“Forever?” I questioned.
He kissed me softly. “Forever.”
Chapter Thirty-One: Carson
My flight arrived to Kansas City earlier than expected. My taxi wasn’t set to meet me for another half hour, so I wasted time by walking through the airport. I stopped by one of the newsstands to look for a book or magazine. My phone rang, but when I saw it was my dad calling, I hit ignore. He’s not going to ruin my good mood. The past few days were awesome, some of the best I’ve ever had. I’ve fallen in love with a beautiful girl with the kindest heart, and I don’t know if I’ve ever been happier.
The ringing was continuous. I would hit ignore, and he could call right back. Finally, I turned the ringer off, becoming irritated. I took the book, magazine and snacks to the register. The gentleman behind the counter looked at me with wide eyes, then quickly looked away.
What the fuck is his problem?
It wasn’t until I was waiting on him to get my change that I saw it.
In black and white, on the cover of a magazine.
There was my face.
Along with an accusation that threatened to ruin my entire life.
And would make Melody hate me forever.
Chapter Thirty-Two: Melody
"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Baltimore Washington International Airport. Local time is 11:22 AM and the temperature is seventy-four degrees. For your safety..."
I was still in my post Carson vacation bliss when the flight attendant announced our arrival to Baltimore. When Carson walked me to my gate this morning at the airport, I know he kissed me goodbye at least eight times, saying the last wasn't good enough or he needed another to last him the next three days until I would see him again. I didn't refuse any of his kisses. Not a single one.
I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the two of us. I’ve known for a while now that I was in love with Carson, but now I’m certain that he is the man I want to be with for the rest of my life. It’s as if he was a piece of the puzzle I didn’t know was missing, and now it’s complete.
I’m so excited to tell Lexi about the last four days. Thankfully she offered to pick me up from the airport today so I didn’t have to take a cab into the harbor. I’ll take her to lunch at Paco’s and catch her up. I need to tell her that if everything goes well during the offseason that I will be moving in with Carson when we come back to Baltimore. I’m a little bummed that I won’t be living with my best friend this time next year. We promised each other a while ago that when it was time for one of us to move out that we would continue to talk every day and meet up multiple times a week. She’s the sister I never had, and she will always have an important role in my life.
After getting off the plane and using the restroom, I dug my cell out of my bag and turned it on for the first time in four days. Being disconnected from the world felt good, and in fact, I felt like I was recharged in a sense. I opened my messages to send Lexi a text letting her know I was on my way out of the airport to meet her when the alerts on my phone started going crazy.
Missed calls.
Texts.
Voicemails.
One after another after another after another.
I had a sinking feeling in the bottom of my stomach. Something's not right. I sat down on a bench and dialed Lexi's number before reading any of them, needing to make sure she was okay first and foremost.
"Where are you?" She yelled into the phone.
Although I was happy to hear her voice, I began to panic. "Lex, what's wrong? What's happening?"
“Have you heard anything?”
“What are you talking about? Are you okay?”
"Melody, I need to know where you are right now. Did you get off the plane already?"
My hands started shaking. "Yes. Please, what is wrong? Is Carson okay?"
"There you are." I saw my best friend running towards me, and from the anger on her face I was almost expecting her to beat the shit out of me. Instead, she crashed into me, hugging me tightly to her.
“How in the hell did you get past security?”
“I bought a plane ticket so I could get to you quicker.”
"You're scaring the shit out of me right now.” I admitted.
“Everything’s going to be fine.” She tried to assure me. I didn’t feel like everything was going to be fine at the moment.
I noticed the other passengers that walked by look at Lexi and I while we were still in an embrace. “People are staring at us.” I whispered.
"No, sweetie. They're not looking at us." She pulled away, tears streaming down her face. "They're looking at you. We need to go home. Now."
My stomach dropped to the floor, knowing whatever news she was about to deliver wasn’t good. At all. “Tell me.”
Lexi dragged me through the airport behind her and I could barely keep up with her fast pace. Despite my constant demands for her to let me in on what was going on, she kept silent until we reached her car. Once the doors were shut and it was just the two of us, I turned to her. “What the fuck is going on? I’m about to lose my shit right now, Lex. Are your parents okay? Carson? What is wrong?”
She laid her head against the back of the seat, still crying. "I don't want to tell you. This is the happiest I've seen you since your parents...”
“Answer me damn it! Is Carson okay?”
“Physically. For now.”
My throat began to close up. Was he seen with another girl? Has he been cheating on me? I grabbed her by the shoulders and made her look at me. "Tell me damn it! I can't wait until we get home. Just fucking tell me!"
She closed her eyes and shook her head slightly. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."
I grabbed my bag and found my phone, but she snatched it from my hand before I could dial Carson’s number.
"LEX! WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?"
She looked up at me with her eyes sadder than I’ve ever seen them. Even more so than after she found out my parents died. The next sentence she spoke was the last combination of words I imagined would ever come from her lips.
“Carson was driving the car that killed your parents."
Thirty-Three: Melody Chapter
There have been two moments in my life I've felt as if the world stopped turning. That literally everything in existence had stopped for a brief instant. Finding out both my parents died was the first.
And this is the second.
I sat staring at my best friend, replaying the sentence that had just left her mouth. I watched her lips form the words and heard the sounds, but I had a difficult time processing what it all meant.
"Carson was driving the car that killed my parents." I repeated slowly for the fourth time, or at least the fourth time I could remember.
"Yes." She quietly confirmed again.
I turned and looked out the front of the windshield, comprehension still slow to seep into my brain. "Where did you get this information?"
"It's all over the news. Sydney did some deep digging and found sealed records from when Carson was a minor. She wrote up this huge article and it blew up. News channels are covering it nationwide."
"She's a liar." I said simply. “This isn't true."
"Sweetie, look at me." Lexi grabbed my hand, but I continued staring out the window. "Dad looked into it with the lawyers who represented your parents’ estate. Carson was the one who was listed on the police report as the driver. I wouldn't have believed it unless I saw it with my own eyes. I have a copy of the report at home, if you want to see it for yourself."
My stomach rolled, and I opened the door quickly enough to empty the contents of my stomach onto the airport parking lot. Lex handed me a tissue but didn't say anything else.
I held the tissue over my mouth and shook my head. "This isn't real. This can't be real."
She remained silent, but that's exactly what I needed from her. No words would make things better at the moment. I'm not exactly sure when or how I got home and into bed, but there I sat with a folder lyin
g beside me. I know what is in the folder. It's confirmation that this is real. If I don't open it, then it means it didn't happen and Carson and I are fine. We're still us.
I'm not opening that fucking folder.
Chapter Thirty-Four: Carson
Hey, it's Mel. Leave a message.
I'm sorry, the mailbox is currently full.
Of course if fucking full. I've only left thirty goddamn messages in the last four hours.
There was not a goddamn thing I could do from this ballpark in Kansas, and it’s driving me insane. I seriously feel as if I'm about to crawl out of my skin. There is so much Melody needs to hear from me. I can't imagine what she's thinking right now, but I know it's not good.
She fucking hates me.
I want to know where in the fuck Sydney got the information. I know part of a reporter’s job is to find stories that will bring in readers, but she has possibly cost me the love of my life.
There’s no way Melody’s going to forgive me after reading the story. Of all people in the world to be in that vehicle ten years ago, it had to be her parents. I’ve done my best to move past that night, but everything I’ve worked through since then has hit me straight in the gut today. All of the nightmares, sleepless nights and shrink appointments have flown out the window. That was absolutely the worst day of my life, until maybe today. I must have done something unforgiveable in a past lifetime to receive this type of karma.
"FUCK!" I slammed my fist into the wall, needing to get some aggression out. The drywall cracked around my knuckles and I could feel my hand swell immediately.
Ryan walked into the clubhouse where I was alone, shaking my now throbbing hand. "Dude, you need to chill out. You-"
"Chill out? You're joking, right? There is no way I can chill the fuck out right now. I need to talk to her and straighten this shit out."
Ross walked into the room, a smug smirk on his face. "Straighten what shit out? There's only so many ways you can explain that you murdered your girlfriend's parents."
I lunged at him, my fist connecting with his nose as we toppled to the ground. The next punch smashed against his fucking mouth, then another for good measure. I was going back for more when Ryan pulled me from him. "He deserved a few good ones, I let you have that. Come on, walk it off."
I was seething, unable to take my eyes off Ross. Streaks of red blood looked brighter on his clean, white uniform, but it wasn't enough. I had more aggression to get out and now the clubhouse was filling up with other players who are holding me back.
"What the fuck is going on in here?" Coach yelled, looking down at Ross.
"Cruz held me while Lawrence got a few in." Ross attempted as he wiped blood from his face with a towel.
"Bullshit, Ross. Carson beat your ass without any help." Jeff Turner, our center fielder laughed. A few other chuckles played from behind me until Coach snapped.
"Ross, change then get on the field and start laps."
Ross walked past me, smug smirk still on his face. Coach grabbed me by the arm and shoved me into the conference room off the locker room, slamming the door shut behind him. "I have to pretend like I'm fucking pissed at you right now so I don't get my ass chewed out...but are you alright?" Coach's tone was hushed and much calmer, sympathy in his eyes.
I leaned against a wall and rubbed my hands over my face. "No."
"Do you need to talk about it?"
I shook my head. "I need to fix it."
Coach looked at me for a long minute, then sighed. "You’re suspended for starting the fight with Ross. Two games."
As if things couldn’t get worse. “That fucker-“
“Listen to me Lawrence.” Coach snapped. “You’re suspended for two games, you can’t be in this stadium. You can be anywhere in this world, but not here.”
I stared at him, unsure if he was saying what I was hoping he was.
“Ugh, for fuck sakes.” He growled and leaned close. “You have forty-eight hours to fix this shit. You better be back in this clubhouse for the last game in this series or you’re permanently suspended from this league. Do you understand me now?”
I cleared my throat and nodded. “Thank you, Coach.”
For a moment, a brief smile hinted at the edges of his lips. “You got a few good ones in on Ross.”
I flexed my tight fingers, hoping that I didn’t break anything. "He’s lucky I hit a wall first. I'm fine."
Coach slapped me on the back. "Wait until the team leaves for the field before heading out. And if you breathe this to anyone, I will fire you myself."
I shook my head. "I don't know what you're talking about."
He reached for the door but stopped short of opening it. “Fight like hell for her, you don’t find girls like her every day.”
Coach wasn’t looking at me, but his voice was sympathetic. Hard ass Coach Anthony was giving me an opportunity to try to mend what I could, and for a moment I thought that maybe it’s because he knows from experience. Maybe he didn’t have that opportunity to fight for someone he cared about.
“I know. Thanks Coach.”
He sighed heavily and opened the door. "Moore! Suit up! Lawrence is suspended for knocking Ross in the mouth. The rest of you-on the field for warm ups, let's go!"
Cain Moore, my relief catcher, was putting his gear on when I came out of the room. "Man, you alright? I missed the entire thing."
"Got suspended for two games for giving that fucker a few shots to the mouth. He’s lucky Ryan pulled me off him when he did." I answered.
Cain grabbed his helmet and stood up. "Ross had that coming. I thought it would have happened sooner, honestly." I watched as he jogged out of the room, leaving me alone. I changed as quickly as possible and grabbed my wallet.
I only had forty-eight hours to make this right.
Chapter Thirty-Five: Melody
"I'm not going. I'm staying right here with you and we'll snuggle all night. You love my snuggles." Lexi was lying beside me in bed, trying her damnedest to get out of going to a bachelorette party for one of her fellow teachers tonight.
"I don't love your snuggles. You're a crazy octopus of limbs and give off more heat than a space heater. And you drool on my pillow."
She wrapped her arms and legs around my body. "You love these octopus limbs."
"I don't." I sat up in bed pushed her off me. "I'm fine, Lex. The time alone will actually be welcome."
"That's a really nice way of saying 'leave me the fuck alone', isn't it?"
"Exactly."
She stood and put her hands on her hips. "You better keep your phone on so I can check on you later."
I nodded reluctantly. "Fine. I'll turn it on when you leave."
"Good. Besides, I may need you to come pick up my drunk ass somewhere."
"Tell Paco to call me."
She bent down, concern still on her face. "Seriously, are you okay? I don't mind staying home if you need me."
It wasn't often that Lexi was serious. "I know, Lex. I love you for that, but I just need time to myself."
She nodded and kissed me on top of the head. "Okay. I'm going to get ready."
When she left my room, I figured I might as well pull the band aid off. I wanted to see what the article that bitch wrote actually said, so I pulled my laptop onto my bed and searched for the article.
Google result for Carson Lawrence? Over three million results found.
But there it was, at the very top of the page. Sydney Philips reporting for Celeb Tab Magazine; Lawrence driver at fault of 2007 accident that resulted in death of Fan Girl's parents.
My stomach churned, but with shaky fingers, I clicked the link.
"Baltimore rookie Carson Lawrence made headlines earlier this season when a foul ball during his first at bat in the majors knocked out a fan in the stands. Lawrence reportedly visited the fan, Melody Carrick in the hospital after the game. Sources close to the couple report that Lawrence claims sparks flew instantly when they met. Their romance is that of a fairy tale
; fan bags the baseball player. But not all fairy tales have a happy ending.
According to recently unsealed documents, in 2007, a then fifteen year old Carson Lawrence was the driver at fault for an accident that resulted in the death of Dale and Ellen Carrick. If you are putting two and two together, those were, indeed, the parents of Melody. According to the report, the road conditions that night were listed as wet and foggy due to a recent storm. According to the statement given to police by Edward Lawrence, Carson's father and passenger, Carson was-"
Falling for the Rookie (Fan Girl Book 1) Page 17