THE BIGGEST HEARTACHE IN TOWN

Part 13

Carl stood by Vicky’s bedside, watching as she slept. Although they had both enjoyed their time together, she had tired quickly. He shouldn’t have stayed for so long, but her revelations about Ryan had intrigued him.

The hallway outside the ICU was blessedly free of anyone he knew on a first name basis. The last thing he needed was to run into Rachel after the confusing feelings he’d faced just hours earlier.

Of course he loved Rachel, he’d never stopped. As for his near dalliance with Amanda, something about their situation had pushed him too far. He had needs after all; any man would who had remained celibate as long as he had. Unfortunately, Amanda was not the right one. THE one. Making love with her would have been a disastrous mistake.

True, he cared for Amanda, but he always held part of himself away from her. From the beginning he had only intended to be a friend, not a lover. Rachel was the only woman with whom he could ever feel free and he wanted to be in her life again, but simply wasn’t read to make a move.

Carl stepped onto the elevator. He needed time to clear his head and think. At least they could leave tomorrow. His obligation to Victoria was almost over.

()()()()

Not once did he turn around as she followed him. He must have really been distracted if he didn’t notice he was being tailed.

Rachel’s steps quickened as she saw Carl head to the bank of elevators. If she lost this opportunity, she might never shore up enough courage to face him again.

He kept his back to the hallway as she slipped on board noiselessly. As soon as the doors closed she slammed on the pause button, causing the elevator to shudder.

"What the hell," muttered Carl, nearly losing his footing.

"Carl."

His breath caught at the sound of her voice. A whispered "Rachel" was all he could he manage. Turning, he encountered the woman who consumed his thoughts.

"We need to talk Carl," she told him. Her voice was clear and strong and determination shone in her eyes. "And I’m not letting you out of here until I’m finished. No, I’ve changed my mind. I’ll talk and you will listen."

"Rachel…"

"Don’t say anything until I’m finished. I need to tell you something and I don’t want you to interrupt." She took a deep breath. "I know we parted badly and I have regretted our divorce for the longest time. But the truth is, I still love you. I have wished a million times we could go back and start over, but that’s not going to happen. The best we can do is forget the past and move on."

"Rachel…"

"Let me finish," she demanded. "I don’t care who you’ve been with since our divorce. I don’t care if you’re sleeping with Amanda. And I know I was engaged, but he never touched me. He wasn’t you. But even if you’ve been with Amanda…"

"Amanda?"

"…a dozen times, it makes no difference. As long as she isn’t pregnant, I’m even willing to forget the scene earlier this morning. No other woman can ever love you as much as I do. And if you’re with another woman she’d better watch her back, because I intend to make you mine again, no matter what it takes." There. She’d been blunt and to the point. If that didn’t open his eyes, nothing would.

"Aren’t you going to say something?"

"You think Amanda and I are having an affair?" Carl asked incredulously. "Just because I was in her home?"

All the fight drained out her as his words crushed her. The least she’d hoped for was a reciprocal declaration of love, but it seemed as though he wasn’t prepared to return the favor. She hung her head to keep him from witnessing her tears. "This was wrong," she muttered, turning to the elevator’s control panel, punching the button. When it didn’t respond, she jabbed it several more times. "Something’s wrong Carl."

"What is it?" He stood beside her and inspected the panel. "Which of these…"

He didn’t get to finish the sentence as the floor fell out from under them sending them flying. The walls shook for a moment and then stopped as the elevator screeched to a halt.

"Rachel!" Carl groped in the dark until he found her. "Are you hurt?"

Any words she would have spoken were drowned out as the elevator began moving upward at an unusually high speed. Their bodies flew up off the floor, landing with a thud. They lay still as they listened and waited for the craft’s next move.

"I think we’ve stopped," remarked Carl as faint emergency lights blinked on. Snaps and pops from overhead worried him as he turned his attention to Rachel.

"What happened?"

"I’m not sure, but I will hazard a guess that good old BCUH hasn’t put as much money into their decrepit elevators as they have their medical staff." He began feeling her legs and arms reassuring him she was alright.

"Tough way to get a cheap thrill Carl."
"I only want to make sure you’re in one piece. How do you feel?"

"I hit my head kinda hard. You?"

"Bruised." He checked the emergency phone. "Dead. Naturally."

"Please tell me this isn’t happening." Rachel pushed herself up only to slump back down as her surroundings began to spin and lurch around her.

"Rachel!" Carl lunged for her before she could hit the floor.

"I don’t feel so good," she whimpered, clinging to him in the near darkness.

Carl held her to him and sent a silent prayer winging to whomever would listen to him.

Note:

OK, so I don’t know all the facts about elevators and such, but I do know the one I use at work sometimes goes from the ground floor to the top without stopping no matter which floor you’ve punched in. Scary.