by C. E. Snyder
“Airport? What do you mean airport? We are going to my house. That is what Isaac said,” she said then turned, left the room, and went to the bedroom, where Isaac was coming out. They faced each other in the hall, Isaac with a confused look, and Carrie with an angry one.
“What is it? What is wrong?” Isaac asked, stepping closer to her.
“Airport,” she said. “Where are we going, Isaac? Sasha said we were going to the airport,” Carrie said with her arms crossed. “You told me that we were going to our home.” He smiled and laughed softly. He loved that she was getting angry. He missed her spitfire temper. It was one of the things he loved about her; her love was the other.
“Yes, koibito. The house is six or so hours away. It would take us all day by car. It would take about an hour or so by plane. Please calm down. It will be all right,” Isaac pleaded.
“All right, but no more surprises, okay?” Carrie said, looking into his eyes.
“Good,” Isaac said. They turned to return to the living room, where Sasha was waiting. She turned abruptly, stopped, and Isaac bumped into her.
“What did you say?” she asked.
“When?” He looked confused.
“In the hall you said koibit…what did you say?”
“Okay, yeah, I said koibito. It means ‘sweetheart’ in Japanese,” Isaac explained.
“Oh,” she said and walked into the living room. “I’m sorry, Sasha, for running out of the room. Isaac is being secretive with me today.” She glanced at Isaac.
“Not secretive, my love, forgetful. I had a long night last night, and the night before. I didn’t get much sleep,” he said. She turned to look at him full on and ran her hand down his arm.
“I know,” she said and touched her own face, and then she looked back up to Sasha.
“It will be all right, Karo,” Sasha said. “Isaac, do we have time to talk before we have to go? I want to know about this man that Karolina has been seeing.”
“Yes, we have a few minutes. Carrie, tell him what the man looks like.” Carrie went over to the couch. As she sat down, she looked at the spot where the coffee table was and remembered the feeling of going through it.
“Karo, the police didn’t find any fingerprints anywhere, but I believe he was here. Isaac told me about the bruises on your back,” Sasha said, looking up as Isaac perched himself on the arm of the couch behind Carrie.
“He was here. I didn’t throw myself through the coffee table.” She was shaking her head as Isaac laid his hand on her shoulder for reassurance. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me today.”
“It’s the medicine Chrissie gave you last night. She said you would be edgy,” Isaac told her. She looked up to his face and began describing the man to Sasha.
“He was tall with dark-black, oily hair.” She turned to look at Sasha. “He smelled awful. It made me want to throw up. He had a scar that ran across his face from his left side of his forehead to the right side of his chin.” She gestured with her thumb to show him where the scar went on her own face. She tilted her head as a thought came to her mind. “Do you think that he was the one who attacked me at the hospital?” She turned and placed her hands on Isaac’s lap. “Do you think he is the one who kidnapped your mother?” He placed his hand over hers.
“I don’t know, but it is possible. I have never seen him, Sasha. She saw him yesterday at the recital,” Isaac told Sasha.
“I was at the recital, and by the way, Sabrina was wonderful. She’s a real natural on that guitar of hers,” he said, grinning from ear to ear.
“Yes, she is,” Isaac agreed. Carrie smiled up at both men.
“I didn’t see a man with a scar on his face, though. I wouldn’t have overlooked something like that,” Sasha said, the grin fading from his face. Isaac nodded.
“Neither would I. She saw him, though, and she was going to run if I hadn’t been in her way,” Isaac said, looking down at the top of Carrie’s head.
“I saw him from the back of the auditorium. He was staring right at me. I didn’t really know what I was doing. I just felt like I had to get out of there.” Carrie explained. Isaac looked at his watch.
“We must get going if we are going to make it through security in time for the flight.” All three of them stood. Isaac grabbed all the bags he had packed. Carrie tilted her head to look at him as if he thought that she was so fragile that she couldn’t grab a bag to help. He smirked and handed her, her purse. “You will be safe with this one.” She snatched it out of his hand and headed for the door. Sasha had it wide open for her to leave. He had a bag in his hand; she noticed, and he was smirking as well. She glared at him as she stepped out.
Carrie and Sasha stood side by side as they watched Isaac struggle through security. Carrie covered her mouth with her hand, trying to cover up her laughing as she watched her husband get patted down by a big security man. When the man let him go through, he came right up to her and stood there for a moment. “Do you think that is funny, little girl?” he asked, trying not to laugh.
“I think it is really funny,” she replied and glancing up to Sasha, who was smiling to himself. Isaac leaned down and bit her gently on the ear, making her jump. She still laughed.
“Do you think that is funny?” She nodded and turned to walk to the gate. The three of them walked up to the gate and sat in front of the window. “I’ll be right back,” Isaac announced as he put his bag down next to Carrie’s leg. She watched him leave before turning to talk to Sasha.
“Sasha, what is it that you call me?” Carrie asked, looking at the side of him.
“I call you Karolina; I have always called you that,” he explained.
“What is this Karo? You say sometimes?” she asked.
“Karo is just a nickname for Karolina.”
“What are you? Um, I mean you not American are you?” she asked, ashamed to have to ask. “I should know, but I don’t.”
“It’s okay. I was born in Moscow, Russia. So that would make me Russian,” he explained.
“Oh, so what was it that you said to me when you first saw me?” she asked.
“Hmm, I think I said laslovaya moya.” He looked at her, and she nodded. “It means ‘my affectionate one.’”
“Why would you call me that, Sasha? I’m married and I very much in love with him,” Carrie said, looking around for Isaac, who was coming back. “I think.” She said as she looked back at Sasha.
“I know, but I have known you far longer than that man of yours. I just use that term for a meaning of friend. Although Russians don’t usually call anyone friend, I just use that term,” he explained when Isaac sat down next to Carrie, handing Sasha a cup of coffee. “Spasibo,” he said as he took that cup.
“You’re welcome,” Isaac said. Carrie looked up at Isaac and back to Sasha.
“How many languages are there? First Isaac speaks Japanese, then I was in a French restaurant. Then you speak Russian. Are there anymore languages that I might or am supposed to know?” The men laughed at her, and she scowled at them both.
“Honey, you know a lot of different languages; it is part of your job,” Isaac said. Carrie ducked her head into her hands and shook her head. She took a deep breath and let it out. Then she looked up at Sasha.
“Would you tell me why I even have a bodyguard in the first place? I know that I’m a famous writer and everything. I don’t get bothered much by people except for at the hospital and the hotel, but I don’t understand why I need one,” she said.
“Well, about five years ago, you were coming out of one of your book signings. As you came out of the bookstore with your agent, you were shot at. I’m not quite sure of the details, but your agent wanted you to have a bodyguard. As your fame got stronger, you got two more. I have been with you since then,” Sasha explained. Carrie tilted her head and regarded him through wide eyes.
“I was shot at?” she asked with a grasp. “Why—why would anyone want to shot at me?”
“I don’t really thi
nk they were shooting at you, Karo. I just think they were shooting. It hasn’t happened since, but you keep us around for your events,” Sasha said.
“Oh well, I guess,” she said, almost satisfied. They announced for them to board the plane, and the three of them went for the gate. Carrie was recognized by a few of the passengers in line. Isaac explained the cuts on her face in a casual way, and she signed a couple of autographs, hoping that it was the same as she always wrote her name. They boarded the plane together.
While in the sky, Isaac took out his phone and put it on the tray in front of him. Carrie snatched it up and looked at it. She was laying over him with his arm around her. Sasha was sitting on the other side of her, reading a magazine that was in another language. “Would you like to look at pictures?” Isaac asked, taking the phone back. He brought up the picture file and showed her how to go through them.
“When were these taken?” she asked.
“A few weeks ago. I love this one.” He showed her one of her smiling. “I use this one as my picture ID for you when you call me from your phone.”
“Oh,” she said, reaching down to pick up her purse. She dug in her purse for her phone. “Do I have pictures?” She found it and held it up for him.
“Yes, let me show you,” he said as he took the phone. He brought up the picture file on her phone. She took the phone and went through the pictures. As with his phone, there were a lot of pictures of Isaac on her phone with pictures of the girls as well.
“Wow, are we in love with each other or what.” It was a statement more than anything, but he nodded. “Do I have a favorite picture of you?”
“Yes,” he took the phone, brought up the contacts, and showed her the picture ID for him.
“Oh wow, that is a good picture of you!” She sighed and looked up. “I like the picture of you in that program thing from the play.” He looked up, trying to figure out what she was talking about.
“Oh yeah, the playbill,” he said. “You picked out that picture.”
“I did?”
“Yep,” he said.
“I have good taste then.” She said, proud of herself.
“Well, I have to say you do,” Isaac said. She settled back down and rested her head on his shoulder.
“I love you,” she said into his neck and pressed a kiss there. He turned and placed a kiss on her head.
“Aishite imasu” he said. She smiled because she just loved it when he talked to her in Japanese. She always had.
Chapter 22
Carrie stepped out of the car and looked up at the huge white house. It was two stories, and it had a huge porch in the front. It was box shaped with windows everywhere. There was an unattached garage in the back. It had a driveway, but the driver parked in the street. There was a school with a playground across the street. Carrie stood in one spot, taking in the whole block. “This is my house—er, our house?” she asked, looking for Isaac, who was helping unload the trunk.
“Yes, sweetheart, it is,” he said, looking up at her.
“Wow,” she said.
“Wait till you see the inside,” he said as he pushed the trunk lid closed and told the driver that he could go. He walked up the sidewalk as Sasha came out of the house. Sasha had gone in to make sure no one was in the house. Carrie followed Isaac up to the porch steps and went in the house behind him. Carrie was taken aback at the house. In the foyer, there was a grand staircase. There was a formal dining room on the right and a family room to the left. There was a hallway that went alongside the stairs and—she guessed—it went to the kitchen.
“I live here? Are you sure?” she asked with her mouth open. It was the most beautiful place she ever seen. The curtains were gorgeous on every window. She had a dark-red theme in the dining room. She had a light-blue theme in the family room.
“Yes, darling, you live here, but you stay in the city mostly so I can do my shows. I love this house too, though,” he admitted. “It is a nice getaway.”
“I love this house too,” she said. The door was still wide open. A strange sound like heavy breathing and clip clops were coming from the direction of the front door. She turned slowly to see what the sound was. She saw a huge thing with red hair coming at her. It was excited to see her and was waving its tail. She recognized her mother as the person holding the thing back. She let go of the restraint that she was holding, and the thing came straight at her. It ran up to her and jumped on her; the thing was so strong that it knocked her over. She fell on her back, and she screamed from the pain from her bruises.
“Nyet!” Isaac and Sasha said at the same time.
“Nye dyell-eye,” Sasha said and pointed to a spot away from where Carrie was. Carrie rolled over on to her stomach and got up on her knees.
“What is that?” she asked, leaning over with her hands on the floor.
“I’m sorry; that is your wolf. You have had it since it was a cub. His name is Darius. He was named after a character from one of your favorite books. Gosh, honey, I’m so sorry. I thought he might trigger something when you saw him,” Isaac explained, crouching down beside her. She didn’t take her eyes off the wolf and saw him try to get up.
“Nyet!” Sasha said again and pointed down to the floor. The wolf lay flat as he was reprimanded, the poor thing.
“No, Sasha, stop yelling at him. He just caught me by surprise,” she said, patting on the floor for the wolf to come toward her. “Come here, boy. What are you saying to him?” she asked, looking up to Sasha.
“He knows Russian. We trained him with Russian because you take him with you on your trips. That way, I can communicate with him,” Sasha said as the wolf crawled over to her. “Sajish,” he said to the wolf and he sat. Carrie patted the wolf on the head.
“What are you saying?” Carrie asked.
“Nyet means no; nye dyell-eye means don’t do that; and Sajish means sit,” Isaac explained.
“Oh,” she said while getting up from the floor. “He is a beautiful wolf, and soft. What pretty hair you have.” The wolf looked up at her as if she offended him by calling his hair pretty. “I’m sorry, handsome. You have handsome hair.”
“He is,” Sasha said. “I’m going to take him outside. Hochesh na uleetsye,” he said as the wolf stood up and walked outside.
“I’m sorry, Carrie, for letting him go. He is very strong,” Kate, her mother said.
“It’s okay really, Kate,” Carrie reassured. Kate looked down, disappointed that Carrie hadn’t regained her memory back yet.
“I’ll see you later for dinner,” Kate said as she turned and left. Carrie turned toward Isaac.
“Does Darius live with my mother when I’m not here?” Carrie asked, pleased with herself that she remembered the wolf’s name.
“Yes, he does,” Isaac explained. “I’m going to take the bags upstairs.”
“I’m going to look around,” Carrie said, nodding. She walked down the hallway and found the kitchen just where she thought it would be. It was a decently sized kitchen, not real big. It had all stainless-steel appliances, and it had gray marble countertops. The kitchen wasn’t big enough for a big table, so it had a small table with two chairs for maybe tea or coffee. She stood with her back to the door, staring at the stovetop. It had a pan sitting on it.
Someone put his hands over her eyes. She panicked, picked up the pan, and hit whoever it was with it. “Isaac!” she called as the man behind her fell to the floor. “Isaac!” she said again as she held the pan, and the man held up his hand. “Isaac,” she said again.
“I’m coming,” he said as he ran into the kitchen. “Oh my gosh, John,” he said as he reached down to help the man off the floor. “Carrie, this is John. He lives here. He takes care of the house when we aren’t here. Gosh, I’m sorry, John. She lost her memory. I forgot to tell her about you. I’m so sorry.” He turned to look at Carrie. “Carrie, he’s your friend.” Her facial expression changed from scared to mortified.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know,” she said, pu
tting the pan back on the stove.
“Oh,” John said with his head swinging. “I’m sorry I came up behind you. I knew about the attack. I just wasn’t thinking. Am I bleeding?” He patted his head and looked down at his hand to see if it had blood on it.
“No, but you are going have a nice goose egg,” Isaac said. Carrie put her hand over her mouth.
“Good, I’m going to go and lie down for a minute,” he said, leaving the room.
“Isaac, I didn’t know,” she said, sobbing.
“It is okay. I should have told you. Come outside with me, I want to show you something.” He took her hand and led her outside. “This is all John’s doing. Isn’t it beautiful?” The backyard was a garden. It had flowers everywhere, all different kinds of flowers—roses, daises. Then there was a gazebo.
“It is beautiful,” she said. The sight was just breathtaking. She could imagine herself sitting in the gazebo and looking upon the beautiful flowers.
“Come over here.” He led her to a tree that was almost in the middle of the garden. It had a ring of pansies around it. She was careful not to step on them. “Look, do you remember that?” Carrie saw a heart carved in the huge tree that had Isaac loves Carrie on it. Carrie smiled and blushed. “I carved that the first time I came here, which was last summer.”
“Is that because I didn’t allow you to meet the girls until you asked me to marry you?” she asked with her cheeks flushed.
“Yes, you would only come to the city for the first year. You didn’t allow me to meet anyone from your family until I proposed. I thought it was a little funny, but I understood.”
“I wonder why I did that. It’s obvious that we have always been in love, right?” she asked, looking back at the tree. She put her hands over the carving as to memorize it or to caress it.
“You wanted the best for the girls,” he said, shrugging his shoulders as he watched her touch the tree. She turned with her hand still on the tree and looked up at him.