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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
Blue Cove, Maryland
Saturday December 8
Back at the Centre, the search for Jarod was always a step behind him. Miss Parker was getting as impatient as ever, especially with the impending holidays. Because of Jarod she felt she hadn't had a vacation in over three years. Lyle was acting especially strange as late, ever since they'd gone to Philadelphia. Miss Parker had wondered what was up, but since it was Lyle, she didn't really want to know.
That evening Lyle was on his way back to his apartment when he noticed the car behind him that was following him. Fear ran through his mind as he looked down at his one good thumb left and remembered the threat that Jarod had made to him while he was in Philadelphia. "Don't panic, it's okay I can get out of this. I've lost tails hundreds of times," he told himself. It only took him five minutes to lose the tail, after which he rushed back to his apartment as fast as he could. He had been inside his apartment for a mere ten minutes when the phone rang and startled him out of his wits. Warily Lyle walked over to the phone and picked up...
-Yes?
-Carl is that really you?
-Who is this?
-Don't you remember me?
-Like I said, who is this?
-It's Lauren... Lauren Matthews... we met five years ago in Europe.
-I'm sorry I don't know any Lauren Matthews.
-You've forgotten me? You told me that you would never forget me when we were traveling on our way to Zurich, right before you disappeared... It's really not you is it?... Oh god I'm so embarrassed, I'm sorry I'll-
-Wait, you're Lauren Matthews from Connecticut, we met in France? God I'm sorry. Where are you?
-Oh you do remember... actually I'm downstairs can I come up?
-Of course you can, I'll buzz you right in, it's apartment 7F.
-Thanks, I'll see you in a bit.
'Oh my god, has it really been that long? Five years? I can't believe I forgot her, the One' Lyle was thinking to himself as he eagerly waited to see her, the one woman he had fallen in love with. Lyle was pacing back and forth behind the door when the doorbell rang. He rushed to the door and flung the door open to see her standing there as beautiful as when he'd met her. "Hey Lauren."
"Hey Carl, how are you? It's been a long time."
"Yes it has, I'm doing good. And you?" Lyle just stood there in the door as he stared at her.
"I'm fine thanks," she replied as she smiled and blushed a bit. "I'd actually like to introduce you to someone special." With that she turned behind her and bent down and whispered something that Lyle couldn't here. She then stood up once again and as she turned back to face 'Carl' she led a little girl around in front of her. "Carl I'd like you to meet my baby girl Simone, Simone this is my dear old friend Carl."
Lyle was shocked as he looked down at the little girl with an angelic face. As shocked as Lyle was, Simone was shy. "Um... hi there Simone. Nice to meet you." He told her as he knelt down and offered his hand. Simone only backed further into her mother as she noticed the gloved hand without a thumb. Lyle was taken aback by her movements and saddened as he stood up and looked back into Lauren's eyes. "Kids never really did take to me," he told her quite sheepishly. A silence followed his statement before he finally invited them in.
"I was wondering if you were going to invite me in or if we were just going to talk in the doorway," with that remark Lyle bashfully smiled. "You were always a gentleman, a little slow though at the actions!"
"Yeah I remember, sorry."
"For what, there's nothing to be sorry about it, I'm just glad I got to see you."
"Yeah me too. Can I offer you anything? Food a drink?"
"I'm fine thanks, Simone do you want anything?"
The little girl just nodded her head no as she continued to stare at Lyle's hands. For the first time since his run in with the Yakuza, he was ashamed of his hand and actually hid it from sight as he shoved his hand into his pocket.
"God it's good to see you, I'd almost forgotten how beautiful you are. So what brings you here? How'd you find me?"
"Let me tell you, you're not an easy man to find, Carl, but you go by your middle name now I see. Why the change?"
Lyle didn't know exactly how to respond, to Lauren he was Carl Lyle Smith, he was also a kind sensitive man who adored her. 'Not the sick sadistic monster I really am. She always did bring out the best in me.' "Well it's a long story... let's get back to you. How long are you in town for?"
"For a couple of days... actually I was wondering if I could stay with you for that time?"
"Yeah of course you can... we have a lot of catching up to do."
"Yes we do, I have a lot of things I want to tell you. But first can I put Simone to bed, it's coming up on her bedtime?"
"Of course, you two can take my room."
"Carl that's ridiculous, this is your apartment. We'll take the couch here."
"Lauren please, I insist." He pleaded with her, as she silently nodded her head. "Here the bedroom's this way... and here's the bathroom. There's some towels and sheets in the closet there. I'll wait for you out in the living room." As he left her in the room, he turned back towards her and smiled. It was a genuine smile of happiness, a kind that hadn't passed his lips in a long time.
"Thank you Carl, I really do appreciate it."
A few minutes later she rejoined him in the living room, "So what have you been up to Carl?"
"Oh not much, just work."
"And where might that be? You know I always had to drag information out of you."
"Yeah I remember," as a slight smile crossed Lyle's face as he remembered their time in Europe. "I work at a think tank in Blue Cove which is about forty-five minutes away."
"I'm not surprised, you always were smart," she told him as she smiled.
"So tell me about you what have you been up to?"
"Oh not much, just working jobs here and there. Raising Simone is a full time job in itself, if you know what I mean."
"I can only imagine," he replied with a small laugh in his face, and an even bigger smile across his face.
Oddly they both became quiet as they remembered their time spent together. "Carl why did you leave me in Zurich?"
The question caught Lyle off guard, "Well... I... uh..."
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked you, what's done is done right?" She said as she tried to lighten the mood with a smile across her face but pain in her eyes. The silence continued.
"You know you're really good with her?"
"Thanks, she's my pride and joy."
"How old is she?"
"She turned four four months ago... actually that's one of the reasons why I came by. I wanted you to meet her."
"I don't really understand what you're saying Lauren," he asked her with a quizzical look on his face.
"I don't know how to tell you this, but she's your daughter Carl." She had finally gotten out what she had been trying to say, now she only hoped that he would accept them.
"What?" Lauren could hardly hear him as the shock settled in with Lyle.
"I found out a week after you left that I was pregnant. I'm sorry I didn't know how to tell you, and I've been trying to find you for the past year. Carl please say something..."
Lyle was speechless as he processed what she was saying. 'I'm a father?' was all that came through his mind. 'That sweet little girl is my daughter? I can't believe it... Wait I can't do this, I can't be a father.' As that last thought came through his mind he suddenly stood up and walked towards the door. Lauren was startled by his brash move, as she stared at him with pain in her face.
"Say something, please." As he neared the door the only thought she could muster was 'Please don't let him leave me again god?' "Please don't leave us Carl?"
"Uh... I've got to go for a walk. I can't deal with this right now." And with that he walked out the door and ran down the seven flights of stairs out onto the street below. Lauren could only look on as tears formed in her eyes. She went to the window and looked down and saw him run away like a madman. Lauren thought to herself, 'Oh god, I've done it again, I've pushed him away again'
Two hours later Lyle finally came back to his apartment with his mind cleared and a decision already made. As he walked in he saw that Lauren was not in the living room. He searched the rest of the apartment, and with each room he checked, fear filled his mind. The last room he checked was his own bedroom. And there she was, curled up in the bed. 'My baby girl.' As he looked at her, he began to wonder where Lauren was, he ran back out into the living room where on the table he found a letter addressed to him.
Carl,
I'm sorry to do this to you, but you had to know that you have a daughter. And Simone needs to know who her father is. Please give her the other letter and my ring when she wakes up in the morning. I came to you because I need your help, I have no one left to turn to. I'm dying. I've only got a few more months to go. I can't let Simone see me as I suffer, and so I feel that the only way to protect her is to give her to someone who will care for her, you. She knows I'm dying, and I hope she'll understand why I left her so early. Please take care of our baby doll. I need you to do this, and so does she. I hope you'll forgive me, I never stopped loving you, and I never will.
Love,
Lauren
As Lyle read the letter he sank down onto the couch. 'How am I going to do this? I can't be a father... how do I tell her?' And with that thought still in his mind, he got up and walked to his bedroom. He opened the door and just looked at Simone sleep. He remained at the door for ten minutes just looking at her, before he entered the room and sat on the chair in the corner. From there he continued to watch her sleep, until he himself fell asleep.
The next morning Lyle woke up as the sun shone into his room. He started to ask himself why he had fallen asleep on the chair, when his eyes fell to the bed and he saw Simone. When he saw her, the harsh reality of the previous night came back to him - he was now a father. As the sun got brighter, Simone began to stir in the bed. Once her eyes had adjusted to the light, she sat up in bed looking for her mother. When she didn't find her, and instead found Lyle in the corner she merely looked at him, and spoke, "She's gone isn't she?"
Lyle was shocked by the little voice, and the knowledge that lay in her voice. "Yeah she is... I'm sorry Simone." Lyle then remembered the ring and letter Lauren had left for her and began to pull them out of his pocket. "Here your mom left these for you." Lyle walked over to her and handed her the items. He was surprised that she no longer moved back in fear because of him. The rest of the morning was filled with awkward moment after awkward moment as neither wanted to broach the topic. In the afternoon they went on a walk to the park across the street. From a building down the road, Lauren looked on as she saw the two of them walking to the park, 'Please God take care of them!'
Saturday December 8
Back at the Centre, the search for Jarod was always a step behind him. Miss Parker was getting as impatient as ever, especially with the impending holidays. Because of Jarod she felt she hadn't had a vacation in over three years. Lyle was acting especially strange as late, ever since they'd gone to Philadelphia. Miss Parker had wondered what was up, but since it was Lyle, she didn't really want to know.
That evening Lyle was on his way back to his apartment when he noticed the car behind him that was following him. Fear ran through his mind as he looked down at his one good thumb left and remembered the threat that Jarod had made to him while he was in Philadelphia. "Don't panic, it's okay I can get out of this. I've lost tails hundreds of times," he told himself. It only took him five minutes to lose the tail, after which he rushed back to his apartment as fast as he could. He had been inside his apartment for a mere ten minutes when the phone rang and startled him out of his wits. Warily Lyle walked over to the phone and picked up...
-Yes?
-Carl is that really you?
-Who is this?
-Don't you remember me?
-Like I said, who is this?
-It's Lauren... Lauren Matthews... we met five years ago in Europe.
-I'm sorry I don't know any Lauren Matthews.
-You've forgotten me? You told me that you would never forget me when we were traveling on our way to Zurich, right before you disappeared... It's really not you is it?... Oh god I'm so embarrassed, I'm sorry I'll-
-Wait, you're Lauren Matthews from Connecticut, we met in France? God I'm sorry. Where are you?
-Oh you do remember... actually I'm downstairs can I come up?
-Of course you can, I'll buzz you right in, it's apartment 7F.
-Thanks, I'll see you in a bit.
'Oh my god, has it really been that long? Five years? I can't believe I forgot her, the One' Lyle was thinking to himself as he eagerly waited to see her, the one woman he had fallen in love with. Lyle was pacing back and forth behind the door when the doorbell rang. He rushed to the door and flung the door open to see her standing there as beautiful as when he'd met her. "Hey Lauren."
"Hey Carl, how are you? It's been a long time."
"Yes it has, I'm doing good. And you?" Lyle just stood there in the door as he stared at her.
"I'm fine thanks," she replied as she smiled and blushed a bit. "I'd actually like to introduce you to someone special." With that she turned behind her and bent down and whispered something that Lyle couldn't here. She then stood up once again and as she turned back to face 'Carl' she led a little girl around in front of her. "Carl I'd like you to meet my baby girl Simone, Simone this is my dear old friend Carl."
Lyle was shocked as he looked down at the little girl with an angelic face. As shocked as Lyle was, Simone was shy. "Um... hi there Simone. Nice to meet you." He told her as he knelt down and offered his hand. Simone only backed further into her mother as she noticed the gloved hand without a thumb. Lyle was taken aback by her movements and saddened as he stood up and looked back into Lauren's eyes. "Kids never really did take to me," he told her quite sheepishly. A silence followed his statement before he finally invited them in.
"I was wondering if you were going to invite me in or if we were just going to talk in the doorway," with that remark Lyle bashfully smiled. "You were always a gentleman, a little slow though at the actions!"
"Yeah I remember, sorry."
"For what, there's nothing to be sorry about it, I'm just glad I got to see you."
"Yeah me too. Can I offer you anything? Food a drink?"
"I'm fine thanks, Simone do you want anything?"
The little girl just nodded her head no as she continued to stare at Lyle's hands. For the first time since his run in with the Yakuza, he was ashamed of his hand and actually hid it from sight as he shoved his hand into his pocket.
"God it's good to see you, I'd almost forgotten how beautiful you are. So what brings you here? How'd you find me?"
"Let me tell you, you're not an easy man to find, Carl, but you go by your middle name now I see. Why the change?"
Lyle didn't know exactly how to respond, to Lauren he was Carl Lyle Smith, he was also a kind sensitive man who adored her. 'Not the sick sadistic monster I really am. She always did bring out the best in me.' "Well it's a long story... let's get back to you. How long are you in town for?"
"For a couple of days... actually I was wondering if I could stay with you for that time?"
"Yeah of course you can... we have a lot of catching up to do."
"Yes we do, I have a lot of things I want to tell you. But first can I put Simone to bed, it's coming up on her bedtime?"
"Of course, you two can take my room."
"Carl that's ridiculous, this is your apartment. We'll take the couch here."
"Lauren please, I insist." He pleaded with her, as she silently nodded her head. "Here the bedroom's this way... and here's the bathroom. There's some towels and sheets in the closet there. I'll wait for you out in the living room." As he left her in the room, he turned back towards her and smiled. It was a genuine smile of happiness, a kind that hadn't passed his lips in a long time.
"Thank you Carl, I really do appreciate it."
A few minutes later she rejoined him in the living room, "So what have you been up to Carl?"
"Oh not much, just work."
"And where might that be? You know I always had to drag information out of you."
"Yeah I remember," as a slight smile crossed Lyle's face as he remembered their time in Europe. "I work at a think tank in Blue Cove which is about forty-five minutes away."
"I'm not surprised, you always were smart," she told him as she smiled.
"So tell me about you what have you been up to?"
"Oh not much, just working jobs here and there. Raising Simone is a full time job in itself, if you know what I mean."
"I can only imagine," he replied with a small laugh in his face, and an even bigger smile across his face.
Oddly they both became quiet as they remembered their time spent together. "Carl why did you leave me in Zurich?"
The question caught Lyle off guard, "Well... I... uh..."
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked you, what's done is done right?" She said as she tried to lighten the mood with a smile across her face but pain in her eyes. The silence continued.
"You know you're really good with her?"
"Thanks, she's my pride and joy."
"How old is she?"
"She turned four four months ago... actually that's one of the reasons why I came by. I wanted you to meet her."
"I don't really understand what you're saying Lauren," he asked her with a quizzical look on his face.
"I don't know how to tell you this, but she's your daughter Carl." She had finally gotten out what she had been trying to say, now she only hoped that he would accept them.
"What?" Lauren could hardly hear him as the shock settled in with Lyle.
"I found out a week after you left that I was pregnant. I'm sorry I didn't know how to tell you, and I've been trying to find you for the past year. Carl please say something..."
Lyle was speechless as he processed what she was saying. 'I'm a father?' was all that came through his mind. 'That sweet little girl is my daughter? I can't believe it... Wait I can't do this, I can't be a father.' As that last thought came through his mind he suddenly stood up and walked towards the door. Lauren was startled by his brash move, as she stared at him with pain in her face.
"Say something, please." As he neared the door the only thought she could muster was 'Please don't let him leave me again god?' "Please don't leave us Carl?"
"Uh... I've got to go for a walk. I can't deal with this right now." And with that he walked out the door and ran down the seven flights of stairs out onto the street below. Lauren could only look on as tears formed in her eyes. She went to the window and looked down and saw him run away like a madman. Lauren thought to herself, 'Oh god, I've done it again, I've pushed him away again'
Two hours later Lyle finally came back to his apartment with his mind cleared and a decision already made. As he walked in he saw that Lauren was not in the living room. He searched the rest of the apartment, and with each room he checked, fear filled his mind. The last room he checked was his own bedroom. And there she was, curled up in the bed. 'My baby girl.' As he looked at her, he began to wonder where Lauren was, he ran back out into the living room where on the table he found a letter addressed to him.
Carl,
I'm sorry to do this to you, but you had to know that you have a daughter. And Simone needs to know who her father is. Please give her the other letter and my ring when she wakes up in the morning. I came to you because I need your help, I have no one left to turn to. I'm dying. I've only got a few more months to go. I can't let Simone see me as I suffer, and so I feel that the only way to protect her is to give her to someone who will care for her, you. She knows I'm dying, and I hope she'll understand why I left her so early. Please take care of our baby doll. I need you to do this, and so does she. I hope you'll forgive me, I never stopped loving you, and I never will.
Love,
Lauren
As Lyle read the letter he sank down onto the couch. 'How am I going to do this? I can't be a father... how do I tell her?' And with that thought still in his mind, he got up and walked to his bedroom. He opened the door and just looked at Simone sleep. He remained at the door for ten minutes just looking at her, before he entered the room and sat on the chair in the corner. From there he continued to watch her sleep, until he himself fell asleep.
The next morning Lyle woke up as the sun shone into his room. He started to ask himself why he had fallen asleep on the chair, when his eyes fell to the bed and he saw Simone. When he saw her, the harsh reality of the previous night came back to him - he was now a father. As the sun got brighter, Simone began to stir in the bed. Once her eyes had adjusted to the light, she sat up in bed looking for her mother. When she didn't find her, and instead found Lyle in the corner she merely looked at him, and spoke, "She's gone isn't she?"
Lyle was shocked by the little voice, and the knowledge that lay in her voice. "Yeah she is... I'm sorry Simone." Lyle then remembered the ring and letter Lauren had left for her and began to pull them out of his pocket. "Here your mom left these for you." Lyle walked over to her and handed her the items. He was surprised that she no longer moved back in fear because of him. The rest of the morning was filled with awkward moment after awkward moment as neither wanted to broach the topic. In the afternoon they went on a walk to the park across the street. From a building down the road, Lauren looked on as she saw the two of them walking to the park, 'Please God take care of them!'
