6 years Earlier
Carrie had just gotten out of work when her cell phone vibrated violently in the center console of her car. As she brushed her hair away from her face, she sighed. "Better not be Mike", she silently protested. "Hello, this is Carrie", she mumbled. But there was no answer. "Hello?" she asked once more. A quiet voice then replied, "Hi Carrie." Upon hearing his voice, she smiled. "Oh, Hi Vins. What's up?" She waited for his response, searching the radio for a song she actually liked. "Vin, is everything OK?" "No Carrie I-", he started. "Just come over. I need to talk to you", he whispered. Before she could answer, he hung up the phone.
Puzzled, she put on her seat belt and turned the key to the ignition. A quite roar erupted from the motor as she quickly put her car into gear. As she drove down the familiar road, she found herself worrying about the urgency in Vinnie's voice. She had known Vinnie since she was two, and she had grown accustomed to Vinnie's array of emotions. Tonight, however, his voice was different. Her stomach ached in nervous anticipation.
A mile later, she was in Vinnie's driveway. Marie, Vinnie's mother, was already outside sitting on the porch swing. Upon seeing Carrie, she stood wiping her beautiful hazel eyes. "Come here, Carrie," she whispered as she pulled Carrie close to her. "What's wrong, Marie? What happened?" she asked as she listened to the steady beat of her heart. "You haven't heard?" Marie replied cautiously. "Heard what, Marie? Is Vinnie OK?" Marie paused, regretfully anticipating the words that would soon follow. Her heart ached in agony as she looked at the innocent face before her. The day that Carrie was born, Marie had found a special place in her heart for her best friend's daughter. With tears in her eyes, she took Carrie's hand. "Carrie, there's been an accident."
Like a dagger, the news of the accident pierced through her heart. Thoughts of Vinnie soon flooded her mind as she tried to piece together the information she had received. Nervously, she pulled away from Marie and asked, "What accident? Whose been in an accident?" Carrie yelled. Marie hesitated, wondering how she was going to tell Carrie that her best friend was no longer alive. With a lump in her throat she replied, "Stephanie."
Puzzled, she put on her seat belt and turned the key to the ignition. A quite roar erupted from the motor as she quickly put her car into gear. As she drove down the familiar road, she found herself worrying about the urgency in Vinnie's voice. She had known Vinnie since she was two, and she had grown accustomed to Vinnie's array of emotions. Tonight, however, his voice was different. Her stomach ached in nervous anticipation.
A mile later, she was in Vinnie's driveway. Marie, Vinnie's mother, was already outside sitting on the porch swing. Upon seeing Carrie, she stood wiping her beautiful hazel eyes. "Come here, Carrie," she whispered as she pulled Carrie close to her. "What's wrong, Marie? What happened?" she asked as she listened to the steady beat of her heart. "You haven't heard?" Marie replied cautiously. "Heard what, Marie? Is Vinnie OK?" Marie paused, regretfully anticipating the words that would soon follow. Her heart ached in agony as she looked at the innocent face before her. The day that Carrie was born, Marie had found a special place in her heart for her best friend's daughter. With tears in her eyes, she took Carrie's hand. "Carrie, there's been an accident."
Like a dagger, the news of the accident pierced through her heart. Thoughts of Vinnie soon flooded her mind as she tried to piece together the information she had received. Nervously, she pulled away from Marie and asked, "What accident? Whose been in an accident?" Carrie yelled. Marie hesitated, wondering how she was going to tell Carrie that her best friend was no longer alive. With a lump in her throat she replied, "Stephanie."
"Stephanie!" She nearly screamed as she cupped her face within her trembling hands. "W-What are you talking about Marie?" she managed to mutter between sobs. "Last night", she began. "Last night she hit a tree...the car was totaled." For a brief moment, Carrie said nothing as if her voice escaped her. "If it happened last night, why didn't anyone tell me?" Carrie searched Marie's face for answers. "They identified the body this morning."
Accident. The body. Stephanie.
Suddenly, Carrie felt queasy; her knees no longer able to hold the weight of her body. She collapsed hitting the porch with such force that it shocked Marie. "Carrie! Are you alright?" she yelled as she rushed to her side trying to support Carrie's weight against her torso.
Accident. The body. Stephanie.
Suddenly, Carrie felt queasy; her knees no longer able to hold the weight of her body. She collapsed hitting the porch with such force that it shocked Marie. "Carrie! Are you alright?" she yelled as she rushed to her side trying to support Carrie's weight against her torso.
Carrie tried to interpret the faint sound of Marie's voice. Slowly, she began to regain consciousness. "Oh, Carrie, your alright!" Marie nearly sang as she kissed Carrie's cheeks and brushed the hair away from her face. Carrie's otherwise youthful glow appeared pale, and her mascara ran from her pale green eyes. Not knowing what else to do, Marie held Carrie. As Carrie's tears soaked through her sweater, she wondered how her son and Carrie would cope with the death of Stephanie.
