The One I Dream About (Rated M) (Read 5,860 times)

Oooooohhhhh!! Can't wait for this story!!!

DD, you're such a tease!

Sure hope Austin is asleep and doesn't hear Carrie!

Sorry for the delay. Here's the sequal to "Carrafe Investigations." It takes place just a few short weeks later. Enjoy!

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SALEM INN, CARRIE AND AUSTIN’S ROOM
Carrie and Austin sit across the one desk in their hotel room, each staring at their computer.
CARRIE: Honey?
AUSTIN: Yes, dear?
CARRIE: Have you thought about taking some time off work like you promised?
AUSTIN: (looks up) I’ve thought about it, sure.
CARRIE: And?
AUSTIN: And there’s no way I can take time off any time soon. I’m sorry. I’m just so busy working for John.
CARRIE: Still?
AUSTIN: Well, he’s trying to track down each and every employee that had their life savings taken. He’s also asked me to go through the books for the past 10 years. He’s afraid there have been other anomalies that he doesn’t know about. It’s going to take me forever to get through all of this.
CARRIE: Can I help?
AUSTIN: I’m afraid not. John has insisted on complete privacy and, even though you are practically his daughter, he doesn’t want you involved.
CARRIE: That doesn’t make sense. I was, still am, his lawyer. Shouldn’t I be in the loop with all of this stuff?
AUSTIN: But since you are working with Rafe who is married to Sami who works for Kate who is married to Stefano, he wants to keep you out of it. He’s even sending me out of town to continue my work.
CARRIE: Out of town? Where? When were you going to tell me about it?
AUSTIN: He wants me to go back to Switzerland. He just told me today. I was going to tell you over dinner.
CARRIE: How soon do you leave?
AUSTIN: I leave tomorrow morning.
CARRIE: Oh. So soon?
AUSTIN: Yeah. I’m sorry to have to leave you like this, but you know how it is. Work work work.
CARRIE: Yeah, I know. And I can’t come with you?
AUSTIN: No. John was very adamant about that.
CARRIE: Wait a minute. If Basic Black is basically broke, how is he going to pay you for all of this?
AUSTIN: Now that Brady is joining the company, he’s bringing a hefty amount of his Kiriakis money with him. It’s enough to keep the company afloat, pay back all the employees, and still pay me.
CARRIE: That IS a hefty sum.
AUSTIN: You know those Kiriaki. They never do anything halfway.
CARRIE: I’ll miss you. I wish I could help.
AUSTIN: The best thing you can do is stay here and build up your investigation firm. (Kisses her on the forehead) I’ve got to go get some money from the bank. I’ll be back in a bit.
CARRIE: (Sadly) Ok. Bye.

Yay! Austin... stay in Switzerland please!

LOL at the Kiriaki. Sounds like Austin can use help with his overwhelming workload. I wonder if he will take his student assistant with him to Switzerland.

I love how this story is setting up. Great start DD!

CARRAFE INVESTIGATIONS OFFICES, CARRIE’S OFFICE

RAFE: So, he just left?
CARRIE: Yep. Apparently this thing John has him working on is so important, not a moment could be wasted. Especially not a nice evening with your wife before you have to leave the country. (Embarrassed) I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be unloading on you.
RAFE: It’s totally ok. What are partners for anyway?
CARRIE: I just can’t believe that he would just up and leave like that. He barely said goodbye. (Starts to cry) It’s almost like he was excited to get away from me.
RAFE: I don’t believe that for a second. Why would any man be eager to get away from you?
CARRIE: That’s sweet, but you don’t know the whole story.
RAFE: (Settles down in the chair across from her) Then tell me.
CARRIE: Really? Are you sure you want to hear it?
RAFE: Absolutely.
CARRIE: (Sighs) Alright then. This whole mess started in Switzerland. When we got there six years ago, we were so happy and in love. We had so much fun roaming around Europe. You can’t imagine how beautiful everything is. And the old castles? Breathtaking. We’d been there a year when we decided we wanted to have children so we started trying. We tried for months with no success. I went to a doctor, but he just said “Relax. Keep trying. You’re both fine.” Then it had been a year. Then two. Then four. By that time, I hated sex. We were only intimate when I was ovulating and every time we were, it was just another reminder that I wasn’t pregnant. Some months would go by and we wouldn’t make love at all. Eventually, Austin got busier and busier with work, my company went under, and I felt completely empty. I felt like I’d lost almost everything.
RAFE: Did you talk to Austin about your feelings?
CARRIE: I tried. He dismissed my worries about a baby by saying “Don’t worry. It’ll happen when it’s supposed to.” (Wipes tears from her eyes) I’m sure he was trying to be supportive and keep me from getting too stressed out, but it just came across as not caring. Then, my company fell victim to the world-wide recession and I became obsessed with changing my career. By going back to school and getting my law degree, I finally would have something that couldn’t be taken away. I passed the Illinois Bar Exam and began the process of moving back to Salem, alone. I couldn’t face Austin anymore. Each time I looked at his face I just saw all of my failures. But something happened and we started to click again. I don’t’ know if he sensed the growing gap between us, or what. But we started doing all the things we did when we first got to Switzerland. It was like the last four years hadn’t happened. It was wonderful. Austin brought up the idea of coming back to Salem and I jumped at the chance. I’d missed my family so much and really wanted a change of scenery. So here we are.
RAFE: So are you happy or sad? I’m confused.
CARRIE: (Laughs) I am too. We were good for a while, but after we settled in, Austin went right back to work and I’ve barely seen him since. (Sighs) And now he’s on a flight to Geneva and I don’t know when he’s coming back. I just don’t know what to do.
RAFE: Do you want to save your marriage?
CARRIE: (Looks in his eyes) I honestly don’t know.