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Date Posted: 18:20:01 03/05/01 Mon
Author: Vick
Subject: One Step at a Time, part 9

One Step at a Time, part 9

For the first time in a long time, life was good for Carrie Brady. Well, pretty good. There was one minor problem that
had to be dealt with, and then everything would be right. Carrie picked up the phone and dialed the all-to-familiar
number. She didn’t realize she’d been holding her breath until she had to speak.

“Hello?”

“Austin…hi, it’s Carrie.”

“Carrie! It’s good to hear your voice. Where are you?” Austin smiled, know very well where she was. He looked up
to the second floor balcony where moments before Carrie had been.

“Oh, we stopped in Vegas. We’ll be heading out to LA in the morning. But, listen…” Carrie hesitated, not knowing
where to begin.

“Ah yes…LA. And how is Mike? Are you two having…fun?” Austin tried to hide the twinge of jealousy that invaded
his voice.

“Mike’s fine. Austin…we need to…”

“So, what do you two have planned for tonight…a little partying in the city that never sleeps?”

“Austin, will you please let me talk?” Carrie was getting frustrated, but then again, this was nothing new. This was how
their relationship had always been. Austin tended to dominate the conversation, usually by talking about himself.

Austin was annoyed at Carrie’s tone. “When are you coming home?”

Carrie let out an audible sigh and looked at her watch. She wanted to get this conversation over with before Mike
returned to their room. “I don’t know, Austin. But I didn’t call you to talk about my trip. I called to talk about us.”

Austin smiled. Well, at least she knows there’s still an “us”. “Of course, sweety. What did you want to talk
about?”

Carrie cringed at Austin’s term of endearment. “I just think that it’s time we faced reality.”

“What, the reality that we love each other?”

“Things have been hectic for quite some time now. Between Sami’s accident and my father’s illness and death, we’ve
grown apart. Let’s face it…you’ve got Sami and I’ve, well, I’ve got Mike.”

“What are you saying…are you saying we’re through? Well, that’s ridiculous! You and I love each other and nothing
is ever going to change that.”

Carrie felt like pounding her head against the wall. “That’s exactly what I’m saying, Austin…we’re through. I don’t
love you, at least not the way I used to. It’s time that we each moved on with our lives.”

“Carrie, you don’t mean that. It’s just because you’ve been spending all your time with Mike instead of with me.”

“How could I spend time with you when you’re always spending time with Sami?!” Carrie yelled. She was not getting
through to Austin, and she didn’t want to continue with the conversation. “We’re through and that’s all there is to it.
Good bye!”

Austin heard the phone click. “Damn it…she hung up on me!” Austin slammed his hand against the dashboard of his
car.

Carrie splashed cold water on her face. “I can’t believe how utterly dense he is! Ugh…if only I hadn’t of told him I
loved him when I talked to him yesterday. But then again, I thought I had no chance with Mike.” She smiled as she
touched up her makeup. “And today, Mike and I are in love.” Carrie looked back in the mirror. “Marlena was
right…calling Austin and breaking up with him was the only way.”

Satisfied with her appearance, Carrie walked into the main room of the suite to wait for Mike’s return.

**

“Now what’s going on.” Lucas noticed the grin on Sami’s face.

“Well, well, well…Austin doesn’t appear to be too happy.”

Lucas grabbed the binoculars from Sami and looked in the direction of Austin’s car. “What do you think happened?”

“My guess is that Carrie gave him the boot, leaving the door wide open for me.” Sami reached into her purse and
took out her cell phone.

“Who are you calling?”

Sami dialed the number and looked at Lucas with a smile. “Hi Austin.” Sami’s voice had a sound of panic. “I just had
this terrible feeling that something had happened to you…I had to call to make sure you’re okay.”

Lucas had to smile. Sami knew just how to play Austin into her court. Austin always talked about how two people
who really loved each other had a special connection. And even though there was absolutely no connection between
Austin and Sami, Austin would soon believe that there was.

“Sami…it’s so good to hear your voice. It’s amazing that you just called…I had received some bad news, but hearing
your voice…well, I’m feeling better now.”

Sami’s grin and cooing voice was all Lucas needed to know that her plan was working. Now I just have to figure
out how to get Carrie away from good old Dr. Mike and into my arms.

**

Carrie looked at her watch for the umpteenth time in less than a minute. She got up off the couch and started pacing
the room. Mike should be back by now…I wonder what’s keeping him. Finally she walked over to the door and
looked out into the hallway. She looked to the left, down toward the elevators. No sign of Mike. She looked to the
right, down toward the ice machine. Nothing. She looked at her watch one more time and then decided it was time to
start searching for Mike. Carrie grabbed her room key and headed toward the elevator.

Thinking that Mike may have gone somewhere to work on her “surprise”, as he had put it, she stopped at the front
desk.

“Excuse me, are there any messages for Carrie Brady?”

The man behind the desk looked through some papers. Shaking his head he explained, “No ma’am.”

“Do you remember the gentleman that I came in with?”

He nodded his head.

“Have you, by chance, seen him?”

“He came down here a while ago, but I haven’t seen him since.”

Carrie looked at him in defeat. “Thanks.”

After looking everywhere in the hotel that she could think of, Carrie walked to the bar and sat down at a small table.
She sighed as she looked at all the couples. They were laughing, holding hands, sharing stolen kisses and gazing into
each other’s eyes. And here she was, alone. Where could Mike be? I hope nothing’s happened to him. I just got
him and I couldn’t bear the thought of losing him. Carrie looked down at her hand. She smiled and let her
thoughts drift back to earlier in the day.

~*~*~

“Close your eyes and hold out your hand.”

“Mike…” Carrie started to protest.

“I’m serious, Carrie.” Mike’s somber looking face was struggling to not let the corner’s of his mouth turn up into a
smile.

“Fine.” Carrie closed her eyes, held out her hand, and inwardly smiled.

After a few seconds, Mike told her she could open her eyes.

Carrie nearly fell over when she saw what was before her. She looked down at Mike, who was strategically placed
on bent knee in front of her. Mike reached for Carrie’s hand, looked at it and then looked up at Carrie. Her heart
started pounding in anticipation. She tried desperately to not let Mike feel the sweat that had overtaken her palm. But
mainly, she looked into his blue eyes and got lost in his love.

Mike cleared his throat. “Carrie…I have loved you all my life. You are my best friend, my soul mate, my other half.
When you told me that you loved me, I thought it was too soon. But now I realize that it wasn’t soon enough. You
have made me the happiest man alive, knowing that you return my love and it is my intention to spend the rest of my
life making you as happy as you’ve made me. Carrie…”

I can’t believe this is happening. Carrie was sure that Mike could hear the pounding of her heart.

“Carrie…will you do me the honor of…”

This is it. Carrie cleared her own throat in preparation for yelling ‘yes’ so that the whole world could hear.

“Carrie…will you do me the honor of wearing this bracelet?” Mike smiled.

Carrie looked from Mike, to the bracelet he held in his hand, and back to Mike. She was shocked. Mike smirked
and ducked his head in an attempt to avoid Carrie’s swat.

“Do you have any idea what you just did…” Seeing the look on Mike’s face, she groaned. “Of course you do…why
I oughta…”

“Kiss me?” Mike interrupted. “What a good idea!”

Before Carrie could protest, Mike was to his feet with his lips locked on hers.

After several moments, the ‘just a quick kiss’ turned ‘most passionate kiss known to man’ ended.

“It’s a good thing I love you.”

“So does this mean you’ll wear this bracelet?” Mike grinned.

“Yes.”

Mike placed the turquoise bracelet on Carrie’s wrist. He then proceeded to lift her hand to his mouth and kiss it.

~*~*~

Carrie twisted the bracelet around her wrist and smiled. As the waitress brought her a glass of wine, her eyes
wondered around the room. Slowly, her smile faded. She blinked her eyes, not believing the vision before her. There
was Mike, sitting at a table…with a woman. And not just any woman, but a woman with her hands all over
Mike…and he was enjoying it.

TBC

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