Carrie: MIKE... MIKE!
Mike: OH. UHH... WHAT? DAMN, IT WAS JUST A DREAM. HE SAYS TO HIMSELF.
Carrie: WHERE WERE YOU JUST NOW? I CALLED YOUR NAME BUT YOU SEEMED TO BE IN LA-LA LAND.
MIKE BLUSHES AND LOOKS AWAY.
Mike: I'M SORRY CARRIE, I'VE JUST GOT A LOT ON MY MIND. GET A GRIP HORTON, YOU'VE GOT TO STOP FANTAZIZING ABOUT CARRIE. SHE LOVES AUSTIN, FORGET ABOUT EVER BEING WITH HER!
CARRIE PUTS HER HAND ON MIKE'S SHOULDER. MIKE CLOSES HIS EYES AT THE SECOND THRILL THE WOMAN OF HIS DREAMS HAS GIVEN HIM TODAY.
Carrie: THIS C.O.S. THING HAS REALLY GOT YOU DOWN, HUH? IF YOU ASK ME, THE BOARD IS CRAZY CHOOSING CRAIG THE CREEP OVER YOU. I JUST HOPE THEY EVENTUALLY SEE THROUGH HIS B.S. AND RECONSIDER THE MUCH BETTER CANDIDATE FOR THE JOB, YOU.
Mike: THANKS CARRIE, BUT CRAIG DOES A PRETTY GOOD JOB AT HIDING HIS SCHEMES.
Carrie: YEAH, I KNOW. MAYBE I SHOULD SET HIM UP WITH SAMI. BUT, WAIT A MINUTE, HE'S MARRIED. OF COURSE THAT WOULD'NT STOP THAT LITTLE WITCH.
Mike: I THOUGHT GETTING BURNED BY FRANCO CHANGED HER.
Carrie: SO SHE SAYS, BUT I'LL ALWAYS HAVE A HARD TIME BELIEVING ANYTHING SAMI SAYS.
Mike: I CAN'T BLAME YOU THERE. I JUST HOPE LUCAS' LOVE WILL BRING THE SWEETER SAMI BACK...
MIKE TRAILS OFF REALIZING HE'S SAID TOO MUCH.
Carrie: LUCAS' WHAT!
Mike: NOTHING.
Carrie: OH NO YOU DON'T. YOU SAID LUCAS LOVES SAMI? I THOUGHT HE WOULD HAVE LEARNED HIS LESSON WHERE SAMI WAS CONCERNED.
Mike: MY BROTHER AND I HAVE HAD A FEW HEART TO HEARTS IN THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.
Carrie: REALLY? THAT'S SOMETHING I NEVER THOUGHT I'D SEE.
Mike: I KNOW. LUCAS HAS BEEN FEELING BAD ABOUT WHAT HE DID TO SAMI AND FRANCO. SO HE CAME TO HIS BIG BROTHER FOR SOME ADVICE. BELIEVE ME, I WAS SHOCKED MYSELF THAT HE WOULD THINK OF COMING TO ME. LUCAS HAS TOLD ME HE'S SEEN A CHANGE IN SAMI THOUGH. HE HAS SEEN A VULNERABLE SIDE OF SAMI THAT SHE HARDLY LETS SHOW. HAVING FRANCO DUMP HER FOR THAT MODEL FROM HER CAMPAIGN WAS LIKE A SLAP IN THE FACE. LUCAS SAYS HE THINKS SAMI REALLY KNOWS WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE THE SHOE ON THE OTHER FOOT. SHE SPENT SO MUCH TIME SCHEMING THAT SHE NEVER THOUGHT ANYONE WOULD DO IT TO HER. SHE HAS SEEN FOR THE FIRST TIME JUST HOW MUCH LIES AND MANIPULATIONS HURT OTHERS.
Carrie: MAYBE LUCAS IS RIGHT BUT I CAN'T HELP BEING SKEPTICAL. SAMI HAS LIED SO MUCH TO EVERYONE IN THE PAST. I KNOW I SHOULD TRY TO GIVE HER THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT. EVEN AFTER ALL SHE'S DONE TO HURT ME, SHE'S STILL MY LITTLE SISTER. MAYBE HAVING SOMEONE TRULY LOVE HER WILL BRING THE SWEETER SAMI BACK THAT I KNEW WHEN WE WERE KIDS.
Mike:I SURE HOPE SO. BECAUSE OTHERWISE YOUR SISTER WILL CONTINUE TO LIVE LIFE MISERABLE AND ALONE. I HOPE YOUR SISTER AND MY BROTHER CAN TRULY BE HAPPY TOGETHER, AND GIVE THEIR SON A REAL FAMILY.
Carrie: YOU KNOW WHAT? SO DO I. BUT I GUESS WE'LL JUST HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE.
LUCAS IS PACING THE FLOOR IN THE LIVING ROOM.
Lucas: HOW DO I TELL HER? HOW CAN I MAKE HER SEE THAT WE BELONG TOGETHER?
JUST THEN SAMI WALKS IN. HER FACE IS TEAR STAINED. THIS SEEMS TO BE QUITE A COMMON OCCURENCE LATELY. SAMI HAD REALLY FALLEN HARD FOR FRANCO. AND TO HAVE HIM BETRAY HER WAS TOO MUCH FOR HER TO HANDLE.
Sami: WHO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, LUCAS? WHO DO YOU BELONG WITH?
Lucas: SAMI! NEVER MIND THAT. I'LL TELL YOU SOME OTHER TIME. COME HERE. YOU'VE BEEN CRYING AGAIN?
Sami: WHAT'S NEW? SHE SAYS FLATLY.
Lucas: SAMI, I HATE SEEING YOU LIKE THIS.
HE TAKES HER IN HIS ARMS AND TRIES TO COMFORT HER; TO TAKE AWAY HER PAIN. SEEING THE WOMAN HE LOVED IN SO MUCH PAIN WAS EATING HIM UP INSIDE. SOMEHOW HE HAD TO MAKE HER TRUST HIM AGAIN. HE KNEW HE WAS PARTLY TO BLAME FOR HER HEARTACHE. HE HAD WANTED REVENGE FOR HER LYING TO HIM ABOUT WILL. SO HE HAD SET UP A PLAN TO DESTROY FRANCO AND SAMI'S RELATIONSHIP.
SAMI JUST LET HIM HOLD HER. SHE WAS TOO WEAK TO FIGHT. SHE WAS STILL ANGRY AT LUCAS FOR WHAT HE HAD DONE, BUT RIGHT NOW SHE NEEDED SOMEONE TO BE THERE FOR HER.
Sami: OH, LUCAS. I JUST FEEL SO HELPLESS. I FEEL LIKE THERE'S NO USE IN GOING ON.
Lucas: SAMI? HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?! YOU HAVE PLENTY TO LIVE FOR. YOU HAVE TO BE THERE FOR WILL. HE CAN'T GROW UP WITH OUT HIS MOTHER.
LUCAS TILTS HER HEAD UP.
Lucas: AND YOU HAVE TO BE HERE FOR ME, TOO.
LUCAS LOWERS HIS MOUTH TO HERS AND KISSES HER LIPS.
SAMI PUSHES HIM AWAY.
Sami: LUCAS! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? I GET IT NOW. ALL OF THIS WAS A SHAM. YOU TRYING TO COMFORT ME. YOU'RE ONLY TRYING TO HURT ME MORE! HAVEN'T YOU DONE ENOUGH? MY LIFE IS ALREADY RUINED. YOU CAN STOP PRETENDING LIKE YOU CARE ABOUT ME. I CAN SEE THROUGH YOUR LITTLE SCHEME. I SWEAR TO GOD, LUCAS. I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR THIS. EVER! SAMI SCREAMS AT HIM AND RUNS UP THE STAIRS.
Lucas:OH GOD, WHAT HAVE I DONE?
LUCAS RUNS UP THE STAIRS AFTER SAMI. HE TRIES OPENING THE DOORKNOB TO HER BEDRROOM BUT IT'S LOCKED.
Lucas: SAMI. SAMI PLEASE OPEN THE DOOR. I NEED TO TALK TO YOU.
Sami: GO AWAY! I NEVER WANT TO TALK TO YOU AGAIN!
Lucas: SAMI, PLEASE I REALLY DO CARE ABOUT YOU. I WILL BE SORRY FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE FOR HOW I'VE HURT YOU.
Sami: YOU'RE LYING! YOU ENJOY SEEING ME SUFFER. WHAT YOU DID BACK THERE PROVES IT. NOW JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!
Lucas: THAT'S NOT TRUE SAMI. I HATE SEEING YOU IN PAIN. THE GUILT OF WHAT I HAVE DONE IS OVERWHELMING. I NEVER WANT TO CAUSE YOU HURT AGAIN. I LOVE YOU SAMI. THAT'S WHY I KISSED YOU.
SAMI COMES AND OPENS THE DOOR AND JUST LOOKS AT LUCAS THROUGH HER TEARS.
SCENE: THE HOSPITAL. MIKE'S OFFICE.
Carrie: MIKE. I KNOW NOW IS NOT A GOOD TIME. BUT COULD I TALK TO YOU?
Mike: SURE CARRIE. MY SHIFT GETS OVER IN A HALF AN HOUR. WOULD YOU LIKE TO WAIT IN MY OFFICE FOR ME?
Carrie: O.K. I'LL SEE YOU IN A HALF AN HOUR DR.HORTON.
MIKE LEAVES THE OFFICE TO FINISH HIS ROUNDS. CARRIE GOES AND SITS DOWN ON THE COUCH.
Carrie: POOR MIKE. HE REALLY WANTED THIS JOB. HE DESERVED IT TOO. HE IS BY FAR THE BEST MAN FOR THE JOB. HE'S KIND, CONSIDERATE, FUNNY, SEXY... SEXY? WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?
CARRIE HAD TO ADMIT THAT MIKE WAS VERY ATTRACTIVE. SHE COULDN'T HELP BUT NOTICE HIS WELL SHAPED BICEPS, HARD PECTS AND WASHBOARD STOMACH. BUT AUSTIN HAD ALL THAT TOO RIGHT? CARRIE STARTED TO THINK THAT THAT WAS ALL AUSTIN DID HAVE. A NICE BODY. HE WAS LACKING THE GREAT TRAITS MIKE POSSESED WHEN IT CAME TO PERSONALITY. MIKE WAS SMART AND AUSTIN ALWAYS HAD A CONFUSED LOOK ON HIS FACE.
Carrie: CARRIE BRADY, HOW DARE YOU THINK SOMETHING LIKE THAT ABOUT YOUR HUSBAND?! WAIT A MINUTE. CARRIE BRADY? WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU SAY THAT? YOU'VE BEEN CARRIE REED FOR ALMOST A YEAR NOW. THIS IS SO STRANGE. WHY DO I ENJOY SPENDING TIME WITH MIKE MORE THAN I DO WITH MY HUSBAND? HMMM... MAYBE IT'S JUST ADJUSTING TO BEING MARRIED. AUSTIN AND I WERE APART FOR SO LONG AND MIKE WAS THERE FOR ME THE WHOLE TIME. MAYBE I'M JUST MISSING THE TIMES MIKE AND I SHARED TOGETHER. MIKE IS SO WONDERFUL. IT'S NO WONDER HE HASN'T SWEPT SOME GIRL OFF HER FEET BY NOW. HE'D BE SO EASY TO FALL IN LOVE WITH. GOD, WHY AM I THINKING ABOUT THAT? FALLING IN LOVE WITH MIKE WOULD BE EASY. IF I WEREN'T ALREADY IN LOVE WITH AUSTIN. AUSTIN IS THE LOVE OF MY LIFE. OR IS HE? WHY AM I THINKING THAT FALLING IN LOVE WITH MIKE IS THE EASY PART. AND THAT THE HARD PART WOULD BE FALLING OUT OF LOVE WITH HIM? OH MY GOD! I'M IN LOVE WITH MIKE!
Carrie: WAIT A MINUTE. YOU CAN'T BE IN LOVE WITH MIKE, YOU LOVE AUSTIN.
MIKE HAS WALKED IN THE DOOR AND HAS HEARD WHAT CARRIE JUST SAID.
Mike: CARRIE?
Carrie: MIKE! I DIDN'T HEAR YOU COME IN.
SHE TURNS AWAY FROM HIM TO TRY AND HIDE HER EMBARASSMENT.
THINKING: OH MY GOD. WHAT IF HE HEARD WHAT I JUST SAID? HE CAN'T KNOW THAT I LOVE HIM. IT WOULD RUIN OUR FRIENDSHIP. I KNOW THAT HE COULD NEVER LOVE ME. OH, WHY DID I HAVE TO THINK ALOUD?
Mike: CARRIE, DID I JUST HEAR YOU SAY THAT YOU CAN'T BE IN LOVE WITH ME?
Carrie: YOU DID HEAR ME.
Mike: YES I DID. DID YOU MEAN WHAT YOU SAID? ARE YOU IN LOVE WITH ME?
Carrie: I CAN'T TALK ABOUT THIS RIGHT NOW MIKE. I HAVE TO GO.
CARRIE TRIES TO WALK OUT BUT MIKE STOPS HER FROM LEAVING. HE GRABS HER ARM AND PULLS HER TO HIM.
Mike: NO. I'M NOT GOING TO LET YOU GO. NOT THIS TIME. I HAVE TO TELL YOU FINALLY HOW I REALLY FEEL. I LOVE YOU CARRIE. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO TELL YOU BUT I JUST COULDN'T BECAUSE I KNEW YOU WERE MARRIED TO AUSTIN, AND THAT HE WAS THE ONLY ONE IN YOUR HEART. NOW THAT I KNOW THERE COULD BE A CHANCE FOR US, I'M NOT LETTING YOU SLIP AWAY. I WANT YOU TO REALIZE THAT YOU HAVE A CHOICE. I WILL LEAVE IT UP TO YOU TO DECIDE, BUT I WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT BEING WITH ME IS AN OPTION. I ONLY HOPE YOU REALIZE WHO IS THE BEST MAN FOR YOU. I WOULD LOVE FOR IT TO BE ME, BUT I'LL UNDERSTAND IF YOU CHOOSE AUSTIN.
CARRIE BREAKS DOWN INTO TEARS. SHE WAS SO CONFUSED AND FELT LIKE NO MATTER WHAT SHE SAID OR DID, SOMEONE WAS GOING TO GET HURT.
MIKE WRAPPED HIS ARMS AROUND HER PROTECTIVELY.
Mike: OH, PRINCESS, I HATE SEEING YOU IN SUCH TURMOIL. I'M BEGINNING TO WISH I HADN'T TOLD YOU HOW I FEEL. THE LAST THING I WOULD EVER WANT TO DO IS HURT YOU.
Carrie: NO MIKE. I'M THE ONE THAT HAS HURT YOU. BY NOT REALIZING THAT YOU LOVED ME SOONER. AND I HURT YOU BY MARRYING AUSTIN. YOU ASKED ME TO WAIT BUT I WOULDN'T LISTEN. I WAS TOO CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT SAMI DIDN'T WIN. DID YOU LOVE ME THEN? IS THAT WHY YOU WANTED ME TO WAIT?
Mike: YES, I LOVED YOU THEN. I WAS GOING TO TELL YOU, BUT YOU SEEMED SO HAPPY AND CONTENT. I KNEW THAT YOU WOULD HAVE STILL GONE THROUGH WITH THE MARRIAGE AND WOULD HAVE RESENTED ME IF I HAD TOLD YOU THEN.
Carrie: MIKE, I COULD NEVER RESENT YOU. BUT YOU'RE RIGHT. I WOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH WITH MARRYING AUSTIN. IT HAD BEEN MY GOAL TO MAKE SAMI LOSE FOR SO LONG THAT THAT WAS ALL I HAD ON MY MIND THEN.
SHE STARTED CRYING AGAIN.
Carrie: OH, MIKE WHAT AM I GOING TO DO? I DON'T WANT TO HURT EITHER YOU OR AUSTIN. I LOVE BOTH OF YOU THOUGH, BUT FOR DIFFERENT REASONS. AUSTIN WAS MY FIRST LOVE, BUT YOU ARE MY SOULMATE, MY BEST FRIEND AND CONFIDANTE. I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT I SHOULD DO. MAYBE I SHOULD JUST LEAVE. BOTH OF YOU WOULD BE MUCH HAPPIER WITHOUT ME AROUND.
Mike: NO. CARRIE PLEASE DON'T LEAVE. MY LIFE WOULD BE EMPTY WITHOUT YOU. WHAT EVER DECISION YOU MAKE, I'LL DEAL WITH. BUT I COULDN'T BEAR TO LOSE YOU COMPLETELY. YOU'VE MADE ME HAPPY AND COMPLETE AGAIN; SOMETHING I DIDN'T THINK WOULD EVER HAPPEN.
HE WAS NOW CRYING. CARRIE WIPED HIS TEARS AWAY AND HELD HIS FACE IN HER HANDS. SHE KISSED HIS CHEEKS WHERE THE TEARS HAD BEEN. AND THEN BRUSHED HIS LIPS WITH HERS. HE RESPONDED WITH A FERVOR THAT HAD BEEN PENT UP FOR ABOUT A YEAR. THE KISS TURNED PASSIONATE AND THEY HELD ONTO EACH OTHER LIKE THEY NEVER WANTED TO LET GO.
Austin: CARRIE, I WAS TOLD YOU WERE IN HERE...
HE TRAILED OFF A LOOK OF TOTAL SHOCK CROSSED HIS FACE AT WHAT HE WAS
WITNESSING.
GO BACK TO MY STORY PAGE
GO BACK TO MY MIKE AND CARRIE PAGE
since 10/23/98
