Life After Dark: Book Two of the Dark Series

Chapter 108

~ Christmas: Merry Christmas, Baby ~

"Love means never having to say you're sorry."

"Oh, is that what it means?" Lucky asked the television screen. He slid lower on the sofa and he rocked his feet from side to side on the coffee table. The movie Love Story stared back at him and he wondered just ironic that he find that movie on so late at night. Whatever happened to the timeless Christmas classics like Scrooged?

"Talking to yourself, kiddo?" Carrie asked, stepping down into the den to join her housemate. She flung her coat, scarf, and purse into the first available chair and slowly walked over to where Lucky sat on the sofa. She glanced at the television and grimaced. Her eyes went back to Lucky, and she asked, "What are you doing up so late?"

"I wanted to be the first to wish you a Merry Christmas," he said with a faint smile. He patted the space next to him, indicating that she should take a load off. "So, Merry Christmas, Mrs. J."

"Yeah, what's so merry about it?" she mumbled to herself. She kicked off her ankle boots and plopped down beside him. She grabbed a handful of popcorn that was in the bowl that he balanced on his lap, and she mimicked his position by sitting low on the sofa. "Merry Christmas, Luckster. By the way, we can drop the Mrs. J stuff. Call me Carrie, okay?"

Lucky raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Sure thing, Carrie. So...um...how did dinner with Dawn and the others go?"

"There was no dinner," she said quietly, keeping her eyes on Ryan O'Neal. Damn men to hell, she thought, choking back a stray sob.

"Oh, no?" Lucky asked, stealing a glance at her profile. She looked sad, but she was determined to hold it together. For a moment, he could see Dawn in her face, and he made himself brush the thought aside. His mind returned to the present problem at hand. Something happened over at the mausoleum, and he wondered if she'd share it with him.

"Nope," she answered. She shook her head as an image of Stefan came to mind. She had spent most of Christmas Eve driving around Port Charles, trying to clear her mind of the thoughts of him. She thought she had been successful, but she knew that she was only kidding herself. A man like Stefan couldn't be forgotten in one night or two. It would take her weeks to get over him. Stop lying to yourself, girl, she scolded herself. Getting over Stefan would take much longer than that. Much, much longer.

"I'm sorry to hear about that," he told her. He glanced at her again and felt out of place when he saw her bottom lip quiver. What the hell happened over there, he wondered again. "Carrie, I-"

"Did you eat?" she asked. Suddenly, her maternal instincts chose to free her from her melancholy. She had plenty of time to dwell in her self-pity, but right now, she had someone else to focus on. Lucky had better watch out.

"Aw, Carrie," he grimaced, recognizing the look in her eyes. "I ate, okay? Really, I did."

"You had better not lie to me, Lucas Lorenzo Spencer, Junior," she told him. "And, I had better not find junk food wrappers in my trash. What did you eat?"

"I went to Kelley's and had a heaping bowl of chili. Is that okay?"

"Don't be flip with me, boy," Carrie said with a teasing smile. "Yeah, I guess that's better than a Big Mac. What else did you have?"

"You've had my Aunt Ruby's chili. Isn't that enough?" he asked, laughing softly.

"Yeah," she agreed with a faint chuckle. "I guess it is."

Their voices faded and the sad, tragic tale of Love Story demanded their attention. A few sniffles were the only evidence that the ending had touched them. Neither surrendered to tears, but the stillness of the room signaled that more went on in their minds than either was willing to admit.