Carol's Image

by Jordan, Maryann

  “Fuck,” Tom cursed, running his hand through his hair. “We are gettin’ nowhere, and stalkers tend to escalate. I’ve got her working days, escorted to and from her car in the lot. Most nights she is either with me at my place or I’m at hers. Won’t let her stay alone and honestly, not real happy when it is just her and Laurie there.”

  Jake looked at his friend, knowing that if their roles were reversed, Tom would do anything to help Jake and his loved one. “I’m not givin’ up, man. I’ll keep digging.”

  Tom nodded. “I know you will.” Looking down at his notes, he continued. “Okay, for Calvin Penski. Just talked to my friend Shane Douglas.”

  “Shane? From the academy?” Jake interrupted. When Tom nodded, Jake added, “I remember him. Real go getter. Real smart. But street smart. Always figured he’d go undercover at some time.”

  “Yeah, we worked together when I spent a couple of years in Richland before decidin’ to come back here and keep my parent’s house. He’s a good cop. Probably will go underground some time. Anyway, he’s workin’ the case pretty hard, knowing Cal could get out on bail in another couple of weeks. Says if Cal gets out, he’ll be right back in Richland and probably dig in deep to keep from being found. They’ve broken up some prostitution clubs where the girls were drugged, but he is so goddamn slippery they can’t get it pinned to him yet. Shane wants to know if we think the brother is involved.”

  “Bert?” Jake asked, incredulously. “Hell, Bert couldn’t find his way out of a paper bag.”

  “Shane wondered if it was an act to get everyone to think he was meek.”

  Jake shook his head. “Naw. Not buyin’ it. Bert’s not that smart.”

  “What about being manipulated by his brother?” Tom asked. “Am I so pissed at him trying to connect with Carol that I am overlooking something?”

  “What else does Shane think?” Jake prodded.

  Shaking his head, Tom just said, “Not much else now. He’s hopin’ Cal doesn’t make bail, but Shane’s ready if he does. He plans on bein’ on his tail the minute Cal gets back in Richland.”

  *

  One week later, Carol and Laurie were out Christmas shopping. The shops in downtown Fairfield were decorated for the holidays with window displays galore. The weather had turned colder, and a light snow had fallen a couple of nights earlier. They watched as people hurried about their shopping, but still shouting out greetings to those they knew.

  Stepping carefully over a patch of ice on the sidewalk, Carol grabbed Laurie as she almost slipped.

  “We had two broken wrists, a broken leg, and a broken arm yesterday in the ER just from falls on ice. Don’t make it another one,” she laughed as she held Laurie up.

  “This is a good place to duck into anyway,” Laurie said as they neared Bernie’s Bakery. Heading inside, the smells of freshly baked bread and cakes assaulted their senses.

  “Oh my god, this place smells amazing!” Carol grinned.

  Bernie saw the girls as they entered and waved them over to the counter as she came around to greet them. “Laurie, my girl. How are you?” Bernie and Laurie hugged as Carol watched, knowing that Bernie was already considering Laurie to be her daughter-in-law.

  Turning next to Carol, Bernie enveloped her as well. “Sit down, sit down and I’ll get you all some special coffee and holiday treats”. Bustling off, Bernie left them to sit at one of the pink and white tables that lined the wall of the bakery.

  Carol looked around at the familiar shop, feeling for the first time in years that she could come in and eat without worrying about the calories. Free. This feels free. Smiling, she looked over at Laurie, who had been joined by Suzy, Rob’s sister. She was sixteen years old and had the MacDonald’s gorgeous genes. Tossing her hair over her shoulder, she casually looked at a group of teenage boys sitting in one of the back booths. Carol recognized Bill and Wendy’s son, Brad, as one of the young men. It was evident that Brad and Suzy had eyes for each other while trying not to show it.

  Carol thought back to her days in high school and was amazed at how clueless she had been about how much bulimia had ruled her life. Suzy seemed so carefree and happy. Carol smiled indulgently, happy for the young woman.

  Suzy headed off to wait on more tables while Carol and Laurie continued their meal.

  “So when are you and Tom going to celebrate Christmas?”

  Carol, wiping the powdered sugar off of her lips, answered, “We are going to celebrate tonight. I have to work tomorrow on Christmas day, so we will exchange gifts at his place tonight.” Smiling up at Laurie, she added, “and don’t expect me back tonight!”

  Laughing, the two women finished their treats and headed back out into the cold.

  *

  The night outside was blustery, but inside Tom’s living room, the warmth from the fireplace settled in around Carol as she sat next to their little Christmas tree. Tom entered from the kitchen carrying a bottle of wine and a couple of glasses. Smiling up at him, she reached up to take the glasses from him.

  “So are you ready for your present?”

  Continuing to smile at him, she nodded. She had given Tom his gift before dinner – three tickets to a Washington Redskins game for him, Jake, and Rob. She knew that since they had been dating, his time with his friends had been cut back. So, it only seemed fair to give a gift that he could share with them.

  Tom lowered his large frame to the floor next to her in front of the fireplace. The room was lit with only the soft lights from the Christmas tree and the flickering flames from the fire. He looked over at Carol, her beauty taking his breath away. The firelight cast a glow on her porcelain complexion and danced in her large blue eyes. Her blonde tresses caught the lights from the tree, giving her angelic appearance an otherworldly glow. Suddenly nervous, he realized the magnitude of what he was about to do. Nervous? Yes. Fearful? Never.

  Maneuvering his body so that he was sitting as close as he could while facing her, he set the wine bottle on the coffee table. She turned her luminescent blue eyes to his, a smile still playing on her lips. All the practiced words flew from his mind. His breath caught in his throat as his heart pounded in his chest. Taking her dainty hand in his much larger one, he realized that the strength of this tiny woman humbled him. He was the one who wanted to protect her, but realized that she was the one who saved him.

  Lifting her hand to his lips, he softly brushed her knuckles with his kisses. Carol raised her other hand to cup his face, feeling the stubble under her fingertips as she leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on his lips. Soft. Full of promise. Full of love.

  Leaning back, blue eyes gazed at blue eyes. “Angel, do you remember how we met?”

  Her face breaking into a huge smile, she giggled and nodded. “Tom, how could I ever forget seeing you lying on the ground, terrified that you were injured?”

  Nodding, he continued, “Carol, I opened my eyes that day in more ways than one. I saw the most beautiful creature leaning over me. The whole world was fuzzy except for your face. I called you an angel, because swear to God, that is what you looked like. That image captured me. Wrapped itself around me. Wouldn’t let me go. Everything in my life up to that point lost its importance until I could find you again.”

  She peered into his face, watching the emotions play across his features. Holding her breath, she reached back over to link her fingers with his, knowing that he needed her strength to say whatever he was trying to say.

  “When I finally found you, I discovered that you really were an angel. You care about people with such passion. You are so tiny that I sometimes worry about crushing you and yet you have more strength inside of you than most people I know. I used to call you clueless, but realized that you just needed to have someone affirm what was already inside of you. Beauty, intelligence, the heart of an angel.”

  Sucking in a deep breath, he continued, “I don’t want to live without you. I want you with me, every day in every way. I want you to be mine. Mine to hold, cherish, protect and lov
e. And I want to be yours. I want your light to shine on me every day for the rest of my life.”

  Tears welled in Carol’s eyes as she watched the man she loved more than life itself struggle with his emotions. She saw him reach into his pocket and bring out a small jewelry box. Her breath caught in her throat as she began to realize what might be in the box.

  Flipping open the lid, Tom held it out to her. Inside was a perfect engagement ring, tiny and delicate. The diamond in the middle of the ring was surrounded by smaller diamonds all around. She watched as his large hands shook as he took the ring out of the box and held it out to her. She lifted her eyes from the ring back up to his expressive face. Blue eyes gazed into blue eyes.

  “Carol Fletcher, I don’t want to live without you. I need you beside me every day and every night. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

  “Oh Tom. Yes, yes, yes! I love you so much! I want nothing more than to be with you every day for eternity.” Tears streamed down her face as she threw her arms around his neck and felt him pull her in tightly.

  Grinning, he gently pushed her back. “Well, let’s make this official, angel.” He held her hand and slid the perfect ring on her finger.

  Carol wiggled her fingers, watching the ring sparkle in the firelight. Her eyes, bright with tears looked back into his face. Grabbing him, she pulled him in for a kiss. The kiss began softly, then quickly burned with passion and love.

  Tom pulled her in closer then twisted their bodies so that they were laying together on the rug in front of the fireplace. He took charge of the kiss, his tongue dancing with hers as he explored her mouth, tasting the sweet wine on her lips. Slowly ending the kiss, he pulled her head in tightly to his chest while the other hand slid down to her hips, pulling her in as close as their bodies could be.

  Laying there listening to the crackling of the fire, letting their hearts beat in time together, both allowed the emotions of the evening to wash over them.

  She lay, tears still sliding down her cheeks, pooling on his shirt. Safe, accepted, loved.

  He lay, holding her tightly, pressing kisses on the top of her head. Mine to hold. Mine to care for. Mine to love.

  She listened for a moment to the strong heartbeat of the man who loved her, knowing that somewhere there really was a guardian angel who brought them together.

  “I hear your heartbeat,” she whispered into the night.

  “It beats for you, angel,” came the promise.

  Chapter 21

  Carol and Tom celebrated the news of their engagement with friends and talked with Rob and Laurie about the girls’ living arrangements. Tom wanted Carol to move in with him, and Rob thought it was a perfect time for Laurie to move in with him as well.

  The next couple of weeks were busy as the girls made arrangements to move out of the apartment. “Can you believe the lease is going to be up right at the time that we decide to move on? No extra payments!” Carol said with glee, filling up boxes with her clothes.

  “I know! Thank goodness because Christmas just about wiped me out. I need to save some more money for a while.”

  “Yeah, I’ve got the wedding to plan and save for. With Tom’s house paid for years ago by his parents, not having to make a rent payment will go a long way for the wedding.”

  Laurie looked over at her friend, wondering how to ask what was on her mind.

  Carol noticed and knew exactly what Laurie was thinking. “You’re wondering about my parents, aren’t you?”

  Laurie laughed and nodded. “Yes, I was. Have you guys talked to them at all?”

  “Funny you should ask because we are driving there today to tell them.”

  Laurie sat down on the bed next to Carol. “How are you with that? How do you think they will respond?”

  Looking thoughtful, Carol just shook her head. Sighing deeply and turning to her best friend, seeing concern in her eyes, she simply said, “I have no idea. I mean it won’t go well…certainly not like in the movies where the family all jumps up to congratulate everyone.” Laughing ruefully, she continued, “And not even like when we called Tom’s parents the other day and I could hear the screaming coming from Tom’s phone!”

  Wrapping her arms around Carol, Laurie pulled her in for a hug. “I’m sorry, sweetie.”

  “Oh, don’t be. It is what it is. And the most important thing is that they no longer have the power over me to make me doubt myself. I have Tom. I have great friends. I have a great job. And I now have a future with a man I love. If they can’t be happy about that, then it is their loss.”

  Hugging again, the two friends continued to pack until Tom arrived to pick up Carol.

  *

  Pulling into the driveway of the Fletcher estate, Tom allowed a moment to envision Carol growing up in the opulence. Everything looked pristine. The lawn, perfectly manicured. The house, palatial. Cold, unfeeling, no joy. Glancing to the side, wanting to see her reaction, he noticed her eyes traveling around as though she were seeing it for the first time. “You okay, angel? I won’t let anything happen to you, you know?”

  Turning her gaze back to his, she smiled. “I know,” she replied softly. Reaching out to link her fingers with his, she continued, “Funny, but this place no longer seems to have any hold over me. I don’t feel ill…just a little nervous about how this will all go down. But honey,” she said, pulling his gaze back to hers. “At the end of the day, I get to go home with the man of my dreams. So whatever their reaction is, it’s fine. I’m fine.” Inhaling deeply, she glanced back to the house.

  The door opened with the butler announcing that they would be received in the family room. Following him, Tom caught Carol rolling her eyes. Smiling, he reached down to link his fingers with hers again. Walking into the family room, he was struck with the difference between this room and the house he grew up in.

  The Fletcher’s family room was as pristine as the rest of the house. No newspapers or magazines cluttered a coffee table. No TV remotes were seen. In fact, as his eyes quickly scanned the room, there was no TV. There were paintings on the walls, but no family photographs to be seen. The room held no personality. No warmth. No love. His eyes immediately took in Carol’s parents sitting formally in two chairs facing the sofa near the massive fireplace. The fireplace that held no fire.

  His eyes cut sharply down to Carol, taking a visual pulse of how she was doing. Not putting up with any shit today. They start somethin’, I’m shuttin’ it down. Her face held a smile that did not reach her eyes, and he could feel the tension radiating off of her body as his hand slid up to her shoulder.

  Mr. Fletcher rose from his chair, formerly greeting his daughter. “Carol, you are looking well.” Moving forward to shake Tom’s hand, he added, “Mr. Rivers.”

  Carol moved forward to place a kiss on her father’s cheek and then walked over to the chair where her mother sat stiffly, leaning down to kiss her mother’s cheek as well.

  As she moved back, Tom stepped forward immediately replacing his hand on her shoulder and guided her back toward his embrace. She glanced up at his face smiling, recognizing that he was protecting her. That realization made her smile even more. A real smile. One that reached her eyes and touched his heart.

  “Carol. Tom. And what do we owe the pleasure of your company today?” her mother’s formal request dripped with sarcasm.

  Her father’s voice interrupted, “Please, won’t you sit down?” He motioned to the sofa across from his chair.

  Settling his large frame onto the sofa, Tom wrapped his arm around Carol, giving her his physical support, but hoping that she felt his emotional support as well.

  Carol reached over to take his other hand, linking her fingers through his. Together, strong. United. One.

  Looking her parents directly in the eyes, Carol spoke softly, but firmly. “Mother, father. We wanted to come by today to tell you that we are formally engaged and plan to marry in May. We, of course, would like your blessing, but will be married regardless.”

 
The momentary silence in the room was deafening. Her mother’s eyes cut quickly down to Carol’s hand, noting the ring.

  “Are you pregnant?” her cool voice asked.

  Tom jerked forward, but Carol calmly placed her hand on his leg, giving a little squeeze. “No, mother. I am not pregnant. We are quite simply in love, want to be together, and have decided not to wait.”

  Carol’s father sat quietly, observing the couple in front of him.

  “Well, that certainly isn’t enough time to plan a proper wedding. I suppose that is why you are here? To ask for money for the wedding? To ask us to host what should be the event of the season if you were marrying the right kind of man?”

  Carol, incensed, answered back. Calmly. Surely. In control. “No, we do not want your money. We simply wanted you to know that your only daughter was getting married. Married, I might say, to exactly the right kind of man. One who doesn’t see me as arm-candy. One who doesn’t want anything from my parents’ position in society. One who sees me for who I am, not what he wants to make me be. Accepts me. Cares for me. Protects me. Treasures me. Loves me. All the things I have never had, ever before.”

  Standing, she turned to Tom apologetically. “Come on, honey. This was a mistake.”

  Tom rose from the sofa, more proud of Carol at that moment than he ever could have thought to be. Wrapping his mighty arm around her, he pulled her into his warm embrace. Kissing the top of her head, he hugged her tightly. “This was not a mistake, angel. You came to make an announcement, and you’ve done that. You came to show your parents that you are happy, and you’ve done that too. Proud of you, angel.”

  With Carol still tucked in his embrace, he looked down at her mother’s stunned face and her father’s silent expression. “You may not care, but know this. I will take care of her. She’s the most important person in the world to me. She is precious, and I will always treat her as such.”

  With that, the two of them walked out of the room, out of the house, drove back to their house, and entered smiling. The small living room, warmly decorated, beckoned them. Carol had added her photographs to the walls along with Tom’s. Some of her possessions now mingled with his, creating a home that was theirs. Blended. Together. As One.