THE BROTHERS CARTER

                               BY

                    MARCELLA SANDERS

                   “HUMPTY DUMPTY”

TWO BROTHERS, LOUIS AND LINCOLN CARTER, SAME FATHER, DIFFERENT MOTHERS, RAISED TOGETHER AFTER LINCOLN’S MOM DIED IN A FATAL CAR ACCIDENT, THAT SOME SAY WAS NO ACCIDENT BUT REVENGE.

WHEN LINCOLN WAS 18 YEARS OLD, HE JOINED THE ARMY AND AFGTER 5 YEARS OF SERVICE AND AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE, HE MOVED ON AND MET HIS WIFE TO BE, ANGEL AND HE HASN’T BEEN HEARD FROM SINCE.

LOUIS AND LINCOLN’S FATHER, WAS A POLICE DETECTIVE, THAT SOME SAY HAD QUENSTIONABLE MORALS. THEY SAY THAT EVEN ON A DETECTIVES SALARY, HE LIVED FAR BEYOND HIS MEANS.

THE LAST TIME LOUIS SAW LINCOLN, WAS AT THEIR FATHER’S FUNERAL. AT THAT TIME LOUIS WAS EMBARKING ON A NEW CAREER, OWNING HIS OWN BUSINESS, A RESTAURANT, FOR FINE DINING AND JAZZ MUSIC, TO DINE BY, A LITTLE PLACE CALLED EGYPT.

LINCOLN, HAD TO GET BACK TO CAMP SOON AND DIDN’T HAVE MUCH TIME TO VISIT, SO HE CONGRATULATED HIS BROTHER ON HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND TOLD HIME IF HE NEEDED ANYTHING TO LET HIM KNOW AND LOUIS BEING THE PROUD MAN THAT HE WAS, DIDN’T DARE TELL HIS BROTHER, THAT EVEN BEFORE IT GOT OFF THE GROUND GOOD,  HIS BUSINESS WAS IN DANGER OF GOING UNDER FAST, WITHOUT THE PROPER FUNDING, IT WOULDN’T TAKE LONG. 

SOME HOW, CALL IT INTUITION MAYBE, LINCOLN KNEW WHAT HIS BROTHER NEEDED AND BEFOR HE LEFT HE MAD ARRANGEMENTS FOR A DELIVERY TO BE MADE TO HIS BROTHER’S ESTABLISHMENT THAT EVENING,  JUST BEFORE CLOSING. THERE WAS A BASKET FOR LOUIS, WITH A NOTE THAT READ “FOR MY TRIP TO EGYPT”, ATTACHED TO THE NOTE, WAS A CHECK FOR FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS, PAYABLE TO LOUIS CARTER.

WITH THE REMODELING COMPLETE, THE CLUB WAS ALMOST READY TO OPEN, EXCEPT FOR A FEW POSITION’S THAT STILL NEEDED TO BE FILLED. LOUIS HAD DECIDED TO MAKE THINGS MOVE SMOOTHLY AMONG HIS 

EMPLOYEES, HIS NUMBER  ONE RULE, WOULD BE A NO DATING POLICY, AMONG CO-WORKERS, UNFORTUNATELY, THIS ENDED UP POSING A BIT OF A PROBLEM, FOR LOUIS. 

WHILE HE WAS INTERVIEWING FOR A MANAGER, IN WALKED NICOLE VAN ADAMMS, SHE HAD HEARD ABOUT THE POSITION FROM A FRIEND. FROM THE MOMENT HE LAID EYES ON HER, HE KNEW SHE WAS GOING TO BE HIS WIFE. (UNBEKNOWNST TO HER) SO IN REMEMBERING HIS OWN POLICY, HE TOLD HER THAT THE POSITION HAD BEEN FILLED AND NOT WANTING HER TO FEEL SHE HAD WAISTED HER TIME COMING TO APPLY FOR THE POSITION, HE INVITED HER TO DINNER., AS HIS HONORED GUEST (KIND OF LIKE SETTING AT THE CAPTAIN’S TABLE ON A CRUISE), SHE ACCEPTED AND THEY’VE BEEN TOGETHER EVER SINCE.

THEY MARRIED, TWO YEARS LATER, LOUIS WANTED HIS BROTHER TO BE THERE, TO BE HIS BEST MAN BUT THEY HAD LOST TOUCH AFTER THE FUNERAL. FOR YEARS LOUIS HAD TRIED TO FIND LINCOLN BUT EVENTUALLY THE BUSINESS, TOOK UP MORE AND MORE OF HIS TIME AND THE SEARCH FOR HIS BROTHER, WAS PUT ON THE BACK BURNER (SO TO SPEAK).

THE BUSINESS TOOK OFF AND WAS DOING VERY WELL AND SOON NIKKI AND LOUIS WERE EXPECTING THEIR FIRST CHILD BUT FOR SOME REASON, LOUIS DIDN’T SEEM AS HAPPY AS HE SHOULD HAVE, (AT LEAST IN NIKKI’S EYES, HE WASN’T), SHE COULDN’T PUT HER FINGER ON IT BUT SHE WAS DETERMINED TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS.

NIKKI, STOPPED BY FOR LUNCH AND A QUICK CHAT WITH LOUIS, TO TELL HIM WHAT THE DOCTOR SAID AT HER CHECKUP SHE ALSO WANTED TO LET HIM KNOW SHE WAS GOING SHOPPING FOR A FEW NURSERY ITEMS.  

AFTER LUNCH.  SHE STOPPED IN A SMALL BOUTIQUE FOR A LOOK AROUND, WHEN SHE STOPPED TO LOOK AT A BOOK AND THAT’S WHEN SHE KNEW WHAT WAS BOTHERING  LOUIS. THE BOOK WAS “HUMPTY DUMPTY” AND SHE REMEMBERED LOUIS TELLING HER THAT AT TIMES HE FELT LIKE “HUMPTY DUMPTY” BECAUSE WITHOUT HIS BROTHER, HE FELT LIKE HIS FAMILY WAS BROKEN. SHE COULDN’T HELP BUT THINK, THAT MAYBE HE STILL FELT THAT WAY, SOMEHOW NOT WHOLE.   

NIKKI, LOVED LOUIS VERY MUCH AND WANTED TO PUT THE FAMILY BACK TOGETHER AGAIN, SO SHE DECIDED TO MAKE IT HER MISSION, TO FIND LINCOLN.

                LINCOLN AND ANGEL

LINCOLN HAD TWO WEEKS LEFT BEFORE HE WOULD BE DISCHARGED, HIS UNIT WAS HEADING BACK TO CAMP, WHEN THEY CAME UNDER HEAVY ATTACK, MANY OF HIS UNIT DIED THAT DAY AND SO DID LINCOLN. (LET ME EXPLAIN) WHILE HE WAS BEING AIR LIFTED TO THE HOSPITAL, LINCOLN’S HEART STOPPED AND ONLY BECAUSE OF A QUICK THINKING INTERN, THAT WAS ON BOARD, IS HE ALIVE TODAY. 

HIS INJURIES,WERE SEVERE, SO SEVERE IN FACT, THAT HIS DOCTOR’S DECIDED TO PUT HIM INTO A MEDICALLY INDUCED COMA, HOPING THAT THIS WOULD GIVE HIS BODY WHAT IT NEEDED TO HEAL.

LINCOLN, WAS IN A COMA FOR TWELVE WEEKS AND THE ANGEL, THE INTEREN THAT SAVED HIS LIFE, HAD BEEN VISITING HIM DAILY, READING TO HIM AND TALKING TO HIM (YOU KNOW, KEEPING HIM UP ON ALL THE CURRENT NEWS). DURING THE HOLIDAY’S, HER VISIT’S WERE CUT DOWN TO ONCE A WEEK AND IT SEEMED TO AFFECT LINCOLN, IN A NEGATIVE WAY, HIS BLOOD PRESSURE, WAS THROUGH THE ROOF AND HE SUFFERED A LIFE THREATENING STROKE AND THE DOCTORS DIDN’T EXPECT HIM TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT.

WHEN ANGEL, FOUND OUT ABOUT HIS STATUS, SHE IMMEDIATELY WENT TO SEE HIM AND SHE APOLOGIZED, FOR NOT COMING TO SEE HIM SOONER.  

ANGLE, FELT THAT NO ONE SHOULD BE ALONE AT A TIME LIKE THIS. SHE WAS OFF DUTY AND HAVING SEEN NO OTHER VISITOR’S,  SHE DECIDED TO STAY THROUGH THE NIGHT, HER NEXT SHIFT, WASN’T UNTIL SIX P.M THE NEXT DAY.

SHE TALKED TO HIM FOR HOURS AND BY THE TIME SHE STOPPED, IT WAS MIDNIGHT AND SHE WAS EXHAUSTED BUT BEFORE SHE WENT TO SLEEP, SHE SAID A PRAYER FOR HIM.

THAT MORNING, SHE AWOKE TO THE SOUND OF A MAN’S VOICE, SAYING “GOD MUST BE SMILING ON YOU”!!  SHE WAS STARTLED OUT OF HER SLEEP, SHE THOUGHT LINCOLN, HAD COME OUT OF HIS COMA BUT IT WAS THE DOCTOR, HE WAS COMMENTING ON HOW MUCH LINCOLN’S CONDITIONED HAD IMPROVED OVERNIGHT.

HER PRAYER, WAS FOR LINCOLN, TO GET BETTER. SHE WAS HAPPY HER PRAYER’S HAD BEEN ANSWERED AND SHE KNEW SHE’D HAVE TO KEEP HER PROMISE.  SHE PROMISED THAT SHE WOULD ALWAYS BE THERE FOR HIM, IT WAS A PROMISE, SHE DIDN’T MIND KEEPING.

ANGEL, STAYED TRUE TO HER PROMISE, SHE WAS BY HIS SIDE, WHENEVER SHE HAD A SPARE MOMENT, SHE HAD FALLEN IN LOVE WITH HIM. IT WAS NOW CHRISTMAS EVE, SO SHE DECORATED HIS ROOM AND EVEN THOUGH THIS WAS HERE FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR, SHE FOUND HERSELF, FEELING SAD, HER CHRISTMAS WISH, WAS USUALLY FOR WORLD PEACE BUT (OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT) BUT THIS YEAR ALL SHE WANTED WAS FOR LINCOLN TO WAKE UP, EVEN IF HE DIDN’T FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT HER AS SHE FELT ABOUT HIM. SO AT MIDNIGHT, SHE MADE HER WISH, SHE HABN’T REALIZED SHE WAS CRYING, UNTIL SHE HEARD A VOICE SAY, “ANGEL’S SHOULDN’T CRY”, SHE TURNED AROUND AND SMILED, FROM EAR TO EAR, WHEN SHE SAW THAT LINCOLN WAS AWAKE AND SMILING BACK AT HER, HE TOLD HER IT WAS NICE TO FINALLY SEE HER FACE, AFTER ONLY BEING ABLE TO HEAR HER VOICE.

LINCOLN, WENT THROUGH A SERIES OF EXAMS AND TESTS AND ONCE THE DOCTORES, WERE SATISFIED WITH THE RESULTS, THEY ALL DISAPPERED, LEAVING HIM AND ANGEL, TO GET ACQUAINTED . LINCOLN, TALKED NON STOP FOR NEARLY THREE HOURS STRAIGHT BUT ANGEL DIDN’T MIND, IT WAS WONDERFUL TO HEAR HIS VOICE.

THE MORE HE TALKED, THE STRONGER HIS VOICE GREW, HE HAD A DEEP SOPHISTICATED VOICE, THAT SEEMED TO RUMBLE LIKE THUNDER WHEN HE SPOKE, IT REMINDED HER OF THE ACTOR “JAMES EARL JONES” AND IT WAS MUSIC TO HER EARS. SHE LISTENED INTENTLY AS HE TOLD HER EVERYTHING HE HADN’T BEEN ABLE TO SAY, SHE ANSWERED ANY AND ALL OF HIS QUESTIONS.

SHE FOUND OUT HE HAD A BROTHER, LOUIS, THAT HE HADN’T SEEN IN YEARS AND THAT HE HAD TRIED TO FIND HIM BUT ALL OF HIS LEADS TURNED UP EMPTY.  

ALTHOUGH HIS TEST RESULTS CAME BACK NORMAL, LINCOLN, HAD A LONG ROAD AHEAD OF HIM, WITH HIS REHABILITATION, HE LITERALLY HAD TO LEARN TO WALK AGAIN AND ALGEL, WAS THERE, EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. SHE WAS ABLE TO ARRANGE HER WORK SCHEDULE AROUND LINCOLNS SCHEDULE.

TIME PAST QUICKLY AND AFTER SIX MONTHS OF REHABILITAITON, LINCOLN WAS BEING RELEASED. ANGEL, HAD SECURED AN APARTMENT FOR HIM, EVEN THOUGH THINGS SEEMED TO BE MOVING INTO THE DIRECTION OF MARRIAGE, FOR THE TWO OF THEM. LINCLON REMAINED A GENTLEMAN AND SAID HE WOULDN’T TATNISH HER REPUTATION AND INSISTED ON HAVING HIS OWN PLACE.  

ANGEL, HAD GOTTEN TO KNOW HIM PRETTY GOOD BY NOW AND THOUGHT SHE WOULD TRY HER HAND A DECORATING.   LINC, WAS BOTH SURPRISED AND IMPRESSED AT THE JOB SHE’D DONE AND HOW WELL SHE KNEW HIS TASTE, SHE HAD INCORPORATED SOME OF HIS FAVORITE THINGS, SUCH AS HIS LOVE OF AFRICAN ART, IT WAS AMAZING HOW WELL THE PIECES SHE HAD CHOSEN COMPLIMENTED THE RICH MAHOGANY FURNISHINGS AND WENT SO WELL WITH THE FAUX MARBLE PAIN, SHE HAD CHOSEN FOR THE WALLS.

EARLIER THAT DAY ANGEL, HAD DISAPPEARED IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS LAST THERAPY SESSION, WHICH WAS STRANGE BUT AS THE AROMA OF HIS FAVORITE MEAL, CAME WAFTING FROM THE KITCHEN, HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT SHE HAD DONE.

WHEN HE FIRST CAME OUT OF THE COMA AND STARTED TALKING, HE TOLD HER ABOUT ALL THE FOODS HE MISSED WHILE HE WAS IN THE ARMY.  SHE HAD MADE THEM ALL.

STEW BEEF WITH MASHED POTATOS AND GRAVY,

GREEN BEANS, CORNBREAD AND CANDIED YAMS

AND FOR DESSERT, A PEACH COBBLER, AND ALL

OF IT WAS HOMEMADE.

HE COULD SEE THAT THE DINING ROOM TABLE WAS SET. HE PULLED OUT HER CHAIR FOR HER AND PROCEEDED TO SERVE HER DINNER. DINNER WAS GREAT AND ALTHOUGH HE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE HAD SECONDS AND THIRD’S, HE AGREED TO TAKE IT EASY, SINCE THIS WAS HIS FIRST REAL MEAL, IN MONTHS (EXCLUDING HOSPITAL FOOD) HE DIDN’T WANT TO OVER DO IT.   

AFTER DINNER, THEY SAT ON THE SOFA AND WATCHED TELEVISION AND TALKED IN BETWEEN THE COMMERCIALS AND BEFORE THEY KNEW IT, IT WAS ALMOST MIDNIGHT. LINCOLN, APOLOGIZED TO KEEPING HER OUT SO LATE BUT SHE ASSURED HIM, THAT SHE ENJOYED THE EVENING AND WAS SORRY IT HAD TO COME TO AN END. HE LEANED IN AND KISSED HER  AND SHE KISSED HIM BACK, SEVERAL TIMES.

THEY HAD BOTH BEEN AVOINDING TAKING THEIR RELATIONSHIP, TO THE NEXT LEVEL.  ANGEL DIDN’T WANT TO PURSUE IT TO SOON AND LINCOLN BEING THE GENTLEMAN, THAT HE WAS, DIDN’T WANT TO MOVE TO FAST BUT HE ALSO DIDN’T WANT HER TO LEAVE, SO HE DID THE ONLY THING HE COULD, “YOU CAN’T LEAVE YET,” HE SAID. “WHAT?”, HE TOOK A DEEP BREATH, CLEARED HIS THROAT AND SAID, “I HAVEN’T HAD MY TOUR OF THE BEDROOM, HE OFFERED HIS HAND, SHE TOOK IT AND …..(WELL I’LL LET YOURT IMAGINATION, FILL IN THE REST OF THAT, I WILL TELL YOU THOUGH, THAT LINCOLN, MADE ONE HELL OF A BREAKFAST AND SERVED ANGEL BREAKFAST IN BED) .

DAY’S, WEEK’S AND MONTH’S WENT BY AND SOON IT WAS THE EVE OF ANGEL’S GRADUATION, FROM MEDICAL SCHOOL AND LINCOLN WAS THROWING HER A PARTY TO CELEBRATE.  HE WANTED EVERYONE TO BE THERE, SO HE WAITED AN HOUR, AFTER THE PARTY STARTED  AND THEN HE MOTIONED FOR THE CAKE TO BE BROUGHT OUT  BUT IN STEAD OF IT SAYING “CONGRATULATIONS ANGEL”, IT READ “ANGEL, WILL YOU MARRY ME?”, SHE LOOKED AT HIM WITH TEARS OF HAPPINESS IN HER EYES , HE QUICKLY KNEELED ON ONE KNEE AND PRODUCED A THREE KARAT DIAMOND RING, WHICH HE GLADLY SLIPPED ON HER FINGER, AS SHE SAID YES.

                          NEW BEGINNINGS

ONE YEAR LATER, LINCOLN AND ANGEL, WERE MARRIED. ANGEL, WAS NOW AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN AT THE SAME HOSPITAL SHE DID HER INTERNSHIP AT AND WHERE SHE AND LINC, FELL IN LOVE, SHE CONTINUED IN THIS POSITION, FOR TWO YEARS, AFTERWHICH SHE HAD TO RESIGN, BECAUSE LINCOLN’S JOB, HAD PROMOTED HIM TO HEAD UP A NEW DIVISION, IN A LITTLE TOWN, CALLED YEAGERSTON.

ANGEL, MANAGED TO SECURE A POSITION, AT A NEARBY HOSPITAL, AS THE HEAD OF EMERGENCY.  ONE AFTERNOON,LINCOLN, CALLED HER AT WORK, SHE HADN’T BEEN FEELING WELL LATELY AND HE WANTED TO CHECK ON HER, HE THOUGHT MAYBE THE MOVE HAD PUT TO MUCH STRESS ON HER AND HE WANTED HER TO HAVE A NIGHT OUT, TO RELAX AND HAVE SOME FUN.   “HEY BABY, HOW’S IT GOING?”  YOU FEEL UP TO GOING OUT TONIGHT?  SHE WAS EXCITED, THEY HADN’T BEEN OUT SINCE THEY GOT INTO TOWN, “SURE, WHAT’S THE OCCASION?,  

SHE COULD HEAR THE EXCITEMENT, IN HIS VOICE,  “IT’S MY BROTHER, I FOUND OUT HE’S OPENED A NEW CLUB, RIGHT HERE IN TOWN, IT’S CALLED “IMHOTEP”, AFTER THE MYSTERIOUS AND INFAMOUS CHIEF MEDICAL ADVISOR, TO THE PHAROH”, AT LEAST HE’S KEEPING A THEME GOING, “I FIGURED WE COULD TAKE MY TRIP TO EGYPT. 

ANGEL LEFT WORK A LITTLE EARLY, SO SHE COULD SHOWER AND CHANGE. THEY HAD TO DRIVE ABOUT TEN MILES TO REACH THE CLUB, BY THE TIME THEY ARRIVED, ANGEL WASN’T FEELING WELL, SO THEY DIDN’T STAY LONG, THE CLUB WAS SO PACKED, THEY WEREN’T ABLE TO SEE LOUIS, BEFORE THEY LEFT.  ON THE RIDE HOME, ANGEL, BECAME EXTREMELY ILL, SHE CONTRIBUTED HER ILLNESS, TO THE MIGRAINS, SHE HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING SINCE SHE STARTED HER NEW JOB, WHEN THEY GOT HOME, HE MADE HER SOME SOUPAND PUT HER STRAIGHT TO BED. “YOU TAKE SUCH GOOD CARE OF ME LINC, YOU SHOULD GET YOURSELF SOMETHING TO EAT, I KNOW THAT SOUP ISN’T ENOUGH FOR YOU”,  I’LL BE ALRIGHT, I’M GETTING SLEEPY ANYWAY”.

LINCOLN, KNEW SHE WAS RIGHT, SOUP WASN’T GOING TO BE ENOUGH FOR HIM,  AFTER ALLHE DIDN’T GET TO BE SIX FOOT THREE, TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY-FIBE POUNDS, BY EATING SOUP, SO HE TOLD ANGEL, HE WAS GOING OUT FOR A BITE, SHE WAS SO SLEEPY, HE LEFT A NOTE ON THE NIGHTSTAND, INCASE SHE WOKE UP BEFORE HE GOT BACK., HE CALLED A RESTAURANT AND PLACED HIS ORDER, BEFORE HE LEFT.  

                               FATE

ON HIS WAY TO PICK UP HIS CARRY OUT ORDER, LINCOLN RODE UP ON AN ACCIDENT SCENE, IN THE MIDDLEOF THE ROAD BUT THERE WAS ONLY ONE CAR, IT LOOKED LIKE A HIT AND RUN, HE PULLED OVER AND RAN TO SEE IF ANYONE WAS INSIDE, AS HE APPROCHED THE CAR, HE COULD SEE THAT THERE WAS A WOMAN INSIDE AND SHE LOOKED TO BE ABOUT FIVE MONTHS PREGNANT, SHE WAS BLEEDING PRETTY BAD FROM A CUT ON HER FORHEAD, HE CALLED 911, FROM HIS CELL AND TRIED TO GET THE WOMAN TO REGAIN CONCIOUSNESS, HE REMEMBERED THAT ANGEL HAD SOME SMELLING SALTS, THAT SHE KEPT IN THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT.  

THE WOMAN, DRIFTED IN AND OUT OF CONSCIOUSNESS, HE STAYED WITH HER, UNTIL THE PARAMEDICS ARRIVED, THE POLICE WERE THERE AND TOOK HIS STATEMENT AND THEY THANKED HIM FOR BEING A GOOD SAMARITAN.  HE WENT BACK HOME TO CHECK ON ANGEL, HE HAD BEEN GONE LONGER THAN HE EXPECTED TO.

ANGEL, HAD BEEM AWAKE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR NOW AND WAS STARTING TO GET WORRIED.  WHEN HE GOT HOME, HE TOLD HER ALL ABOUT THE ACCIDENT. “HONEY, YOU SEEMED PRETTY SHOOK UP, DID YOU KNOW HER?” “NO, BUT I KEPT THINKING ABOUT YOU, THE WHOLE TIME, I MEAN IT COULD HAVE BEEN MY WIFE IN THAT CAR AND I WONDERED IF ANYONE WOULD HAVE  STOPPED TO HELP YOU?”  SHE GABE HIM A SMILE AND SAID I LOVE YOU TO LINC AND SHE LEANED OVER AND KISSED HIM.

SHE TALKED HIM INTO TAKING A HOT SHOWER, TO RELAX AND SHE KNEW HE STILL HADN’T EATEN, SO SHE ORDERED SOME FOOD TO BE DELIVERED, IT ARRIVED BEFORE HE FINISHED HIS SHOWER, SO SHE HAD TIME TO SET UP AN IMPROPMTU PICKNICK IN BED FOR HIM, SHE STAYED UP WITH HIM AND THEY TALKED, SHE TOLD HIM SHE WAS TAKING A LEAVE OF ABSENCE FROM WORK, THAT TOOK AFFECT IMMEDIATELY, SHE WAS CONCERENED ABOUT HER HEALTH, HE INSTANTLY ASSUMED SOMETHING WAS WRONG BUT SHE ASSURED HIM THAT THERE WAS NOTHING SERIOUSLY WRONG, IT WAS JUST THE FACT THAT SHE WAS GETTING MIGRAINS A LITTLE TO OFTEN AND SHE DIDN’T FEEL THAT SHE COULD GIVE HER PATIENTS HER FULL ATTENTION, IF SHE WASN’T AT HER BEST.

     

                        PITTER PATTER

HE PROMPTLY RESPONDED WITH, “IT’S ABOUT TIME YOU STARTED PAYING SOME ATTENTION TO YOUR OWN HEALTH , I’VE BEEN WORRIED ABOUT YOU, SINCE YOU STARTED GETTING MIGRAINS, IN THE ENTIRE TIME WE’VE BEEN TOGETHER, YOU’VE HARDLY EVER BEEN SICK, EXCEPT FOR THE STOMACH FLU, LAST MONTH, HE PAUSED BEFORE MAKING HIS NEXT STATEMENT, “ACTUALLY, I WAS WONDERING IF YOU MIGHT BE PREGNANT.  ME PREGNANT, SHE LAUGHED, (A NERVOUS LAUGH) DON’T BE SILLY SHE SAID AS SHE TOOK HIS PLATE INTO THE KITCHEN AND THEN WENT TO BED, LINCOLN WASN’T SLEEPY, SO HE FIXED A DRINK AND WENT TO BED A LITTLE LATER.

NEITHER ONE OF THEM SLEPT WELL, THAT NIGHT LINCOLN, KEPT DREAMING ABOUT THE WOMAN IN THE CAR , ONLY INSTEAD OF A STRANGER IN THE SEAT, IT WAS ANGEL . LINCOLN’S TOSSING AND TURNING, INTURRUPTED WHAT LITTLE SLEEP ANGEL WAS GETTING, IT WAS NEARLY SIX A.M, SO SHE GOT UP TO FIX BREAKFAST .  

THEY KEPT A RADIO IN THE KITCHEN, THAT WAS SET TO COME ON AT ABOUT SIX FIFTEEN A.M AND IT WAS TUNED TO A MORNING TALK SHOW, WITH A NICE BLEND OF MUSIC, COMEDY AND TALK. BY THE TIME SHE’D WASHED UP AND GOT DRESSED, THE RADIO WAS ALREADY ON. SHE STARTED THE BACON TO COOKING AND THE COFFEE BREWING AND SHE WAS GOING TO MAKE A SMALL POT OF GRITS, TO COMPLETE THE BREAKFAST, WHEN SHE DECIDED TO MAKE A FEW SCRAMBLED EGGS FOR LINCOLN, (BIG MISTAKE) ALMOST AS SOON AS SHE TOOK THE LAST PIECE OF BACON OUT OF THE SKILLET, SHE STARTED TO FEEL ILL AGAIN, THE SMELL OF THE SCRAMBLED EGGS, WAS ABSOLUTLY TURNING HER STOMACH, SHE TRIED TO FIGHT IT BUT SHE JUST COULDN’T.

SHE HAD NEVER HAD NAUSEA LIKE THIS BEFORE, SHE THOUGHT SHE MIGHT TOSS HER COOKIES BEFORE SHE MADE IT TO THE GUEST BATHROOM, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS RIGHT NEXT TO THE KITCHEN.

LINCOLN, WOKE UP TO THE SOUND OF THE SMOKE ALARM GOING OFF AND THE SMELL OF BURNT EGGS, (WHICH BY THE WAY ALMOST TURNED HIS STOMACH)  HE STARTED SHOUTING FOR ANGEL, AS HE OPENED THE WINDOW, FOR SOME FRESH AIR, WHEN SHE DIDN’T ANSWER, HE STARTED TO GET WORRIED.        

IT WASN’T UNTIL HE TURNED OFF THE SMOKE ALARM AND TURNED OFF THE RADIO, THAT HE COULD HEAR THE WATER RUNNING IN THE GUEST BATHROOM, HE OPENED THE DOOR AND SHE WAS SITTING ON THE FLOOR, WITH HER BACK TO THE WALL AND A STRANGE LOOK ON HER FACE, SHE LOOKED UP AT HIM AND HALF SMILED, HE PLACED A COOL TOWEL ON HER HEAD AND SHE COULD TELL BY THE LOOK ON HIS FACE THAT HE WASN’T TAKING NO FOR AN ANSWER ON GOING TO THE HOSPITAL THIS TIME.

HE INSISTED SHE SEE A DOCTOR, HE HELPED HER GET CLEANED UP AND THEN DROVE HER TO THE HOSPITAL.  WHILE SHE WAS THERE, SHE GOT THE ROYAL TREATMENT, AFTER ALL IT’S NOT EVERYDAY THAT THE EHAD OF THE E.R, COMES IN AS A PATIENT, THEY RAN QUITE A FEW TESTS ON HER, THE FIRST OF WHICH WAS A PREGNANCY TEST AND THE RESULTS CAME BACK IMMEDIATELY, LINCOLN AND ANGEL, NOW HAD CONFIRMATION, THAT SHE WAS INDEED PREGNANT, BUT JUST HOW PREGNANT WAS SHE?   

THE ULTRASOUND, SHOWD ANGEL TO BE THREE MONTHS ALONG IN HER PREGNANCY, ANGEL COULD HARDLY BELIEVE IT, EVEN THOUGH LINC, THOUGHT SHE MIGHT BE PREGNANT, SHE HADN’T TAKEN IT SERIOUSLY, UNTIL THAT MORNING, WHEN THE EGGS GOT TO HER AND NOW HERE SHE WAS IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM, HER OTHER TESTS CAME BACK NORMAL.    

BY THE TIME THE DISCHARGE PAPERS WERE READY, THE SHOCK OF THE NEWS HAD SOMEWHAT SUBSIDED AND SHE AND LINCOLN, COULD HARDLY STOP SMILING AND HOLDING HANDS, WAITING ON THE TEST RESULTS, TOOK LONGER THAN THEY THOUGHT, ANGEL WAS EXHAUSTED BUT AT LEAST SHE KNEW WHY SHE’D BEEN SO TIRED, IT  HAD BEEN A LONG DAY.  LINC, DROVE HER STRAIGHT HOME, SHE WAS TO STAY OFF HER FEET,  FOR THE NEXT SEVENTY TWO HOURS, HE WAS HAPPY TO WAIT ON HER HAND AND FOOT.

TO MAKE SURE SHE WOULD STAY OFF HER FEET, LINC TOOK A FEW OF HIS VACATION DAYS, TO BE WITH HER, HE KEPT HER OCCUPIED BY WATCHING MOVIES, PLAYING GAMES AND SHE SLEPT A LOT AND INBETWEEN ALL THAT THEY CUDDLED A LOT, THEY HAD FALLEN IN LOVE ALL OVER AGAIN.   

 

                            A PROMISE KEPT

THE NEXT DAY, HE HAD TO LEAVE FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS, TO ATTEND  A MEETING HE HAD SET UP PREVIOUSLY, SHE PROMISED TO STAY OFF OF HER FEET BUT NOT BEFORE GETTING HIM TO PROMISE TO TAKE HER SHOPPING ON THE WEEKEND.  IT WASN‘T HARD FOR HER TO KEEP HER PROMISE AND STAY OFF HER FEET, SHE SPENT THE MAJORITY OF THE DAY SLEEPING.  THE SOUND OF THE TELEPHONE RINGING IS WHAT WOKE HER UP, LINC HAD ASKED HER SISTER CARMEN, TO CHECK ON HER.  CARMEN TOLD HER SHE WOULD BRING SOME DINNER OVER, CARMEN GOT TO THE HOUSE ABOUT A HALF HOUR  BEFORE LINC, RETURNED HOME.  

IN HIS RUSH TO SHOWER BEFORE HE ATE, HE YELLED, “GIMME FIFTEEN MINUTES LADIES, DON‘T  START DINNER WITHOUT ME. THAT GAVE CARMEN JUST ENOUGH TIME TO RUN TO THE BAKERY DOWN THE STREET AND PICK UP SOME DESSERT, SHE TOLD ANGEL SHE’D BE BACK IN TEN MINUTES.

ANGEL, HAD JUST GOTTEN COMFORTABLE ON THE SOFA, WHEN THE DOOR BELL RANG, SHE GOT UP TO ANSWER THE DOOR BUT BECAUSE SHE WAS EXPECTING CARMEN, SHE DIDN’T LOOK TO SEE WHO WAS AT THE DOOR, SO SHE UNLOCKED THE DOOR AND BEGAN TO WALK AWAY, SHE STOPPED IN HER TRACKS, WHEN SHE HEARD A MANS VOICE BEHIND HER.   

EXCUSE ME MISS, IM LOOKING FOR A MR. CARTER, HE COULD SEE THAT SHE WAS STARTLED  AND APOLOGIZED FOR SCARRING HER AND HE INTRODUCED HIMSELF. 

 IT WAS LOUIS, SHE INVITED HIM IN AND INTRODUCED HERSELF, JUST THEN LINCOLN WALKED INTO THE LIVINGROOM AND HE COULD HARDLY BELIEVE HIS EYES, STANDING NEXT TO HIS WIFE, WAS HIS BROTHER HE HADN’T SEEN IN SEVERAL YEARS.

THEY INVITED HIM TO STAY FOR DINNER, BY THIS TIME CARMEN, WAS BACK WITH SOME PASTRIES FOR DESSERT, SHE AND ANGEL, SET THE TABLE WHILE THE GUYS TALKED.

LOUIS, TOOK A LONG LOOK AT HIS BROTHEER AND THEN TOOK A DEEP BREATH AND BEGAN TO TELL HIM THAT WHEN HE CAME TO THE DOOR, HE HAD NO IDEA HE WAS GOING TO SEE HIS BROTHER.  HE WAS LOOKING FOR THE MR. CARTER, THAT WAS LISTED ON THE POLICE REPORT, THAT HAD HELPED TO SAFE HIS WIFE AND UNBORN CHILD.

THE LADIES HAD FINISHED SETTING THE TABLE AND FIXED THE PLATES, BY THE TIME THEY CALLED THEY GUYS TO THE DINNER TABLE.  AT DINNER, LOUIS TOLD THEM EVERYTHING HE KNEW ABOUT THE ACCIDENT AND THE ONGOING INVESTIGATION. 

HE ALSO TOLD LINCOLN, THAT HE WAS GLAD TO SEE THAT IT WAS HIM WHO FINALLY STOPPED TO HELP AND ALMOST IN UNISON, THE THREE OF THEM ASKED, FINALLY? 

YEAH, THE POLICE CHECKED A SURVEILLANCE CAMERA’S VIDEO OF THAT NIGHT AND IT SHOWS, NOT ONE BUT THREE CARS, PASSED THE ACCIDENT AND SLOWED DOWN BUT DIDN’T STOP TO HELP AT ALL AND AS FAR AS THE PERSON THAT HIT HER,  THAT PERSON NEVER EVEN STOPPED.  THE POLICE ARE STILL EXAMINING THE TAPE, TRYING TO GET A LISCENSE PLATE NUMBER.

DINNER ENDED ON A BRIGHTER NOTE, THAN IT STARTED ON, LOUIS , TOLD THEM THAT NICOLE WAS DOING WELL AND WOULD PROBABLY BE RELEASED SOON.  IT WAS GETTING LATE AND HE WANTED TO GET BACK TO THE HOSPITAL BEFORE SHE WENT TO SLEEP.  BEFORE HE LEFT, THEY EXCHANGED INFORMATION AND PROMISED TO KEEP IN TOUCH.   

HE WENT STRAIGHT TO THE HOSPITAL AFTER HE LEFT LINCOLN’S HOUSE, ANGEL, HAD WRAPPED SOME PASTRIES FOR HIM AND NICOLE, IF SHE FELT UP TO HAVING ANY.  NIKKI, WAS STILL AWAKE, WHEN LOUIS RETURNED AND HE TOLD HER ALL ABOUT HIS EVENING WITH LINCOLN AND HIS FAMILY.

SHE SMILED AS SHE LISTENED, PARTIALLY BECAUSE SHE WAS GLAD THAT LOUIS AND LINCOLN CARTER, WERE ONCE AGAIN, “THE BROTHER’S CARTER” AND THAT LOUIS WOULD NEVER AGAIN, AS HE PUT IT “FEEL LIKE “HUMPTY DUMPTY“, HIS FAMILY WASN’T BROKEN ANYMORE AND BY A STRANGE TWIST OF FATE, SHE HAD KEPT THE VOW SHE MADE, TO PUT THE FAMILY BACK TOGETHER, BEFORE HER BABY WAS BORN.  

                      MESSAGES

AFTER CARMEN LEFT, ANGEL AND LINCOLN, DECIDED TO CALL IT A NIGHT, WHEN THEY CAME INTO THE BEDROOM, THEY COULD SEE THE MESSAGE LIGHT FLASHING ON THE ANSWERING MACHINE, THEY FIGURED IT WAS CARMEN, CALLING TO SAY SHE MADE IT HOME ALRIGHT, LINC, PRESSED THE PLAY BUTTON, SO THEY COULD LISTEN TO THE MESSAGES AS THEY GOT DRESSED FOR BED.     

MESSAGE 1: LOUIS: LINCOLN, ANGEL THANKS AGAIN, I’LL TALK TO YOU TOMORROW

MESSAGE 2: CARMEN HEY GUY’S, I’M HOME AND LINC, I’M GLAD        YOU FOUND YOUR BROTHER

MESSAGE 3: JOSEPH: LINC, IT’S JOE, I NEED YOUR HELP. THAT (PANICKED VOICE)   ACCIDENT YOU TOLD ME ABOUT, RAY                                                               WAS…..

                     THEN THERE WAS SILENCE, THE TAPE HAD RUN OUT.

 

 

 

THE END?