Once Again for Old Time's Sake

Chapter 20

Riley

Carmen and Aidan came back up the path, not smiling but at least more relaxed than when they both took off. He remembered years ago how the two seemed bound at the hip and always completing each other's thoughts. Had it really been that long? He didn't feel that much time had passed but looking at the group he saw the ravages of close to three decades on each face.

Carmen would have had no clue how much her comment would have impacted the group. She didn't know the dreams they had harbored. Maybe she should, but this wasn't that moment.

Ian noticed their approach. "You two ok?"

"Yeah, we will be, Ian. You really are a lucky son of a bitch." Aidan's half smile showed his lack of anger but demonstrated a host of other emotions simmering just below the surface. Carmen turned her head up to look at Aidan. The men watched as Carmen pushed him back into his seat and flopped down on the ground between his feet, using his knees as arm rests.

No one said anything as if they were waiting for her next comment. Looking over at Evan, she tapped the side of her mouth as if pondering something. A mischievous grin split over her face as she finally came to a decision. "Evan, I think you and I need to have a conversation."

"Ah, hell no, Carmen. Nothing good ever comes from you saying that." Evan tried to dodge her demand. Taylor led the resulting laughter.

"Get it over with, Evan. You know better than to make her wait because then you'll lose any privacy the conversation warrants." Ian prodded him. With a heavy sigh, Evan stood, yanked Carmen to her feet, and then flipped her over his shoulder in a fireman's carry.

"Let's get this shit over with." The guys laughed as Carmen squealed to be put down. Evan continued to ignore her upside-down protests until she began to hit and kick to be put down. With one heavy handed swat on her ass, Carmen ceased her struggles and waved to the guys as they disappeared down to the dock.

"Well, that's a handy way to shut her up." Marty laughed.

Taylor guffawed. "I've never seen Evan do that before and they've gotten into some doozies. Gotta hand it to him, he found an off-switch." Nic laughed even harder, before a coughing fit broke it up. "What?"

Nic looked over at Ian. "Did she tell you about lunch with Evan, Cora, and me when she was in town?" When he shook his head, Nic elaborated. "That's her second "off-switch" I know of. How do you get her to stop and settle down when she starts on a tangent?"

Ian thought a moment. "I don't think I've ever found one. Though if you give her a book, it's almost always a pretty good way to get some peace and quiet." The guys knowing Carmen's penchant for reading laughed heartily. "I'd never lay a hand on her after what I witnessed growing up, especially after all the crap she went through."

"How bad?" Paul asked Ian. "Chaz said he'd learned some places on her were flayed open."

"She has some scars they're barely noticeable. I'm sure she thinks about them, especially when the stalker plays with her. We really thought Sawyer was tormenting her so it made sense she would focus on them when contact was made. She's come a long way from when we first met."

"In small ways, but it's nice to see she hasn't done a complete 180 from who she was before she left. What do you suppose got into her just then? I'd wager that Evan is getting reamed about something." I pondered aloud.

Chuckling, Taylor replied. "Oh, I can guarantee that he is getting an earful. She hasn't been known for being put off or ignored."

Brad reminded them, "remember how she came back at teachers who were incompetent? Who was that English teacher that always lied? Carmen couldn't stand that woman."