Attainment

by J H Cardwell

"Well, I got a text from you earlier, but it was a different number than usual."

  "How could that happen, I haven't changed my number?" I was getting a little weirded out, "What did it say?"

  "It said to meet you up here at 7:30. So I figured when I talked with you earlier and you said 7, that you had changed your mind. But I was planning to ask you about the number you texted from."

  Just then we saw a car drive up and end our intimate privacy. The phone number issue put to the back burner for now. Hopefully whoever it was wouldn't stay long. It would be nice to have our picnic with no one else around. But just as the car was parking, I realized our night had taken a drastic turn. It was Carter.

  Tate was fuming mad. "Did he know we were coming here Reese? Is that why he’s here? I guess it's time I had a few words with him...again."

  As Carter got out and walked towards us my heart was racing. I wasn't sure what was going to happen, but the last time these two were together they were fighting. This time my dad wasn't here to break them up. All of a sudden I was finding it hard to breathe. Before Tate could speak, I started walking toward Carter until I felt a hand pulling me back. Tate's eyes were wild with anger. He stared at me and said, "No Reese, it's time I took care of this."

  Somehow I slowly nodded, completely unsure of what I really should do.

  "Carter, why are you here?" Tate fumed.

  "Not for you, I can promise you that," said Carter. Then he turned to me as if Tate wasn't there and said "Reese I knew you would come." He literally had a peaceful smile across his features. "I'm so glad you did. Now we can tell Tate how we really feel okay? It will be nice to get the truth out about him and my mom too," he was holding out his hand to me.

  Then it dawned on me what was happening. He came here hoping by chance that I would show up at our 'special place'. I was sure me telling him that I couldn't see him would have been enough for him to know I wouldn't come. He had no idea we would be here though...me and Tate. I felt sure of that, but not sure of anything else at that moment.

  "Wait, Carter, I didn't come here for you. Tate and I had already planned to be here." I was trying to speak slowly and clearly, but inside I was freaking out.

  "Reese, explain this to me, how did he know to come here?" Tate asked.

  I let out a frustrated, long breath, but in no way was relaxing. Staring at the ground I said, "he had texted me earlier to meet him tonight...at our special place, but I told him no, I was seeing you tonight. I guess he came up here to make sure I hadn't changed my mind." I looked to Carter for confirmation. His eyes were locked on mine.

  "So this is your special place with him?" Tate pointed to Carter like he was disgusted at what he was saying.

  "Tell him Reese...our first kiss was up here," he whispered, while staring at me, pleading with me to remember. "We held each other and you let me..." Tate cut him off.

  "Stop this shit. Reese, why would you want to be up here with me if it meant so much to...to y'all?" Tate was running his hand through his hair trying to calm down...I hoped.

  "Tate, wait, we’ve been up here several times too over the past year." I motioned at Tate and me. "It's just a gorgeous place to spend an evening as a couple. It wasn't that it was so special between Carter and me. I just really like it up here. Please don't look too deep in to this."

  "Reese, you don't know what you’re saying..." Carter started walking towards me, his eyes still set on mine. "We fell in love up here, you were mine up here..." His eyes were crazy, wild, like I had never seen them.

  "Carter, I'm warning you...get the hell out of here." Tate said through clenched teeth.

  "Wait..." I looked at Tate trying to put an end to this, then back to Carter. "I don't love you Carter." I was trying my best to get him to understand. "I love Tate. What we had is over. Please leave." Tears were threatening to spill over if I even blinked.

  "Reese, we can never be over. I own you body and soul." Then he turned to Tate and spoke slowly and clearly, "You. Can't. Have. Her. I have already taken her Tate. You can never get back what will always be mine forever...her virginity."

  My head was spinning. What was he talking about...then the realization and familiarity of his words made my heart stop.

  "Carter," I think I was speaking, but I'm not sure if the words were really coming out. "You don't know what you’re saying." I pleaded, but he kept walking towards me, then Tate jumped on him, knocking Carter to the ground. I started screaming but I didn't know what to do. I was shuffling around like a crazy person. I was yelling both of their names trying to reason with them to stop, and stupidly trying to get in between them. I caught a glimpse of something shiny in Carter's hand...a Gun!

  "Tate, Carter has a gun...oh my God. No!"

  Boom.

  The sound of the shot rang through my ears. I was falling to the ground. My lungs were burning, I couldn't blink my eyes, I couldn't put my hands out to catch myself, I was falling.... My body landed hard on the ground, my head hit something with a thud. I heard Tate screaming my name, and then there was another shot...

  Boom.

  I saw a fuzzy image running out of the woods. Tony, Carter's Dad...what was he?...The next thing I saw was darkness........

  Chapter 24

  Beeping. Beeping all around. Faint voices. What was happening? Where was I?

  Then darkness....

  ***

  Is that you Mom? No, don't cry. Why can't I open my eyes? What’s happening to me? Oh God help me....

  Total darkness...

  ***

  "Her eyes are fluttering. Hey Liz, look, her eyes. She’s trying to open them. Reese, wake up honey...we need you to wake up..."

  I knew that voice. But I couldn't open my eyes, the light...it was too bright. Please cut off the light. I can't open my eyes. I started to feel my body. My arms were so heavy. Was I under water? My eyelids were stuck. I couldn't swallow, my throat felt like sandpaper.

  A touch on my hand. Oh, that I could feel. A tender, soft touch. Now a touch on my other hand.

  "Sweetheart...you have to wake up...we have to know..." Crying. That, that was my dad...he's crying. What’s wrong with me? No Daddy, I'm okay. I'm here. I just...I just can't open my eyes.

  "Excuse me, I need to get over to her please." Who was that? I don't recognize that voice. Ouch. Stop that. It hurts. "I'm just adjusting her chest tube. Looks like the little lady is waking up." I didn't recognize that voice...tube, what does that mean? My head is killing me.

  "Ohhh" I groaned. I heard it, I groaned out loud. Didn't I?

  "Reese, wake up, please. Show me those gorgeous green eyes baby." Tate...I felt a soft kiss on my cheek.

  "Tate..." I croaked.

  "Oh thank God...Reese, we’re all here...your Mom, Dad, Elle, Chloe, Maura, my parents. We're here. Come on, wake up and talk to us." That was Tate. My Tate....

  I fluttered my eyes open a little more..."water"..."I need..."..."water".

  "Oh, here honey," I felt a straw touch my lips "drink it slowly okay." That was my Mom and she was crying too.

  "Okay." I said and everyone laughed. What was so funny?

  "Thank God Reese. You’re making sense. We’ve been worried to death about you,” and more crying...that voice was Elle's.

  I felt myself smile then slowly opened my eyes trying to adjust to the light all around me.

  "What happened? Where am I?" I spoke, but barely.

  "You’re in the hospital honey. You...you were in an accident. Do you remember? I'm not sure what to tell you yet...but, you were shot and hit your head on a rock when you fell," my mom said. I could make out her face now. Oh Mom, I'm sorry I made you worry. You look like you haven't slept in days, I thought.

  Slowly what she said sank in...once it registered I gasped out loud and felt around for Tate. "Oh God Tate, you...were you shot too? Are you okay?" Then that gorgeous face came into view. He too looked like he hadn't slept in days. He had stubble all on his face and his eyes had dark circles underneath.


  "I'm okay Reese. I wasn't shot. I almost died worrying about you, but I…I wasn’t shot..." he was crying, nearly sobbing. He dropped his forehead to my hand.

  Elle walked over behind him and put her hand on Tate's shoulder. "We almost lost you Reese. We've all been going crazy. I…love…you, and I'm so glad you’re awake," she said through sobs.

  "I'm sorry I scared everyone. I don't know how it happened. What about Carter and his dad? How are they?" I said in a strained voice.

  No one spoke.

  I was all of a sudden desperate to get some answers "Tate, Carter had a gun. I was scared to death. Is he at home? I imagine he got into a lot of trouble for having a gun when y'all were fighting."

  "Reese, Carter...he didn't make it....he was shot in the stomach, and he...he died lying beside of you on the ground...at Lookout Ledge."

  "Oh God, no." Oh God, he's wrong isn't he, Carter didn't die? But as I looked around the room all of the eyes I met told the same story. Why God, why did Carter have to die? I looked to my Mom for confirmation. She was looking down at the bed.

  "Mom, Lisa and Tony, they must be devastated." I said "I mean for Tony to see his son die like that...Oh God, I can't imagine. Carter...." I was sobbing now. I couldn't believe he was dead. Memories from when we were dating flashed before my eyes...then memories of his last comments made to me.

  My eyes flashed to Tate's. "Tate, what he said...we didn't...I promise,"

  The look on his face was one of torture. "Reese, I had so much time to think about that..." He looked around the room, "we can talk about that later okay? Trust me...it's okay?"

  "And honey, don't worry, Tony was at home with Lisa when Carter died. She called and talked to me about it," my mom said. "They’re devastated as is his brother, Josh, but we will be there for them." What was she talking about?

  "What? No, Mom he was there, with us, he was there...I saw him...he was running into the woods Mom." I knew I had hit my head, but I know what I saw.

  "Okay honey...don't get upset. I...well...I'm not sure what you saw, but if it was Tony, I’ll ask him about it…okay? We'll take care of it." My dad said with full confidence. I shook my head still feeling confused.

  "I'm so tired, even though I've been asleep for what? Hours?" I said looking back to Tate.

  "Reese, I hate to tell you this, but you've been in a coma for three days. You truly were touch and go." The realization of that comment hit me. What if I had died?

  "Maybe we should all go and give you a little rest. The doctor said it would take days to get your strength back once you woke up," my mom said standing and patting my hand. Then she leaned in and hugged me. Her tears fell on my gown. "I have thanked God a thousand times for sparing you Reese. I..." Sobs strangled her words. I rubbed her back as best as I could. I loved this woman so much.

  "I know Mom. I’m so glad he let me live too. Thank you....I love you." I cried with her.

  One by one everyone came up to hug me and tell me goodbye.

  "You scared the shit out of me you hussy...now I know you just crave the attention you always get..." Chloe said. "I love you so much...look at what you've done to me...I look thirty with these bags under my eyes." I chuckled..."I'm so glad you are okay Reese. I'm here for you." Good ole' Chloe. At least she's honest.

  "I love you too Chloe, foul mouth and all." She hugged me a little too hard and she started crying again.

  "Come on Chloe. I'll hold you now...it's fun to see you so weak," Elle chuckled and gave me a sideways glance, and a shrug of her shoulders. "We love you Reese. We'll bring you some goodies now that you're awake," Elle said.

  And with that I was alone with Tate.

  "Reese...." Tate held my hand and gazed into my eyes. "I thought I might never see those eyes again...those gorgeous, green eyes. I literally died three days ago. I didn't want to live. They said you wouldn't make it." He looked down at the ground then with heavy eyes he searched mine. "I thought of everything I would miss out on, without you in my life. The wedding we’re going to have, the children we’ll raise. You know, the little boy with your eyes and golden hair, and my stubbornness." He let out a low cry..."All I could think about is that we didn't get our chance...I prayed to God without ceasing...truly down on my knees Reese." Then he reached up and gently held my face in his hands. "I wouldn't have wanted to live without this," he reached down and gently touched his lips to mine, leaving them softly pressed for what felt like minutes. His tears were melting into mine. "Promise me you would never make me live without you," he said. I shook my head. I couldn't speak. This man loved me to the end of the earth, as I did him. "God is good, he brought you back to me...and us back to this," he bent down and kissed me again.

  I was overcome with emotions. I looked at him with tenderness and through teary eyes I said, "Always know that you have the ultimate attainment of me, not Carter, you have...my heart."

  We simply stared at each other for several moments...then he sat back in his chair, he didn't take his eyes off of mine and said. "Reese, what Carter said though, he was partly right."

  "No Tate, we didn't. I told you I’m waiting for my wedding night. Except for the 'date rape', I have never..."

  "That's just it Reese. When he was saying those things to us, I was seeing red. I knew he was lying. But, I had all of this time to think while you were in a coma. Things just didn't make sense. It helps that both of my parents are lawyers, because they were able to pull some strings. Don't be mad, but I had to tell them about what had happened to you...you know the date rape."

  "What? Tate no...I...Why?" I was speaking faster than I was thinking, then it sank in that he had to have a good reason..."I'm listening."

  "Well, I had the District Attorney pull up your case from back then and look at the DNA and fingerprints. Before they, well...before they prepared Carter's body for burial, they ran his information and...it was a match Reese. He...It was a match..." He dropped his head down low. He looked mixed up, like he couldn't keep up with his emotions.

  "I don't understand. What are you saying?" He didn't speak back. Just silence. Then he looked back up to my eyes. I saw tears again in his. This time, guilt and love... Slowly I understood. Flashbacks ran rampant in my brain. Little tidbits of time, all pertaining to Carter. The moment we parted at Elle's party...him in the car waving me over...his words in my ears, when my vision was too blurry. All of it rained down on me. I started sobbing...hysterically. I couldn't believe how I felt. It was a mix of emotions, just like Tate, of sorrow, hate, love, fear, regret, pain, guilt...Carter had raped me and then gone about life like it had never happened. How did I not ever see that? I knew why, I didn't want to think it...ever. Tate hugged me. Without saying a word, I could feel his protection and love caressing my soul.

  "Tate, I love you..."

  "More than words Reese...I love you more than words." Several minutes later, Tate stood. I think he was mentally and physically as exhausted as me, and I was the one who’d been shot. That reminded me.

  "Tate, why does Tony say he wasn't there that night when Carter was shot?" I cringed saying those words. "I mean that was his son, he should have stayed and been with him."

  "I'm not sure Reese. But there are so many unanswered questions from that night. As of now, it appears...." Tate swallowed. "It appears you were shot accidentally during our scuffle. And, it appears I caused him to pull the trigger and shoot himself. We were struggling and the gun went off." Tate's inner turmoil showed on his face. "They’re calling it self-defense, but the DA still wants to investigate. I may need a team of lawyers by the end, but my parents don't think so. They think it will be okay."

  "Oh Tate, I didn't even think that you would be in any kind of trouble. He brought the gun...I saw it." The flashbacks were utterly painful and I got chills just remembering them.

  "They...they aren't sure the bullet they found in him matches the one that..." he looked up at me with pain and confusion in his eyes "the one that hit you."

  "What? That’s crazy...
" I said.

  Tate stood up again and ran his hands through his hair. "I know. So much doesn't make sense. I, I heard someone else in the woods too. The fact that you said it was Tony, doesn't make sense to me. Why would he be there? Then, with the bullets not matching, it seems someone else might have shot Carter, but they aren't 100% either way. It just doesn't make sense Reese. Unfortunately the DA says one theory is that I have hidden the gun. That’s crazy, I wouldn't...I couldn't do that. Anyway..." He looked like he wanted to say something, but instead he started walking towards the door. "I...um...I’m going to get you a coffee"...he managed a slow grin "they have a Starbucks here...Grande, non-fat, 1 pump white mocha latte...with light whip?" he asked. God I loved that man.

  "Please." I said with a small smile.

  He turned to leave then poked his head back in the door. "Hey, your mom brought your fancy new iPhone, which I'm jealous of by the way, because I want one. Anyway, she thought you might like it to listen to music. I'll be back." And with that he was gone.

  I let out a long exhale. Wow, how could all of this have happened? What if they don't believe Tate? I turned on my phone and started to hit the music icon, when I noticed a '1' beside messages. I clicked on it praying it wasn't a message from Carter before he found Tate and me on Lookout Ledge. I couldn't take that, still having a piece of him left behind. It wasn't though, it was John. Dated today...time, 10 minutes ago.

  Reese, thank God you’re

  okay. I heard about

  everything. That bastard almost

  killed you. I want to see you,

  but know, I will wait. Just like I

  said. Love -- J

  What the hell does that mean? Then my hospital door opened.