Carridelle – Chapter Twenty-two

Chapter Twenty-two: The Old Man Was Right

Charlie and Carrie had taken it slow as she got back on her feet again. She had been confined to the house for so long she could not stand it. He romanced her though every day. He always thought to stop and bring her a surprise or found a new way to cook her a dinner and sometimes they were even edible.

By the time Thanksgiving rolled around, Carrie was climbing the walls. The doctor had said that she could go with Charlie to get her parents from the airport only if she promised to rest and let Charlie wait on her. Carrie promised to behave and she could hardly wait to see them again. She wanted to show them her book, Susannah’s book, before anyone else. It was after all dedicated to them and to Charlie, only he didn’t know it yet. She had fallen head over heels in love with him and she just hope that this time it was right.

“Susannah if you are here just give me a sign will you? Just for old times sake?” She said to the air mainly because once she wrote the book the haunting had ceased just as she suspected. But much to her surprise she heard the faint strains of the music box. The lid was open though it sat untouched inside the cabinet where she had put it so many months ago. Carrie smiled.

“I don’t understand what you are telling me Susannah but I will in time I suppose.” She said and she shook her head, smiling.

Charlie pulled up right on time and fussed over her. He made sure that she was bundled up from head to toe before he would let her leave the house. “It’s a shame we never got to have the open house on Halloween,” Carrie said as they left. “I think Susannah would have liked it.”

“I do too,” He said as he helped her in and planted a kiss on her lips. She was all his now he was sure of it.

He drove her to Oak Bluffs and Carrie questioned the route but was abruptly silenced by his, “I know where I’m going. Hush woman.”

“Charlie, I don’t want to miss their flight, please.”

“We have time.”  He pulled up along side an old wood building. The sign read The Flying Horses. Charlie got out and helped Carrie down. She hesitated but followed him inside curiosity peaked. 

Charlie flipped one switch to turn only the soft lights of the carousel on, leaving the rest of the room in darkness.

“Oh it is beautiful.” She said and rushed to touch it.

“It is the oldest operating platform carousel in the nation. And I remembered something special about it.”

“What’s that?” Carrie asked intrigued.

“Hop on and I’ll show you.” She climbed aboard a wooden horse on the inside track and Charlie climbed on the one next to her. “Maestro!”  Charlie directed and a faceless person in the shadows turned on the music and motion.  Carrie was momentarily confused that there was someone else there with them, but the thought left her head as she recognized the tune from the music box. She inhaled sharply.

“Thanks Susannah,” she mumbled as she found her sign that this was the right one for her.

“Can you reach it?” Charlie asked?

“Hmm? Reach what?” Carrie asked, she had not been listening she was lost in thought.

“The brass ring of course.”

“Oh what fun I have never tried,” Carrie said and she missed it on her first go round, but grabbed it on her second.

“I grabbed it, I’ve got the….” Her voice trailed as she noticed the other ring tied to it with a white satin ribbon.

”It isn’t brass but will it do? Will you marry me Carridelle?”

Her head was spinning and not from circular motion of the carousel. “YES!” she squealed in delight. “Yes, Charlie I will marry you.” She exclaimed and as the Carousel came to a halt, she was greeted with a round of applause.

As the lights came on, she could see people, lots of people. There were people from town there, her parents, Leah and her husband, Buffy and Cook, and even Freddy and his girl were there.

And there in the center of it all stood the old man, who she now knew as Charlie’s grandfather. He walked forward and gave her a squeeze.  “I told you it was no accident,” he said, “They chose you! And so did he.” And she hugged him back before all the other people there thronged her

But she really wanted to tell him he was sort of wrong… they chose each other.