Dearest - truly flung out of space

18 - Destroyed Happiness

"H-Hello?" she asks. Her voice is shaking and I try everything to make her feel a little calmer. I take her hand and stroke her palm with my thumb. Carol puts the phone on speaker and places it on the couch table.
"Carol? Hello?" says Harge. His voice is loud and it sounds unsettling. Carol looks at me, pleading with me to do something. I just smile at her.
"Carol?" his voice appears again. This time, it's more demanding.
"Y-Yes?" she responds."Carol, how nice of you to talk to me. You're still my wife and you probably remember when we went on vacation together. I am attending a two-week business trip to Italy. I have also invited some of my business colleagues and they will bring their wives along so you can have some sort of girls' trip I suppose. We'll start on Monday. I will pick you up. 8:00 AM sharp." His voice sounds annoyed. Before Carol can answer, he ends the call.

Carol looks at me with fearful eyes. She's shaking slightly and I scootch a bit closer to her. I wrap my arm around her and just hold her tight. This is the second time I have seen her cry. She buries her head in my shoulder and starts to sob. I pat her back, trying to calm her down as best as I can.

"Shh, it's okay. I'm here, Carol. Let go," I whisper into her hair. Her rosy scent invades my nose again. The scent I usually connect to beautiful memories and kisses. The scent I connect to cuddling after a long day or kissing on the couch. But now this scent is full of fear, pain, and of desperation. It feels weird to have a crying Carol Aird in my arms. She usually is an incredibly strong and independent woman who knows what she wants. But right now she's breaking. She needs a shoulder to cry on. She needs me.

"I don't want to go," she whispers between her sobs.
"I know, my love. I know," I reply and pull her closer into the hug.
"How can he be so cruel? Why does he want to take me away from you? I'm finally happy," she sobs and I try to comfort her with my words and kisses. I keep caressing her hair and try my hardest to see her beautiful smile again.
"My darling, I'm so sorry. But we will get through this, okay? I love you," I whisper and place another kiss in her hair.

"Carol, I have something for you. That might make you smile again," I smile and kiss her cheek. I brush the salty tears from her beautiful face.
I get up from the couch and walk to the closet in my bedroom. After some time I finally find the objects of my desire: a pair of small golden magnetic friendship bracelets. I bought them for a girl I met on the Internet a few years ago. We wanted to meet each other because we said we were 'best friends' but on the date of the actual meeting, I got stood up by her. So I've kept them with the hope of giving them to the right person. And now, the right person is sitting on my couch, crying.

As I walk back into the living room, I see her broken posture. She buries her face in her hands and her sobs are heartbreaking. I move a little closer and put my hand on her shoulder, remembering how I did that when she told me about Harge for the first time. Her body shakes a little at the contact but then her hand searches for mine to hold it. She sighs.
"No more tears left," she whispers as her body continues to shake a bit more.
"Oh, Carol. My love, my angel, my everything," I answer and sit back down next to her. I hide the bracelets behind my back as I cover her neck with kisses. She smiles.
"There is that beautiful smile again," I tease and kiss her cheek.
She wipes her tears and looks at me.
"You said something about having something for me," she whispers and I chuckle.
Carol always knows everything. She knows how to twist things and make them get her way. And what can I say, I love her for it.

"Close your eyes and extend your arm, please," I demand and Carol follows my orders. She extends out her arm and starts to giggle.
I place the bracelet on her wrist. Then, I try to place the other bracelet around my wrist which takes some time but I manage. I lift my hand and connect the two bracelets with a quiet "klick".
"You can open your eyes now," I say and Carol does. She looks down at her wrist and sees the two connected bracelets. The corners of her lips form a smile. Her delicate fingers touch the golden chain.
"Y/N," she whispers, "You're amazing. Where did you get these?"
"I got these some years ago. I always waited to give them to the right person. And you are the right person. You're my special someone," I answer and feel myself tear up.
She pulls me into a hug. Her rosy scent invades my nose again and this time, I connect it to happiness. I connect it with safety, understanding, and, most importantly, love.
"I love you. You're my angel. My angel flung out of space," Carol whispers and buries her face back in my chest. I keep her close, knowing that I've finally found the person I want to spend my life with.

"We should try to get some sleep, don't you think?" I ask when Carol tries to hide a yawn.
She nods.
"Would you like a relaxing bath before, ma'am?" I joke and she blushes. She nods again and whispers a quiet "yes". I smile and place a kiss on her cheek.
I take her hand and pull her into the bathroom. I draw her a hot bath and light some candles. Carol strips out of her clothes and throws them into a corner. I examine her body. She's beautiful.

"You're... You're so beautiful," I whisper and let my hands move over her torso. I gently caress her neck, and her collarbones and move to her breasts. Carol closes her eyes and relaxes into my touch.
"Dearest....," she whispers and reaches up her hands to touch me.
"I love you," I hum and place a kiss on her neck.
She gets into the bathtub and I start to massage her back for her.
"Y/N, you sure know how to make me feel good," she says and relaxes even more. The hot water slowly cools down as I brush my fingers over her body.

"I'm so grateful for you, you know that?" Carol whispers as she rests her head on my chest.
"I never thought that I would ever fall in love with someone. I mean Harge was everything to me when we met... but then... I met you. Don't you think I'm too old for you? I'm 45 and you are.. well... 25. I could be your mother," she stutters. Her fingers draw patterns over my collarbone.
"Carol, don't say such things. I love you for you. We can't deny the age gap but to me, you're all I want. I love you," I reply and kiss her delicate fingers.
She sighs. I don't know if it's out of relief or fear. I give her a concerned look.
"I'm just scared. I want this to work," she whispers under her breath. It almost sounds like I am imagining it.
"Me too. And we will make it work, I promise. We're in this together," I reassure her and kiss her temple.

"You should sleep now, Carol. We can talk more tomorrow, okay?" I ask and pull the blanket over her body.
"One more thing Y/N, I want you to meet Rindy," she answers and cuddles a little closer to my body.
I gulp and sit up.
"Are you.... Are you sure? I mean that's a big step."
She nods and brushes her finger over my chest.
"Yes, I'm sure. I want you to meet my girl. I want to introduce you to her. Would you even like that?" she asks with a shaking voice.
I nod eagerly.
"Carol, of course. I would love to meet Rindy. But... But we won't tell her that you and I are... I mean... not yet, right?" I ask with hesitation.
Carol sighs. We both know the answer to my question.
"No, not yet. I can't do it yet. I'm sorry," she whispers with a shaking voice. I nod in understanding. She's not ready yet and I have to accept that. And I do get it. I know that Carol only wants the best for Rindy. If I was in her shoes, I would do the same. She wants to protect Rindy. Rindy is everything she has left. Harge has destroyed a lot but if she loses Rindy, she will break entirely.

Carol Aird, we will get through this... somehow. 

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Hello, my lovely readers. Here's to another week and another chapter. I do hope you enjoy this new chapter. Let me know your thoughts. Until next week. 

Sarah :)