had a good time, but there was never anyone I wanted to make any kind of long-term commitment to. Except for one, sort of."
"What do you mean?"
"I got engaged a few years ago," he explained. "Her name was Casey. I met her at the U of A. She was an economics major. I was in love, or so I thought, but as the wedding date drew closer I kept having more and more second thoughts. Then one morning I woke up and realized I couldn't go through with it. It's hard to explain. It's like I loved her, as a person, but I was never truly in love with her. The passion just wasn't there, at least not for me. That's when I knew it would never work, so I called it off."
"What happened after that?"
"Well, she wasn't too happy with me, to say the least, so it didn't end very well. I heard through the grapevine that she married someone else, about a year or so ago."
"Have you met anyone since then?"
"Nah," he replied. "Certainly not anyone one worth mentioning. I'm much too busy being a workaholic lawyer. I go out here and there, but never anything serious. I think my parents have finally given up on me. They've pretty much written me off as a confirmed bachelor, but at least Mark got married."
"I'd forgotten about your little brother."
"He's not so little anymore. He's now about two inches taller than me. He's a structural engineer, working for a firm in San Diego. He's got a wife, a two-year old boy, and another little boy on the way. The baby's due in November. It's funny how the Montoyas always seem to have boys. I never had a sister, and neither did my father or grandfather, nor did any of my uncles have any daughters. And despite my apparent lack of a love life, for the past few years I've had a recurring dream off and on about a son I'll apparently have someday. I think he's still a ways off, but it'd be nice if somewhere along the line one of us had a girl. She'd be the family princess. So, how 'bout you?"
"You saw the photos, Alex. What else is there for you to know about me?"
"That's not what I meant."
"I know, and I'm sorry," she said, apologetically. "I'm just cranky these days. So, let's see... I got my degree in business administration, and I also took as many photography classes as I could. After I graduated, I went to work for one of those portrait studios. It wasn't a great job but it got my foot in the door. My mother's the one who first encouraged me to strike out on my own. So did Doug, later on. That was about the time he and I had decided to move in together. So I took their advice and set up shop. Louise was a big help too. I thought we'd be friends forever. Who knew, huh?"
"Carrie-Anne, can I tell you something?"
"What?"
"I've always had the ability to read people like books, even when I was a kid. I find it comes in really handy, especially when I'm in a courtroom. Most of the time I'm right on the money and Carrie-Anne, I'm telling you, right now, I never liked Louise."
"Really? Why not?"
"Because she's a self-centered narcissist. Sure, she comes across as very sincere and very charming, but when you listen, really closely, it's always all about Louise."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I'll give you an example," he explained. "When she called you that day about that photo shoot, what did she say?"
"She said she was concerned about my living arrangements. Then she told me she'd just gotten a private commission, she needed a model, and it would pay enough to get me into an apartment."
"Bingo," exclaimed Alex.
"What do you mean?"
"Did she say, 'Carrie, why don't you stay with us until you get on your feet?' No. Did she say, 'Carrie, let me help you, and we'll work it out later?' No. It was, 'Carrie, so sorry you're down and out, but if you'll do me this one little favor you can get into an apartment.'"
"Good heavens, you're right." She sounded astonished. "When she first brought it up I was hesitant. Then she told me that if I didn't want to do it she'd find someone else. I knew, right then, that she wouldn't help me if I said no. And now that you bring it up, I honestly can't recall a time when Louise ever called me just to ask how I was doing. It was always to ask for a favor, usually her grunt work. She never did a thing for me without my having to do something for her first, but she always had a way of wording things that made you think she really cared. She'd also make you feel guilty if you said no."
"She's obviously a master manipulator, Carrie-Anne. She never was your friend. As unpleasant as this is all going to be for you, and please understand, you'll be in for a real roller-coaster ride, one good thing will come out of it. By the time this is over, you'll know who your friends really are."
They began to reminisce about old times and before long the timer went off. Alex went into the kitchen to pull the macaroni and cheese out of the oven. It was bubbling hot and crispy brown on the top. He filled two plates, grabbed some forks and napkins, and brought it back to the sofa. Carrie savored the cheesy flavor as she recalled the times his mother made her macaroni and cheese when they were children. She had two more helpings before Alex brought out some brownies for their dessert. By the time he finished cleaning up the kitchen, he noticed the color had finally returned to her face. It was time for him to say goodnight. He had to be in his office bright and early the following morning to begin work on her case.
"It's good having you back, Carrie-Anne," he said as he hugged her.
"You too. You know, it's funny, Alex. I've been thinking about you a lot lately. I've really missed you, and now here you are."
He kissed her on the forehead and gave her one
more hug before he stepped out, reminding her to lock her door behind him.
Seventeen
Allison helped Carrie bring the last of the grocery bags into the kitchen. They set them on the counter and Carrie began unloading them.
"I've got the receipt in my purse, Allie," said Carrie as she filled her empty cupboards with canned goods. "I'm going back to my office as soon as we're done. I have two projects that I need to finish. As soon as I get paid I'll pay you back."
"I've already told you, there's no rush. You've always been there for me over the years and now it's my turn. Remember, back in high school, how I was struggling with algebra, and you and Alex helped me. If it hadn't been for the two of you, I would have flunked."
"I remember, but that was more Alex than me. He was a whiz at math."
"And he's a pretty smart lawyer, too. Steve's mentioned him to me a few times over the years, and all this time I had no idea that his Alex was our Alex. It was surprise to me as well. So, what's he like these days?"
"The same. He's finally put on some weight so he's not bone-skinny and gawky like he used to be. In fact, he looks pretty darn good. Other than that, he's still our same old Alex. He's smart, he's funny, but nothing gets past him. Wish he'd been around last fall, back when Doug first dumped me. I wouldn't be in the mess I'm in now."
"You don't know that, Carrie. If I was down and out and had no place to turn I would have probably done Louise's photo shoot too. But somewhere along the line you've seriously pissed someone off and that's what has me scared."
"I know and I'm worried too, but worried or not, I have to go back to my office today. I have someone who's on a tight deadline. When Steve told me to shut my door and go home I sent an email blast to all my clients telling them I had an unexpected emergency. Now I'm starting to hear back from some of them. They need their photos and I need the work."
"I understand, but what if some sicko shows up at your door?"
"My website is still down," said Carrie. "If anyone looking at Gentry Magazine decides to do a Google search on me all they'll find is an under construction page, but at some point I have to get my website back up. I'm starting to worry that people might start thinking I'm out of business. I've had three cancelations so far this week. That's not good."
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