A Marriage Takes Two (13 page)
Read A Marriage Takes Two Online
Authors: Janet Lane-Walters
“The principal brought me. I’m in big trouble. This is my fault. I don’t hate Carrie.”
“Never thought you did.”
“After Mom called, I yelled at Carrie. Said I hated her.” His voice was choked. “After she fell, I told her I love her.”
“So do I, son. She’ll be all right.”
Ten minutes later, Tony steered the vehicle up the rutted road. The icy rain kept him focused on the road and not on his fears for his wife. He reached the level area behind the house. In seconds, he was out of the car and running toward the front of the house with Chad at his heels.
“She’s upstairs in one of the rooms.”
Tony heard his son, but all he could think of was Carrie. He’d planned to tell her he loved her. What if she was…He couldn’t think that way. He reached the steps and dashed onto the porch.
“Carrie,” he called.
“You gotta be careful on the stairs,” Chad said. “Some of the boards are weak. Me first.”
Though Tony wanted to charge ahead, he allowed his son to show the way. “Carrie.” Let her be all right. He trailed Chad into the room and saw Carrie. He also saw the gaping hole in the floor. She and Chad could have fallen to their deaths.
“Chad, go downstairs. Wait in the car.”
“Okay. Will she be all right?”
“Yes.” She had to be. There were words he needed to say, the words she wanted to hear.
Cautiously, he made his way across creaking floor boards to where his wife lay. He knelt beside her. Her color was good. Her pulse beat in a slow and even rhythm. He checked her head and found no hematoma. She moaned. He examined her legs and then her arm. When he touched her right arm, she tried to move away.
“Carrie, I love you.”
Her eyes fluttered open. “Tony.”
“I love you.” She smiled and his heart stuttered. “I’ll get you to the clinic.”
“My arm.”
“Probably broken.”
He lifted her. Wind blew icy rain through the broken window. Slowly, he inched to the door and started down the stairs. The boards creaked. He heard a cracking sound and he nearly fell. He heard a crash and looked around. A large piece of plaster thudded on the steps behind him. Chad stood at the foot of the stairs.
“To the car, now,” Tony said.
“I had to wait. Is she okay?”
“I am,” Carrie said. “Except I think my arm’s broken.”
“Body armor,” Tony said.
“What?”
“You will wear a helmet and armor at all times. I don’t want anything to happen to you.” He put her in the passenger’s seat and fastened the belt. Her color was ashy, so he lowered the back of the seat. “You with us? Did you hit your head?”
“Don’t think so. It’s just the arm.”
“I’ve been a jerk.”
“Me, too,” Chad said.
Tears flowed down Carrie’s cheeks. “I love you both. Could we get to the clinic and stabilize the fracture and medicate me for pain?”
“We’re on the way. I’ll admit you for the night.”
“Absolutely not,” she said. “I want to be where I can hear you say the words a hundred times.” She grinned. “If you’re worried about a concussion, I can think of some interesting ways to check my neuros.”
Tony laughed. “Starting at your feet with a Babinski.”
* * *
Carrie looked at the young doctor Tony introduced as Dave Banecome. “I’m glad you were here.” She gestured to Tony. “If he’d had his way, I’d be in a full body cast.”
Dave laughed. “Doctors shouldn’t treat their families. Too much personal involvement.”
“You’ve got that.” Tony brushed Carrie’s hair from her forehead. “It was a nasty break. Sure you don’t have a headache? Blurred vision? Nausea?”
“None of the above. I told you I passed out from the pain. Ruth can’t stand blood. I can’t handle pain when it’s mine. Now, can I go home?”
Tony looked at the other doctor. “What do you think?”
“She can go.” Dave paused at the door. “You know about cast care and what to do if you have a lot of pain. You won’t play tough guy, will you?”
“I’ll be good,” Carrie said. “The perfect patient.”
“See you next week.” Dave waved. “Most interesting interview I’ve ever been on.”
“We try.” Tony reached for Carrie’s sweatshirt. “Guess I’ll take you home.” He pulled the shirt over her head and covered her cast. “What are we going to do about Chad’s part in this fiasco?”
“I’d like to say nothing, and that his fright was enough, but we can’t do that.”
Tony nodded. “You’re right.” He helped her into her jacket. “I love you.”
“I love you, and I don’t think you can say that often enough. I hope Hazel comes back soon. I’m not going to be much good in the kitchen with one hand.”
Tony laughed. “Even with two hands.”
Carrie giggled. “I am learning.”
“Maybe Hazel knows someone to pitch in. One good thing, you have the next four to six weeks off.”
“I’ll have to come in several times. I’m taking over for Ruth when she goes on maternity leave.”
“Great.” He opened the door.
Chad was seated on the floor across from the examining room. He jumped up and ran to Carrie. “Your arm. Did they cut it off?”
She lifted her sweatshirt. “It’s here and in a cast.”
He threw his arms around her. “I’m sorry, and I don’t hate you, and Dad likes you best, and I want to stay with you and Dad, and I’ll never go to the haunted house again.”
Tony gathered them both in an embrace. “I love you both. Let’s go home.”
Chad looked up. “I have to be punished, right?”
“Afraid so,” Tony said. “We’ll talk about the particulars when we get home.”
Chad shrugged. “No TV, no phone, no friends over, no visiting friends, clean the house, paint, and stay home on Thanksgiving.”
Tony laughed. “You can’t stay home Thanksgiving, but all the others are possibilities. I’m not sure we want grilled cheese every night either. How about no mall and no arcade on Wednesdays? And after school, you can help Carrie.”
“Okay.”
“You’re going to have to put all the pictures in the book for my mom,” Carrie said.
Chad nodded. “Maybe I should have a spanking.”
“That’s not an option,” Tony said.
“Agreed,” Carrie said. “When we get home, we’re going to talk about what could have happened, and what’s going to happen. We’re a family now.”
Tony headed them to the door. “I’ll take you both to the house. Then I have to come back and see my patients. After dinner, we’ll talk.”
“What are we going to eat?” Chad asked.
Carrie shrugged. “We’ll figure something out.”
“Oh brother. Good thing Thanksgiving comes soon.”
* * *
Carrie buried her nose in the bouquet of violets and roses that had just been delivered. Chad sat at the library table in the family room and put the pictures she had set in order into the book.
“Sure you don’t want to watch some TV?” he asked. “Might make your arm feel better.”
“Actually, I’m still kind of spacey from the shot they gave me.”
“Did you cry?”
“Nah.” The doorbell rang. “See who it is.”
A moment later, Chad returned. “It’s more food. Boy, I wonder who Dad told about your accident.”
“What kind of food?”
“Looks like a cherry pie. Can I have a piece?”
“After dinner. Your dad’s late, but he should be here soon.”
Chad stood beside the couch and put his hand on hers. “I’m really sorry.”
“I know that.”
“Am I really going to stay with you and Dad forever? Mom can’t take me back, right?”
“That’s right.” Tony appeared in the doorway. “I see the flowers came.”
“Thank you.”
He reached behind his back and held out a bag. “Black licorice.”
Carrie laughed. “You’ll spoil me.”
“I love you, and that’s why.” He turned. “Dinner’s here. Had them deliver Beef Wellington from Greene’s with all the trimmings. Tomorrow, Hazel’s boys are coming to paint the living room.”
“You have been busy.”
“Chad, show the waitress where to put the food and set the table.”
“Sure.”
Tony sat on the couch beside Carrie and slid his arm around her shoulders. “I’m glad you proposed. Best thing that’s happened to me.” He brushed her lips with his. “After Chad’s in bed, I’ll need to do a thorough check of your physical state.”
“Can I do one on you, too?”
“Wouldn’t have it any other way.” He pulled her to her feet.
Carrie leaned into his embrace. “I love you.”
The End
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About the Author
Janet Lane Walters is a multi-published award winning author. To date she has published at lease 40 novels, 10 novellas, 4 non-fiction books, and a number of short stories and poems. She lives in the scenic Hudson River valley, a setting in many of her novels. She bills herself as the eclectic writer and writes romances, from sweet to spicy, cozy mysteries, alternate world fantasies, historicals, paranormals and fantasy from YA to adult. She is the mother of 4 and the grandmother of 7. She lives with her psychiatrist husband who has no desire to cure her obsession with writing. Among her hobbies are Astrology and composing music. She also admits to housework as a hobby for isn’t that what one does in their spare time.
