TITLE: Vows and Promises
PART: 25/?
AUTHOR: Susan
E-Mail: lilichild@aol.com
DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters or anything of substancial value, draw
your own conclusions
ARCHIVE: Past editions can be found at the Lounge http://er.neoxer.com or my
site, http://www.geocities.com/suechru/er/fics.   Feel free to archive this but
archive in its entirity and please alert me of where.
NOTE: Thanks for all the feedback.  It's always, always welcome.  I swear this
story is going somewhere.  Unfortuantely I came up with the idea for the end
FIRST, so in essence this is being written backwards <G>


SEATTLE

"I really wish you'd reconsider this"  Carol said as she drove "I feel like I
barely got to see you"

Susan shook her head.  "I only was able to get a few days off."

"Yes, but you could fly out tomorrow and be back for your shift in plenty of
time." Carol reasoned "The train will take you two days"

"Carol, you know I hate to fly" Susan replied glancing over at her friend.
"Otherwise, I'd stay.  They girls have gotten so big" She glanced over her
shoulder at Tess and Kate who were gumming on teething rings in the backseat. 

"I think there's miracle grow in their baby cereal and no one told us" Carol
joked.  Then again, she thought, it's been months since Susan's seen them.
It's been months since I'VE seen Susan, too.  God, she missed her.  This was
the first time that she'd seen her since she moved to Seattle.  Her visit
seemed too short.  Susan had only been in for two days and it left her wanting
more.   Carol wanted to slow the car down and pull over just so she'd get more
time with her friend. 

Susan laughed.  "Well, you never know these days" God, she'd talked to Carol
at least weekly since she first left Chicago, but these visits... They just
seemed to remind her what she was missing a lot of the time in her life these
days.  She'd forgotten how they laughed together in public and how they could
interpert each other's facial expressions.  All these years later, she could
still see through Carol.   She knew when she was being honest and when she
wasn't. 

And as much as Susan loved that, it hurt.  It hurt, because she knew that
she'd be back in Phoenix, essentially alone without her best friend.   Carol,
at least, had her beautiful little girls and fiancee to go home to.   That was
another thing, as happy as she was for Carol, and she really WAS happy for her,
she couldn't stand being in Seattle these days.   The thought horrified her,
but it was true.   Carol had in essence everything she herself lacked in her
life.  Children, a fiancee, and a HOME.  In two days she'd be back in her empty
apartment, but Carol would go home to Doug and the girls.  God, how she envied
her. 

They reached the train station then.  Carol seemed reluctant to get out of the
car.   

"Well, here we are." Carol spoke up sadly.  "I'm sorry Doug couldn't come to
see you off"

"It's okay, I'm sure I'll have plenty of time to rib him later" She said
forcing a small smile.   Susan was secretly glad Doug had to work that day.   At
least she didn't have to watch the family as she boarded that train.   It
seemed everyone had a family except her.  Even Chloe was settled down. As happy
as she tried to be for those around her, she felt miserable at the same time. 

"Yeah" Carol replied, unfastening the Tess from her car seat and putting her
in the double stroller.  "I really wish you'd reconsider.  You could stay a few
more days if you flew.  It's actually safer than trains anyway"

"Yeah, what with air rage and all" Susan replied sarcastically.  There was no
way she was getting on a plane.   Besides she didn't know if she could take
anymore of watching other people's happiness.   Plus Carol's mother was still
in town and she was tired of mediating the endless squabbles between the two. 

"Point taken" Carol conceded "Still..."

"I'll be in the whole week before the wedding." Susan reminded her "I'll be
hosting your shower and more importantly - your bacholarette party" She grinned
wickedly causing Carol to laugh aloud. 
"So..." Carol stated slowly pushing the stroller back and forth a little to
soothe the fussy girls. 

"So..." Susan replied sadly.  There was a pause then she blurted out. "God,
I'm going to miss you"

"I'm going to miss you, too" Carol responded crying and laughing at the same
time.  The two hugged as an overhead announcement declared boarding for Susan's
train. 

"I have to go" Susan said reluctantly.  She gave Carol one last tight hug,
placed a kiss on each of the twins and grabbed her bag. 

"Call me when you get there" Carol called after her. 

"Yes, Mom" Susan teased as she boarded.  She'd just had enough time to settle
down before the train started to pull away from the station.  She looked out
the window at Carol who had was waving while standing behind the stroller. 
She waved back but knew they probably couldn't see her. 

She sank back into her seat glad to be leaving Seattle yet not thrilled to be
returning to Phoenix either.  She sat up with a start at that thought.  So
where the hell does that leave me, she wondered. 
~ Susan (lilichild@aol.com)
Proud to be Head of the International Society of Carterholics Anonymous
http://www.geocities.com/suechru/er/carterholic
"The answers we find are never what we had in mind so we make it up as we go
along" Nine Days  <HONK>