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| Story: A New Life - Chapter 22 Tuesday, 16-May-2000 20:59:13
More developments in Sarah and Andre's flagging relationship. The return of some old 'friends'. And an emotional revelation that shakes Sarah's feelings to their very core - but in what way? Read on! :) It felt good to be back to work. If Sarah Carter had another weekend like this past one, she thought she’d never leave work again. So much had happened in those three days – she almost couldn’t believe that they had all happened within so short a span of time. In fact, she had said so to Dana as her sister was getting ready to leave the journalist’s apartment for the airport. Dana had agreed, but had told her to “cheer up” or some other such maxim. Her sister was always saying things like that - - still, it had made Sarah feel a little better. She did realize, though, that a large part of feeling that way was due to Dana’s knowledge of her secret. Having the knowledge of someone else knowing what she went through did make it an easier burden to bear. In fact, Dana (after getting over her almost catatonic state) had been very supportive. She had even volunteered to stay a little longer and assist Sarah’s search for the two mystery women. But Sarah had politely and lovingly declined her sister’s offer. “You said it yourself earlier: you’ve been away from your own family long enough. I’ll be okay – I’ve got Andy to help me out, too, you know.”, she had explained. So she had hugged Dana good-bye and had left for The Denver Post’s office. She realized that she was going to miss Dana’s presence. She had become used to her adopted sibling’s laughter and good-natured ness, and the apartment was going to be a quieter place without her. Right now, however, Sarah had little time to dwell over such musings. She was here to do a job, and she needed to focus her entire attention and energy on getting that job done. Especially when it held a more personal note to her. In just over half-an-hour, the president of Stanwick Consolidated Freightways, Michael Harris, would have his first day in court. Representatives of every media corporation in Colorado would be there, and Lana Wayne would have no other reporter there than Sarah Carter. Sarah was glad that she was getting the assignment – and it had much more meaning than just a great story. Mr. Harris’ name kept coming up every time she had been threatened or attacked. But when she had gone to meet him, he had told her that he new nothing of such activities. To say that she was skeptical of his words was a massive understatement. She couldn’t be sure one way or the other if he had told her the truth, and her talks with Xris had swayed her to be patient in this regard. So she would ask no personal question in private this day - - but a reckoning was coming. At the present time she needed to get ready to go and cover this front-page story. She was in the final stages of gathering her materials when she felt the presence of another person coming to stand just outside her workspace. Sarah bent her head upwards slightly from stuffing her electronic organizer into her purse and saw Andrew Peters standing there, looking a bit nervous. But she paid no attention to that – he was always nervous around her. “Hi, Andy. Come on in. I’m going to be shooting off here in a sec, but I can make some time for you.” Andrew grinned weakly and, almost hesitantly, shuffled up to a position near her chair. “Hi, Sarah. Umm - - can I talk to you a – about something kind of - - private?’ Sarah zipped her purse closed and looked up at her friend. “Sure. You know you can always talk about anything to me. What’s on your mind?” Andrew ran a hand through his brown hair, biting his lower lip. “I know that - - that you and I…well - - we have – feelings for each other, right? I mean - - we care for each other – more so than just f – friends, right?” Sarah, somewhat confused but trying not to show it, nodded, her expression prodding him to continue. “Well - - it’s Jane, Sarah. She - - she told me that she……loved me. Yesterday. I – I don’t know what to say. I mean, I –I still care for you….. But she and I - - well, we - - you know – slept together. This is very hard for me to say, Sarah. I need to – figure this out, you know? Get….get some of this worked out - - by myself.” And then he was gone, quickly disappearing from her presence before she could utter a single word. She leaned heavily back in her chair, her eyes closed in tortured thought. ‘I’ve lost him.’, she thought. ‘It was a mistake to become intimate as my alter identity. He thinks he’s trying to decide between two people, when it’s really only two different aspects of the same person. He’s also trying to save me as much heartache as he can by telling me this. He doesn’t – couldn’t know how much it does hurt.’ Sarah’s blue-gray eyes were beginning to mist over, and she pulled out a tissue and wiped the tears from them, trying not to smear her light mascara. ‘This clenches it, then, doesn’t it? I have to tell him the truth about me. That the women he loves are really one-in-the-same. I’ll probably lose his friendship over this, too. That’s what hurts more than anything. But I wouldn’t blame him - - it’s all my fault for allowing it to happen in the first place.’ She glanced down at her watch and saw by the placement of its small silver hands that it was time to head down to the courthouse. She gathered her composure as best she could and headed down to the parking garage. Dana Carter looked up as she heard one of the stewardesses announce that Flight 365 was commencing boarding. She had a bit to wait, as only first-class and families with very small children were allowed to board right then. That gave her time to mull over things – and she did have much to mull over. ‘My own sister - - I still can’t really get it through my head!’, she thought, even now finding that she was amazed at Sarah’s disclosure of her surreptitious other identity. ‘I don’t think I would have believed it if she hadn’t showed me first-hand. She has been hiding this from everyone for so many years….I could tell that, despite her surprise at finding out that I had NO idea about her other life, Sarah felt immense relief at sharing that secret with someone else. It has to be hard to keep something that significant hidden from your friends, family, co-workers….. I do find that I’m very glad that she chose me to be the recipient of her trust. From what I’ve read, she’s done so much good; and yet, she told me that she was thinking about giving it all up! She wouldn’t tell me exactly why - - something traumatic that she didn’t talk about must have happened. I can’t think of any other reason for her to cease her aid. I would try to talk her out of it, but ultimately even I can’t decide for her. Sarah must choose her own life, but as her sister, it’s my duty to support her in whatever she decides.’ “Flight 365, service from Denver to Los Angeles, is now boarding Rows 10 through 19.” Dana brought her thoughts back to the here-and-now. ‘That’s me.’ She stood up from the uncomfortable plastic chair and walked over to stand in the line that was forming in front of the tunnel walkway leading to the Boeing 737. ‘I can’t believe that I have to fly all the way to L.A. just to go to Seattle.’, she thought with a hint of irritation. ‘But that’s where the airline’s hub is, so that’s where I’ll go. I just hope this time we get there before my connecting flight leaves. Last time I got stuck at the terminal for almost seven hours before another flight left.’ She had almost reached the smiling, friendly stewardess and the tunnel when she heard her name called out from somewhere behind her. Turning her head around, Dana caught sight of the person who had spoken – and froze. It was one of the so-called ‘government-sponsored’ women who had talked to her Saturday night. She was standing on the other side of the metal detector that led into the boarding area. To Dana’s eyes, she was dressed in exactly the same outfit she had been in the motel room and in the mall. “Excuse me.”, she politely said, stepping out of line and walking back towards the woman. As she approached her unexpected and waiting visitor, Dana scanned the immediate area for signs of the other one, but didn’t spot her. Dana reached the detector. “I didn’t think I would see you again…..Beth, was it? My flight’s leaving – what do you want?” The Gammonian noted the other woman’s not-quite-hidden hostility, but decided not to act upon it. “I know. I am very sorry for bothering you at the last minute, but something has come up, and we need your help.” “What? Now you need my help in catching this ‘thief’ ring of yours? Sarah’s isn’t enough anymore?” Dana didn’t tell the other that she knew the true secret her sister was hiding; there was no reason to give up any advantage she might hold over Beth and her cohort. And she wanted to find out – very succinctly – just what Beth wanted out of her this time. “Please, we do need your assistance. Your sister is in danger. I am sorry that I cannot be more specific at this time, but we have uncovered evidence that there will be another attempt on her life today. Will you help us?” This changed everything. ‘If Sarah needs my help, than I’m going to give it to her! Plus, maybe this will give her an opportunity to question this one about everything.’ “Okay, I’m coming.” Dana talked to the security guards manning the X-ray scanner, and they allowed her to take her carry-on bag and depart the waiting area. “Where is she right now?”, she asked Beth as they quickly walked towards one of the airport’s many glass-filled exits. “Sarah is now attending the court trial of Michael Harris, president of Stanwick Consolidated Freightways. We have reason to believe that he is somehow implicated in this entire affair. We do not think he is aware of your sister’s involvement, but we do know that her life is in danger.” Beth led Dana outside and, good as her word, towards a rented 2000 Ford Taurus. Dana slid into the back seat, noting that the second half of this mysterious pair, Amy, was waiting behind the wheel. She pulled away from the curb as soon as the two were inside and headed for the interstate highway. ‘Now I’m not so sure that this was a good story for me to follow…..’ The trial had taken a half-hour recess, and Sarah Carter found that she was almost bored to the point of tears. So far nothing of any substance had come out of the questioning. The trial was just in its preliminary stages, and most of the information the prosecution and defense were presenting to the judge and jury were already known. ‘I have to admit that this is a waste of my abilities. Jones could have covered this as well as I, or McAllister, or Andrew…..’ At the silent mention of her friend’s name, a wave of sadness and regret again washed over the journalist. ‘Oh Andrew - - I’m sorry that I wasn’t up front with you from the start. It might have cost me our friendship…..’ As she wandered the courthouse’s large forum, she suddenly spotted the very person she had been thinking about. Andrew was just walking through one of the large plate-glass doors, and he spotted her immediately. He adjusted his course towards her, and she found that she was holding her breath. ‘This is silly, Sarah. He’s probably just come over for a second because he needs to borrow something or to check with my schedule. It probably has nothing to do with our relationship – such as it is.’ She could tell herself that all she wanted, but her heart wouldn’t believe any of it. “Hello, Sarah. Glad I could catch you.”, he greeted, coming to a stop next to her. “Listen, what I was saying earlier - - about Jane and all…. I’m sorry I brought it up to you. I had n – no right to talk to you about that. You deserve more - - better.” He laughed nervously, running a hand through his sandy-brown hair (another sign of his nervousness). “I guess what I’m trying to say is - - “ He stopped, looking around him. “I - - I really don’t want to talk about it in here. Could we step outside for a little while?” Sarah nodded, trying to keep her eagerness and hope in check. “Sure, Andy. I don’t need to be back in court for another twenty minutes.” They walked outside and into one of the more secluded concrete tables along the side of the courthouse. They sat down. “Okay, I can tell what you want to say is very important. Really, Andrew, you don’t have to worry about me. Whatever decision you make about our relationship, I’ll always be your friend.” Inside, however, Sarah was absolutely impatient for his explanation. Andrew smiled, reaching out and taking her hand in his. “Thanks, Sarah. But I already knew that. I’ve known you for several years now, and you’ve been the best friend that I’ve ever had. I do love Jane – but there’s more to true love than just the physical aspects. Maybe - - maybe the real reason that I’m attracted to her is that she has the same kind of inner light – the same wonderful personality – as you do. I realize that’s what I was really after, and that you have been trying to freely offer it to me for a while now.” He looked deeply into her blue-gray eyes, trying to gauge her emotions. “I love you, Sarah Carter, and I want to be with you always.” Sarah was breathless with joy. He said it. He had actually said it! “I love you.” Those were the three words she had been waiting for him to say to her for a long time. And now he had said them. Not only that, but he had picked her, Sarah Carter, over the other her, Jane! Sarah wasn’t fooling herself: she knew that her Gammonian body, while green, was much sexier and pleasing to the senses that her human body was (though it was no slouch, either, she admitted). But Andrew had given that up for her! He wanted HER!! “Andy, I - - I – “ She had wanted to tell him that she loved him, too, but her words were cut off by the sound of a truck’s engine coming from the street on the other side of the thick hedgerow that separated the side of the courthouse from the avenue beyond. The noise rapidly grew in volume; suddenly a large portion of the tall shrubbery was violently tossed aside and shredded as the oncoming truck broke through. It headed right for their table. “Watch out, Sarah!”, Andrew cried out, pushing her away from the polished marble table. He jumped backwards, just barely out of the way as the truck rushed towards them. But the driver slammed on the breaks at the last second, swerving to the right, knocking the table over as it passed. Right on top of Andrew Peters. To be continued Terry |
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