THE BIGGEST HEARTACHE IN TOWN

*by Meloira

Part 8

"Need any help?"

"Lorna. You surprised me."

"You surprised me too. Who knew, huh?"

Amanda beamed proudly. ‘I was afraid I’d poison us all, but no one seems to need a stomach pump."

"Yet." She grinned at Amanda’s stricken face. "I’m kidding, I’m kidding. Dinner was great. So, do you need me to do anything or what?"

"By the grace of modern appliances, the kitchen’s closed," Amanda replied, closing the dishwasher with a flourish. "Just let me put these in the fridge and we’ll join the others."

Lorna plunked down at the kitchen table and watched as Amanda flitted around the room.

"Amanda?"

"Lorna."

"What are you up to?"

A puzzled look crossed Amanda’s face. "Cleaning the kitchen, what does it look like?"

"Can it Amanda. I have eyes you know, I saw what was going on at dinner. Not to mention these last few days. The flirting, the eye-batting," she fluttered her lashes, "the shy glances when he’s not watching. So, why don’t you just tell me so we both know."

"Oh Lorna, really. You think I’m after Carl?" Amanda tittered nervously. "For heaven’s sake, that’s beyond ridiculous. The man was my step-father."

"And that makes a difference? I’ve known Carl for many, many years. So I feel I know him better than anyone does. I also know how easy it is to love him, to fall ‘in love’ with him."

"You’re suggesting I’m in love with Carl?"

"Aren’t you?" Lorna’s inescapable eyes were Amanda’s undoing.

"No. Yes. I mean no." Amanda wanted to cry. "I don’t know! I’m not the best when it comes to relationships. Usually men only get to know me on the off chance I’ll sleep with them. And women, well, most think I’m a bitch." She sat down next to Lorna. "I don’t know what to call the relationship I have with Carl, but lately something inside me has changed. When I hear his voice, I get weak in the knees. When he touches the small of my back, I lose my breath. And now, when he smiles, I feel all topsy-turvy and I’m this side of tongue-tied."

"Seems to me you’re in love. Or at least you have some exotic disease where you get ill whenever a certain smooth-talking Englishman walks in the room. Either way you’ve got it bad."

"I’ll admit it’s scary. I’m not sure how I feel, let alone how he feels."

"Just don’t make me hafta play chaperone, okay?"

"Lorna! He’d never, we’d never…"

"Ha! Just keep telling yourself that. Carl is a very potent man who can be hard to ignore. Not to mention he’s been out of commission for quite a long while." Lorna stood and started toward the living room. "Just a small bit of advice though."

"What?"

"I’ll only warn you once—don’t play with his heart. Now, let’s go before they take complete control of the set."

"Lorna, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, shoot. Oops, sorry, bad choice of words."

Amanda lowered her voice to a whisper. "Tell me. How do you do it? After everything you’ve been through with Carl, how do you make the past go away? Doesn’t it get in the way, even now?"

Lorna contemplated the question for barely a moment before replying. "Sometimes you want someone in you life so much, you’re willing to take whatever you can get."

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"Is she asleep yet?"

"I think so."

"Her eyes are closed. I don’t think she’s faking this time."

Carl shifted, careful not to waken his slumbering child. "She is rather sneaky, isn’t she. You’d almost think she’s really mine."

Amanda brushed curls from the little girl’s cheek. Norie had fallen asleep on Carl’s chest soon after they’d popped in ‘The Little Mermaid.’ At least she’d lasted longer than Lorna who’d turned in much earlier.

"She is yours, in the important ways. You love her, protect her. It takes more than sperm to make you a daddy. Besides, she loves you madly." Amanda could see his smile in the dim glow of the television and felt her stomach flip-flop.

"As I love her. I only hope she loves me that much when she’s older and I’m forced to tell her the truth."

"Then don’t tell her."

"Believe me, if I could I wouldn’t. Still and all, Elinor is aware she is adopted. Someday, maybe soon, she’ll wish to know more than I wish to tell her." Carl rubbed the child’s back as she stirred.

"You’ll have to cross that bridge when you get to it."

"If I don’t burn it first. Thank you for making her feel so welcome while we’re here."

"No problem. She reminds me of Alli when she was younger. We used to do so much together and I guess I’ve missed that closeness."

Carl heard the hint of sadness in her voice and his heart went out to her. Amanda seemed forever doomed to be the poor, lonely rich girl looking in on what she felt she could never have.

"I thing it’s time my little angel went to bed." Carl carefully rose from the couch. "I’ll be right back."

Amanda jumped into his abandoned spot as she watched him maneuver through the dark apartment. Would life with Carl be like this? A life filled with dinners, movie marathons and late night heart-to-hearts. A normal life. It wouldn’t be half-bad.

"Turn off that movie."

His voice was a low whisper in her ear.

"Oh, you must want to go to bed." She began to rise from said bed, but was pushed down and joined by Carl.

"Nonsense. We still have time to catch most of my movie. You remember, the one you didn’t want to watch. I hear they’re thinking of remaking it with the newest James Bond fellow. Could be interesting." He held out his hand, expecting to be obeyed. "Give me the remote."

"Nuh-uh, I don’t think so. I started watching ‘this’ movie and I intend to finish it." She crossed her arms over her chest and tucked the remote under the arm farthest from him.

"Pardon me, but I am your guest. Therefore, hospitality demands I control our TV viewing."

"Where’d you get that one, Miss Manners? I thought you were a big book reader anyway. Why don’t you find something and crawl off to my room while I finish this. It’s just getting to the good part."

"Amanda, this is getting old. Give me the remote."

"No."

"Amanda." He made a grab for the remote. "We can do this the easy way," he warned, "or the hard way."

"Just try me."

"Alright, you asked for it." His fingers danced around her midriff in an attempt to tickle her into submission.

"That’s not fair!" Amanda squealed. "Quit!"
She tried to squirm away, but his hands caught her around the waist.

"Let go of me! You are not getting this remote Carl!"

"Oh yes I will," he cooed sweetly, wrestling her onto her back. Holding the remote over the couch arm, she collapsed in a fit of laughter as he tickled her again.

"Stop it Carl!" Tears were streaming down her face and her sides ached.

"Say uncle," he demanded playfully, pinning her down with his body as his hands groped for the remote.

Suddenly it dawned on her where she was—flat on her back with Carl’s body touching hers head to toe. His weight was warm against her and his quick breaths brushed the hair from her eyes. His own eyes were bright with the thrill of their game and his lips were centimeters from hers.

And it didn’t help that the music coming from the TV was some saltwater crawfish imploring the hero to ‘kiss the girl.’

Amanda could feel the air leave her lungs and her heart lodge in her throat.

She pushed Carl onto the floor and scrambled to her feet. She began to run toward her bedroom only to turn back to toss the remote at him. "I’m going to bed," was all she offered in way of explanation as she ran from the room.

"Amanda," Carl shouted as he heard her door slam, "what did I do?"

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She fell across her bed, near tears. The encounter on the couch was confusing the hell out of her. What were they doing and why? The playful romp had gotten so far out of hand it wasn’t funny. Not to mention making her want to grab him by the lapels and kiss the daylights out of him. The thought of doing so both thrilled and sobered her.

She swallowed hard and flipped onto her back. What was Carl expecting from her? This development in their otherwise stable friendship threw her. While it was new and exciting, it was also dangerous. One false move and someone would end up hurt.

She knew she couldn’t ignore whatever ‘thing’ was growing between them. Just thinking about him made her flush from her face to her toes and everywhere in between.

She didn’t know where they were going, but she’d gladly follow him anywhere.

()()()()()()()()()()

Elsewhere in America…..

For the third time, Cindy tried to unlock the door to her father’s home, but every key she’d tried so far had refused to cooperate.

"Damn." The keys fell from her frozen fingers and bounced away into the darkness.

"Damn, damn, damn! Daddy, where in the hell are you?" Angry tears left warm tracks down her cheeks as she attempted to lower her considerable girth to the ground.

"Here now, don’t be doing that."

A comforting hand gripped Cindy and gently pushed her aside.

"How many times have I told you not to do such things? A pregnant lady such as yourself needs to be a wee more careful." The man’s words floated up to a silently weeping Cindy from under some nearby bushes. His quiet voice held faint traces of an English accent.

"I’m sorry Seamus. This pregnancy thing just doesn’t agree with me. I’ve had it up to here with these crying jags. At least this one didn’t wake everyone."

"Found them sweetheart." The man named Seamus appeared before Cindy, keys dangling from his hand. He ran his other hand through his wavy auburn hair then dusted the snowy mud from his pant legs. He was so tall she was forced to look up at him since her doctor had outlawed all heels.

"No need to worry my love, Seamus is here," he offered opening the backdoor. "Shall I carry you?"

Cindy tenderly shouldered him out of her way. "Seamus, you’re silly. Ah, it’s good to be home again." Cindy flipped on the kitchen lights. "Wow, it’s kinda cold in here."

"That is because your Da isn’t here." Seamus stopped behind her. "Would you like me to take your things to your room milady?"

"What do you mean Carl isn’t here?"
"He left abruptly a few nights ago. Woke me from a sound sleep he did. He wanted me to keep the tyke and Lorna, but I had to decline—I’m short-staffed at the moment."

"He left?" A coldness crept into the pit of her stomach. "And did dear old Dad happen to let it slip where he was rushing off to in the middle of sleepy time?"

"Yes, but I was ordered to silence."

"Seamus!"

"Sorry, I cannot tell you Cynthia. He would be more than displeased."

"If she sucks him back into her web, you haven’t seen displeased." Cindy poked him in the chest, causing her luggage to fall from his grip.

"Now see what you made me do young lady. Has no one respect for their elders these days?" He bent to recover her suitcases. "If you weren’t with child, I’d make you do this yourself."

"Don’t try to give me that ‘elder’ grief, Uncle. You’re only a few years older than I am. And as for that," she motioned at the mess at her feet, "take them back to the car."

"Come again? I must be hearing things."

"Take our bags back to the car. I know you have one, because I bet he asked you to stay with me." She saw a blush creep up his face. "I’ll take that as a yes. Really Seamus, you’re so transparent." Cindy turned the lights off and shepherded the stunned man outside, locking the door behind her.

"Cynthia, your doctor has forbidden…"

"Screw the doctor. Actually, I wish it had been my doctor. At least he might have wanted me. I think I might cry again."

"Please sweetheart, no more waterworks tonight—they’ll turn to ice cubes in this weather."

As quickly as they’d started, Cindy’s tears disappeared. "Then let’s get back in that thing you laughingly call transportation and go back to the airport. The pilot will still be there if you hurry." Cindy waddled to the garage. "Come on Seamus, move it."

"I don’t see why it’s so important you go to Carl. What if I refuse to help you?" He stood his ground, prepared to fight. "After all, you’re incapable of doing for yourself at the moment."

Cindy stopped, back rigid and nostrils flaring. "Make a choice—either go with me or stay and watch me go. Which hell would you rather catch from Carl?" Cindy waited impatiently. "Well?"

"I’m thinking about it."

"Seamus!"

"Alright, I give in. I’ll come with you. You need me to tell the pilot where he’s going anyway."

"No I don’t. I now where Carl Hutchins went."

"How could you possibly?" The suitcases were thrown into the back of the battered truck and Cindy loaded into the front. "I haven’t even mentioned his location."

"Sometimes Uncle, I worry about you. I know exactly where he is and it’s important I get there as quickly as possible."

"He’s a grown man, he can handle himself."

"Not around her he can’t. She hurt him once, and she’ll do it again if I can’t save him from himself."

"Fine. Then pray tell, O Great One, tell me where thy father hath fled," he demanded, starting the engine.

"The one place he’d run in a heartbeat. Bay City."

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