Some Day Somebody (16 page)

He walked onto the front porch and gazed out at the houses up and down his street, most decorated and ready for Christmas. What would she think of this town? His ties were here, but hers were in Gardiner. Would she be willing to pull up roots if they ended up together?
If.
He didn’t want to think about the shape he’d be in
if
this didn’t work out.

He remembered the day J.C. caught him watching Carrie at the office. His co-worker had given him a hearty slap on the back.
“You’re a goner, man. Don’t even try to deny it, it’s written all over your face.”

A noise from the vacant rent house on the corner lured him out to the end of the sidewalk. He saw the owner, and old classmate of his, struggling to unload a washer from his truck. Sam hurried over to help, arriving just as one corner of the washer tilted dangerously off the bed of the pick-up.

“I got it, Len,” he said, shifting the weight of the appliance to his shoulder. Damn boy, next time come ask me for help before you try to do something like this.”

The small framed man peered around the corner of the washer.
“Aw hell, Sam!
Ten years ago I could have handled this son of a bitch by myself. Now I’m glad for the help.”

Within ten minutes the two men had both the washer and dryer placed in the home’s utility room.

Sam brushed his hands on his jeans and stepped back to look around. “You’ve got this place looking good, man. I hadn’t been in it since old man
Bordelon
lived here.” He squatted to pass his hand over the glossy floors.
“New oak flooring in a rent house?”
His low whistle pierced the air. “Business must be good.”

Len muttered a string of curses under his breath. “Those last renters had two dogs in here...big dogs...
Rottweilers
. I had to replace every floor in here. I figured I’ll put this in and I’ll be finished for a while.”

“Until the next dog comes along,” Sam said.

“Nope.
No animals. That’s what the fenced in back yard is for.”

Sam checked out the neat three-bedroom home and turned to the other man. “Who’s my new neighbor?”

Len hooked his thumbs on the loops of his carpenter jeans. “I don’t have anyone yet. I was so disgusted at the shape of this place, I nearly sold it,” he said, releasing a deep sigh as he scanned the surroundings. “But, it was Gayle’s mom and dad’s old place.” He paused for a few seconds to clear his throat. “Before she died, she told me to hang on to it for Scott. I figured I’d rent it out and any money I make goes into my boy’s savings account.” He nodded and blinked a couple of times. “That’s a better start than I ever had.”

Sam kept quiet, leaving his friend to his thoughts. He knew Gayle had suffered for two years battling ovarian cancer, and that Len and Scott suffered every day they were forced to live without her. “We sure miss her, Sam.”

“I know you do, buddy. Makes you wonder sometimes, with all the awful people walking this earth.”

“Anyway.”
Len’s voice boomed, belying his small stature, “Know anybody decent who needs a rent house?”

Sam cocked his head to the side and looked down at the man. “I know somebody I’d sure as hell like to see in here, but I bet it’s too steep for her, even if I could convince her to move from Gardiner. Divorced, raising three teenagers, and no house pets that I know of.”

“Is she a friend of yours, or something more?”

“A friend, but I’m hoping for more,” he admitted, giving his old buddy an ear-splitting grin.

Len nodded. “Good for you, Sam. I’d let her have it cheap. Two hundred a month and I could easily get six for this place. All appliances included...even a new washer and dryer. If you can vouch for her, it’d be worth it to me to have someone in here that won’t trash the place.”

CHAPTER 9

The day
before Christmas Eve proved to be uneventful for Sam. Perusing the local pharmacy for some OTC meds for Nick’s lingering cold, he stopped at the greeting card section on his way to the counter.

A holiday card
To
The
One I Love
caught his attention and he picked it up. He scanned it, along with a few others, and returned them to the slots, knowing he wouldn’t find anything appropriate. He settled for a blank card with a beautiful Christmas Village scene, and paid for his purchases. It wouldn’t hurt to jot down a few thoughts for the next time he saw her.

On his way out he stopped at the display of animated toys...singing Santa’s, Dancing Reindeer, and a dog that barked
Here Comes Santa Claus
. Just as he was about to leave, he found something at the back of the tallest shelf. Grinning at how right it was for the situation, he walked back to the counter to pay for it.
Just in case.
He walked out of the store, as pleased as a first grader bringing a gift home to his mother.
 

***

Carrie’s day was going quite differently. She’d awakened with a stress/crying/alcohol induced headache, but at least the puffy eyes were minimal, thanks to Sam. Her thoughts lingered on him as she paused from filling a box with baking supplies. One corner of her lip curved at the heady excitement of possibilities. She caught sight of her reflection in one of the glass-inset doors of Christie’s upper cabinets.

“Stop it,” she told herself, forcing the silly grin from her face. No way would she get her hopes up. She’d concentrate on getting her own place, and leave her friendship with Sam at that.

They’d learned a lot about each other during that marathon phone call, and he’d asked again to take her to dinner and a movie. Again, she’d refused, afraid to upset her kids. She could take losing anyone’s respect but her children’s.
How did Dave do it? How
could he do the things he did and not worry what their kids thought of him?

She loaded the box in the backseat of her car. By the time she went back to get her purse, she had to stop to answer the phone, tensing only slightly as she waited for an answer.

“Hey Sis!”

Tension rolled off Carrie’s shoulders as she heard Christie’s voice, thankful it wasn’t
his
. “Are you and Max back in town?”

“No, and it turns out I won’t be leaving until tomorrow. I want to give Max more time with his dad. I should be back at Mom’s for lunch though. I tried to call you last night, but I think the phone was off the hook, because I kept getting a busy signal.”

Carrie was quiet for a minute trying to decide how to break the news to her sister. “It was off the hook until nine, and then I was talking to Sam for an hour.”

“Sam Langley? What did y’all talk about?”

“I’m warning you now, Chris, this is one of those drag-me-to-hell-and-back stories that’ll make you want to pop a Prozac.”

“Look, I’m in the middle of redneck hell over here. I need some kind of mind stimulating entertainment.”

“It’s stimulating all right, but not in a good way.” Carrie filled her in on the events of the previous evening.

“So, you’re telling me that guy not only knows my phone number, but also where I live...and he’s getting closer all the time?”

“Afraid so, sis.
And I feel like I brought it all on you myself.  I need to find another place to stay.”

“Where could you go, Carrie?  You shouldn’t be alone.”

“Are you saying I should have my kids with me when this guy shows up?  Or how about you and Max, would that be better?” Carrie said, her voice rising to a level of near hysteria.  Silence on the other end of the phone told her the reality of the situation had finally sunk in.  “The longer I stay here, the more danger I put you and Max in, Chris.”

“But, what will you do?  Where will you go?”

“I have no idea. But I sure don’t want to put any member of my family in danger.  Since you’re not coming back tonight, I guess I don’t have to worry about it until tomorrow.  Rob said he’d post someone outside the house again tonight.  I’m just glad I had Sam to talk to last night.”

“Is this Sam guy,
really
that nice, or is your judgment impaired because of HWS?”

“What the hell is HWS?”

“A little condition I call
Horny Woman Syndrome
.”

The small living room echoed with Carrie’s laughter. “As it happens, I’m quite familiar with the condition. But, I really think he is that nice, Chris. He’s funny too—he had me laughing so hard I choked on my drink. Trust me, Southern Comfort is smooth going down but it bites like hell when it comes up through your nose.” 

Cristie’s
laugh rang across the phone line. “Was that
my
Southern Comfort?”

“Not anymore, but I’ll buy you some more.”

“Don’t worry about it, but I tell you what. You arrange for me to meet Mr. Sam Langley, and I’ll let you know if your
condition
isn’t making you biased. A woman will allow some crazy things when she’s gone without it for awhile.”

“It?”
Carrie asked, anxious to hear what her sister would add.

“Yes,
it
...and I’m not just talking about sex. I’m talking about all the other stuff that can’t be replaced by silicone and batteries.”

“
Gawd
…You are so sick.”

“Uh huh, wait and see.”

Carrie chuckled into the phone. “You could be right, you know. Everyone’s on their best behavior when they first meet. Sure, he may
look
normal, but how do I know he doesn’t have a closet full of black leather, whips, and ball gags?”

***

Carrie’s mom, Elaine Hebert, met her at the front door of her country home. “Hey
darlin
’, how are you?”

Carrie bent at the waist to hug the woman who’d borne eight children in fourteen years. “I’m good, Mom.”

Elaine studied her daughter’s face. “You’ve been crying, haven’t you? What did Dave do?”

Carrie smiled at her mother. “Nothing, but I thought I did a good job of getting rid of the puffiness.”

Elaine reached up to touch her daughter’s cheek below one eye.
“Just a touch around the eyes.
Now, what happened?”

“I wish it was just Dave, Mom.”  Carrie sat with her mother as she explained the situation.

“You need to
come
stay with me.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Why not?
You’re brother Mack is right next door.”

“Yeah, along with his pregnant wife and child.
Nope, I’m not going to do that.”

“What will you do, then, if you don’t want to stay with me or Christie?”