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Date Posted: 18:59:36 03/05/01 Mon
Author: Kelley
Subject: Crossroads--Chapter 30

Have only written up to Chapter 33 so I'll post the rest of those intermittently here. Of course any feedback is most
certainly appreciated. Feel free to hop on over to the Stories page to read the rest of Crossroads.


Chapter 30

Walking into Salem Place, she found herself excited to see Hope sitting over on the bar stools at the Java Café sipping
a cappucino. Hope had seen her and waved her over. She got up to give Carrie a nice warm hug and greeted her
cheerfully.

“Hi there stranger. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen you.” Hope smiled.

“Yeah I know, life has been crazy with the new job Mike gave me at the hospital. But you.. look fantastic..” Carrie
took her friend’s hand in hers and squeezed it.

“I know, I’ve been busy with Shawn D and Bo getting the boat ready for the summer. I wanted to catch up with you
and see what has been happening these days?”

“Oh.. well nothing exciting really. As you know Austin and I split up and I’ve had the apartment to myself since he
moved in with Sami after I caught them on my couch in the act.” Carrie looked down from her cup of herbal tea, feeling
the hurt all over again in her heart.

“I’m sorry Carrie. I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories for you.” Hope took a sip of her drink as Carrie continued
on.

“No it’s alright. It is extremely difficult to get over something like that but no matter how much I try not to think about it,
when I do it’s like the pain just sort of.. well.. it just….” She sadly smiled back at Hope.


“Haunts you?? Believe me when I say I understand Carrie. But do go on.”

“Well.. it’s so strange. Some little insignificant thing spurns memories at the drop of a hat and I’ll remember either the
song we danced to or go the opposite direction and remember something cruel he said to me, just from doing the daily
things in my life. But with this new job at least I don’t have much time to think about that anymore with work and
errands to run all the time. And.. if it weren’t for Mike I honestly don’t think I’d be able to survive it all. He’s the one
that’s been supporting me through all of this.” Hope saw the sudden nervousness Carrie had when talking of Mike and
immediately wondered if there were something more to her feelings then she had let on. For now she decided to let it
slide. It was probably her imagination.

“Just remember Carrie that you’re okay without anybody around. I admit, I love Bo with all my heart but during my
breakups with him while he was with Billie I found out I could make it alone in the world if I had to. I think it’s crucial
that every woman know that.”

“I know. I’m beginning to realize that now. It’s not so bad actually. I’m enjoying having the place to myself and doing
my own thing without having to answer to anyone. I can take a shower when I want, watch whatever I want and do
whatever I want without anyone interfering. It’s quite liberating and I’m understanding the concept of being ‘alone’. I’m
kind of enjoying it but..”

“Buttt.. you would enjoy having someone to spend time with hanging out with am I right?”
Shyly, Carrie smiled slightly.

“Yes. I know I can take care of myself now, but there’s still a little part of me that wants what every girl does. A knight
in shining armor that would take me in his arms and tell me everything in my world will be okay.”

Carrie looked down sadly. Hope empathized with her and took her hand to show her support.

“Just keep doing what you’re doing and soon enough the right guy is going to come along and sweep you off your feet.
Whatever you do though don’t settle for anything less than the best Carrie. Find someone that treats you as you would
treat yourself.”

Carrie smiled wistfully, thinking, hoping and wondering if it could be true. Her heart leaped at the thought that she could
fall in love again but without warning Mike’s name raced through her mind like a leaf blowing in the wind. It startled her
that she had thought of Mike at the thought of falling in love.

You’re an idiot Carrie.. what is with you these days??? Mike is your best friend and that’s all he’ll ever be.. so just
forget it.

Carrie snapped back to the present to see hope waving a hand in front of her face.

“Carrrrieee?? Hello?” Carrie blinked her eyes twice, grounded back into cold reality once again.

“What?? Oh um.. sorry.. I’ve had a lot on my mind.” She smiled as Hope laughed and agreed.

“Anything I can help with??”

“No..nothing important. Just thinking about things I need to get done. Maybe we should get some more shopping
done.. and I need to get home soon. Mike was supposed to call sometime today I think.”

Hope immediately saw Carrie blush at the mention of Mike’s name and knew she wasn’t imagining things before. There
was definitely something there but she wasn’t sure what was going on between them. In due time she would surely find
out. Putting down her cup, she stood up out of her seat.

“Okay how about some more shopping then?? I have to still get some things for the boat. Shawn D, Bo and I have
decided to take a cruise after Shawn D’s out of school for the summer and I want to be ready to go.”

“That sounds like a lot of fun. I’d love to take a vacation. It’s been awhile. Okay more shopping but then I have to get
home. Deal?” She extended her hand playfully as Hope accepted it.

“Deal” They both hugged and giggled as they went off in search of another store window and more shops to spend
money.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Carrie unlocked the door to her apartment with the millions of bags in her hands. She got into the door and piled the
packages on the sofa as she went to the machine to check the messages. One message was from Grandma seeing if she
wanted to have dinner with the family tonight. Too tired for that. One from Marlena for the same reason. Carrie was
sifting through the bags half-listening when she heard a male voice.

“Carrie it’s Mike.” Her heart jumped out of her chest as she found herself listening intently.

“I just um.. thought I’d call to see how things are. Probably not much different from yesterday but well… oh the board
approved the hospital budget we turned in. They also loved your proposals for the annual fundraiser too. I guess I uh..
will talk to you about that stuff at work tomorrow. Okay .. well.. bye…” BEEEP.
She hadn’t realized she was breathless until after the message had been erased. You’re crazy Carrie Brady. You can’t
be doing this now. and not with him. SNAP OUT OF IT!!

She went back to unpacking the new items she bought and later got into her pajamas for the night. She curled up on the
couch and began watching a movie she had found on tv. She remembered watching it as a young girl. It had been so
long since she had seen the movie that she forgot how wonderful it truly was. By the end of the film she had tears in her
eyes. She always did love romance movies and always ended up in tears with only the best of them. Happily but
tearfully she turned off the tv and went to crawl in bed, but not before she wrote a little bit in her journal as she had
every night since she was 13 years old.

April 22, 2000
Today’s been a pretty busy day. Met Hope at Salem Place and shopped until our feet hurt. Sat at the Java Café and
caught up on things. Strangely enough she always seems
to know what I’m feeling.. Of course no one knows me better than..Stop thinking of him. It’s not possible and it can
never be. I’ve worked too hard to get myself on my own two feet again. And he and I have been friends for too
long to sacrifice it for something that might not work out. I can’t take that risk. I have to stop thinking about
this. Life is just too complicated.. period.

Carrie put the diary into the night-stand drawer and turned out the lights. The moonlight washed over her as she closed
her eyes and thought of chilly fall nights spent underneath it dancing, laughing and talking. It seemed like ages ago. Her
breathing became very quiet and rhythmic. The last image she saw before slipping into darkness were piercing blue
eyes.

TBC

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