Carrie's Second Chance

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A young widow has lucky breaks.
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WARNING: Our leading lady blots her character, becoming involved in adultery and sister-sister sex. But the clean-cut man becoming increasingly influential in her life will almost certainly improve her morality through example. Er hopefully.

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CHAPTER 1

After the funeral and the last visitors had left, Helen Nelson sat with her three daughters while Harry fetched drinks. Helen held the hand of her youngest Carrie Lamb, red-eyed and newly widowed, while across from them sat Beth Nichols happily married to a surgeon and Debbie Muir who'd become wealthy after being divorced by an elderly attorney. It was rumored Debbie was bedding a new man every week but when asked about that by Beth had laughed and said, "I wish."

Debbie, taking a white wine from her father said, "Carrie will you keep the name Lamb or revert to Nelson?"

Carrie's answer was to burst into tears. She took the wine from Harry and swallowed it in two gulps.

Harry looked disapprovingly because it was a top wine from his cellar but his wife told him to shut up although he hadn't said anything. Harry retaliated by serving Beth her wine and taking Carrie's empty glass before serving his wife and earning a glare.

Harry of course was impervious to that evil look as all guys are who've lived in a house of females and survive by becoming... well impervious. Carrie had left home four months ago after her wedding.

Debs had been gone four years but usually visited two or three times a week.

Beth had frequently spent nights away from her new choice of man Bruce, who was waiting for his wife to vacate the house and their marriage to be dissolved. The house had been surrendered eighteen months ago and that allowed Beth to shift in permanently with Bruce and they married seven months ago.

"Carrie will plan her life without Alan with our help when she feels ready for that," Helen said, dabbing Carrie's eyes with a handkerchief.

"Yes and I'll assist because coming out of the other side of a divorce is somewhat similar," Debs said. "I have that experience to call on."

Her mother snorted, "I fail to see how seeking comfort in the arms of multiple men is a likely avenue for Carrie."

"Mother, never have I confessed to being involved in groupies."

"You know what I mean Debbie. People are saying you are having four new male callers a week."

"Dad are you going to stand by and allow your wife to besmirch the name of your favorite daughter?"

"I have no favorites with my daughter and I'm sitting here to enjoy my wine, hopefully in peace. All I can say is show me one rumor that has proved to be true."

"Yeah, try showing me a rumor," Debs snapped. "All I can tell you Carrie is show a bit of leg and you'll have guys coming out of the woodwork at you and not all will be married."

"Debbie!"

"Well mom obviously you feel I don't fit in here so I'm going."

"Debbie sit down instantly. Carrie needs our support."

"Okay mom. Dad get me another wine."

"Get it yourself."

Each Sunday for the next four weeks Beth and Debs called on Sunday morning at 11:00 for a couple of wines and then stayed for lunch with their parents and grieving 29-year-old sister who appeared to be losing weight as well as her bloom. She seemed to cry at every opportunity, especially at Debs' unsympathetic comments.

At that fourth lunch Helen whispered to Beth and Debbie (Helen rarely called her Debs like the others did) to meet her at the garden center for coffee at 3:00 and said, "It is not right a widow should weep for so long. I've consulted Dr Rice and she said it should stop eventually."

Over the coffee cups Debs said, "She needs a good poke by a man. That will fix her."

"Leave her mom," Beth hastened to intervene. "You know she's just winding you up."

"Please behave yourself Debbie or leave."

Debbie rose to leave but her stressed mom roared at her to sit down, startling other coffee drinkers.

Mother and daughters agreed this was out of character for Carrie, the really attractive one of the family with more ability and more personality than almost all of them put together.

"There was a time we called her our high-flier but now she's crashed," Beth sniffed, dabbing at her eyes.

"Oh god don't start me off," Helen said, sniffing while Debs said, "God, what's wrong with you women? You have to learn to toughen up."

"Thanks for your sympathy Debbie," her mom wept and Debbie displaying guilt, went around the table and hugged her.

"Weren't we here to discuss our weeping widow rather than to stew in our own despair?" Beth asked and sighed "Oh God" and joined in the hugging of their mother now heaving with sobs.

Debs went into the café and returned to their outside table with a bottle of wine and three glasses. In time the wine settled everyone.

"Perhaps you and dad should take Carrie for a week at a resort."

"Bad idea Beth; she'll spend her time weeping at the honeymooners," Debs said. "Remember she and Alan went to a resort for their honeymoon."

Their mother snapped, "Instead of being negative about everything we suggest Debbie, you come up with a worthwhile suggestion."

"Well first let's try to analyze why our bright-as-a-button sister, your daughter, is a weeping widow. She didn't really like Alan."

Helen and Beth looked horrified and Helen said grimly, "You better justify that comment young lady or risk really being offside with me."

"Oh ho whoa mother; you and whose army? I've knocked more than a couple guys down in my time. If you must know Carrie told me when they returned from their honeymoon. She said she'd rushed into marriage only to find Alan was a bit of a bore and rather unspectacular in bed."

Looking bewildered Helen asked how could a young man be unspectacular in bed. They became that way when they grew older.

The sisters exchanged glances with raised eyebrows, wondering if they were learning something about their father.

Beth said, "Mom it could mean he lacks endurances or variety or the ability to excite his partner."

"Or is prone to premature ejaculation," Debs said and the three of them smothered their smutty laughter. "I pushed to find out what really was wrong with Alan but Carrie buttoned up as if thinking she'd said more than enough."

"Or was talking to the wrong sister," Beth said smugly.

"Bitch."

"Please behave yourselves girls. So does that end your contribution Debbie?"

"No it doesn't and be prepared to be shocked about this."

Helen looked uneasy while Beth learned forward eagerly.

"We know Alan was electrocuted when he was raising the metal extension of a window cleaning brush and touched overhead power lines. We know Carrie was away from home at the time but why, and what was she doing? She told the investigators she was out window-shopping and that was accepted. But I wonder about that. Carrie out window-shopping is something I'm not aware she's ever done. She is too positive for that. Carrie decides what she wants to buy and goes out and buys it. With this on-going grief of hers I now suspect guilt and I wonder was she out seeing an old boyfriend to reconnect with sexual excitement."

"Mom?" said Beth.

"My mind won't accept that theory."

Beth said well she thought Debbie could have stumbled on to something. "It's worth checking out."

"But how?"

Debbie said very seriously, "By getting your youngest into a situation where she might confess guilt. If we ask her straight out she'll lie."

Helen said, "I still can't see why you came up with this theory."

"Because I was searching for a reason why our strong-willed and usually effervescence sister would be so engulfed in grief. When I began searching for possibilities I began to think was it guilt from not been at the scene when her husband died?"

Helen stood and said she couldn't stay listening to such wild accusation against Carrie.

"Okay go. I'll stay here for a while with Beth. Mom I want you and dad out of the house next weekend. Beth and I will come and stay with Carrie."

"No, oh god no. I'm not becoming involved in a conspiracy against my own daughter."

"Fine then I'll tell dad about my suspicions... he'll beat a confession out of her."

"That's rubbish and you know it."

"Mom when dad loses it he really loses it and you know that."

"Oh god, this is dreadful. I..."

"You are behaving unreasonably mom. This involves possible extreme guilt. Even if I am correct with my theory Carrie hasn't committed a crime by allowing some guy to get a leg across her. Can't you see... she confesses and the healing process begins with the assistance of her closest loved ones? Oh, another thing. Why hasn't she visited her former in-laws since the funeral although Mrs Lamb has called twice to visit Carrie."

"Oh god and both times Verna called Carrie wept excessively."

"Is that so; I didn't know that mom. Just keep calm over this. If it's mishandled Carrie could run off and even do something to herself. I'm suggesting things mom to force you to think rationally."

"Yes I understand Debbie. I can't believe you are being so mature over this."

Beth said, "Well she's no spring chicken mom. She's thirty-six."

"Bitch."

"Please girls, be lovely to one another. You father and I will visit my parents this weekend. We are overdue for a visit and I can't imagine Carrie wanting to come with us and being cooped up in their small house."

The sisters watched Helen walk away.

"God you were rough on her," Beth said. "She looks like a battered woman."

"Yes and what do you expect? You're almost as over-emotional as mom."

"Yeah, little wonder most guys have always been a bit scared of you. If you had enlisted in the army they would have placed you in the marines you cold-ass bitch."

"Oh darling. Don't get too excessive with your accolades."

Saturday went as planned. Beth's husband Rick dropped her off at her parent's place at 8:40 on his way to golf and that allowed her parents to leave. That gave Beth three hours to keep Carrie calm and to ask was she ready to settle into her changed status.

"Yes. I will revert back to being Carrie Nelson and will have to get various papers and authorities changed. I discussed that with our attorney and he suggested I wait until the estate settled before I did that to eliminate the possibility of any complications in legalities as in effect a name change makes me two people during the transitional period."

"What legal complications?"

"Alan's parents contesting the will."

"Jesus, does your attorney think they will?"

"He said no but said one never knows if it will happen. He advised I should carefully consider any reasonable request his parents make."

"Wow, I thought what was Alan's and yours would simply become yours?"

"Apparently most things in law are more legally contestable that most people think."

Beth said, "I'm saying this in the nicest possible way. You haven't wept in all the time I've been here. Are you feeling better?"

"Each day I feel a little better. I cry more when mom's around. She seems to pressure me by attempting to be nice to me."

"Oh, it's a pity she's not more like Debs."

"Yeah, one never expects sympathy from her; at times Debs can be such a cow. Mom said she was staying here as well."

"She'll arrive around noon and bring hot food."

Debbie arrived at 12:15, carrying in several dishes. The sisters kissed and Debbie tickled Carrie under the chin and said, "You are looking better kiddo... more relaxed without the folk being overly-sympathetic?"

Carrie glanced at Beth and sighed, "You are so right."

Debbie smiled. "Look we have the choice of staying home and getting drunk or going out tonight for dinner and then going to a night club to see if we can pull in three guys and make a real night of it. I never have difficulty finding guys on the prowl at clubs."

"You mean sex," Beth asked horrified.

"What you do with your guys is over to you two. Occasionally you can find a guy who knows how to talk."

"No not that; I'd rather stay home, even by myself if you two wish to go whoring."

Beth glared at Carrie. "You were excluding me from that activity I hope?"

"Yeah why not. I guess it's not whoring. We both know Debbie always was overly eager for sex."

"Are you missing..." Debbie stopped catching the frown from Beth. She brushed an imaginary insect off her cheek and said, "Are you missing er a social life"?

"Not yet."

"Well serve this food while it's hot. I have six bottles of sparking wine to fetch from the car. Let's behave like adult sisters who like to enjoy yarning over a glass of wine."

"Okay," Carrie said.

Debbie smirked at Beth, being just behind Carrie. The smirk signaled everything was going to plan. By switching chairs, taking turns to make telephone calls and going out to the kitchen to make snacks, Debbie and Beth hoped to consume much less wine than Carrie and not to allow Carrie to notice that deception.

Just before 5:00 when Carrie toppled over coming back from the bathroom and laughing as she climbed to her feet saying she was drunk, Beth and Debbie both said they were also having fun.

As they settled down with filled glasses beside them, Debbie told a coarse joke about a housewife telling a friend she got the most sex when sweeping the kitchen floor because her husband came up behind her when she was using the dustpan and hand brush. As their laughter died Debbie looked straight at Carrie and asked, "Exactly where were you at the time Alan died?"

"With Trevor Hunt. Why? Ohmigod, what am I saying?"

As arranged Beth said, "It's no big deal Carrie. We're your sisters, your loving sisters. You may as well tell us."

Carrie had burst into tears and Beth was over to her quickly, taking her into her arms and stroking her cheek.

Debbie stayed sitting opposite, keeping the inquiry running. "Nothing so terribly wrong about that."

Carrie sobbed. "If I had been home with Alan is might not have happened."

"Bullshit. It was late afternoon. You would have been inside getting dinner ready."

"Do you think so?"

"I know so. What time do your usually get dinner ready on a Saturday when you're not going out."

"Usually a little after 4:00 but sometimes later."

"So usually a little after 4:00. The fatal accident was a little after 4:00, in fact the time was established at 4:10."

"Yes."

"Had Trevor been shafting you?"

"Yes I was out walking," Carrie said, chest heaving in big sobs. As you know I ran with Trev for about five months before I met Alan. Trev asked me in for a drink. Sheryl was at a dress rehearsal at The Academy and Trev was sitting close to me. He put a hand on my thigh and I was so eager for great sex I just lost it."

"And you arrived home just as the cops and emergency services were arriving?"

"Yes and it was so dreadful and I was grief stricken and wracked by guilt."

"Why, you didn't contribute to the accident? Alan was fatally careless."

Carrie cried, "But can't you see? I was committing adultery when he died."

"That's a fucking lie. You would have been on your way home when it happened. Trevor lives more than a mile away from your home. Talk to her Beth, I'm off to call mom."

"Mom?" screamed Carrie. "What are you going to tell mom?"

"That you were coming home after fucking Trevor Hunt when the accident happened and most of this weeping is a result of your unfounded guilt."

"No don't; please don't. Promise me you won't tell mom."

"Well let's negotiate."

"Okay but I can't see what there is to negotiate?"

"I want you to promise me you stop feeling guilty and stop this stupid weeping."

Beth, not acting, yelled, "Don't be such a hard-ass bitch Debs."

"No Debs is right. I've blown my guilt out of all proportion. Go on Debs."

"That's all I require. You stop feeling guilty and weeping and tomorrow you jump into your car and go and visit Mr and Mrs Lamb and no way are you to cry. You take her flowers and you ask her to visit your house with you and invite her to discuss anything she'd like to have."

"Anything?"

"Yes she'll only want things that were favorite things of Alan's and perhaps a wedding present or two, perhaps her wedding present."

"That our bed?

"Well perhaps not. Remember you can always decline any request."

Beth said, "Debs this is asking too much too soon."

"You stay out of this Beth. Debs I'll do all of that tomorrow providing you come with me."

"Hell no, you take Beth."

"No Debs, just you. I'll know you are likely to swat me if I cry."

"Yeah right. Okay it's a deal. We'll just tell mom we got you drunk and convinced you life was too short wasting it like this."

"Mom was in this with you guys. This was a setup wasn't it?"

"Yes," Beth said guiltily.

"No way," Debbie lied adamantly. "Mom wasn't in this. She said she and dad were going to visit granddad and grandma over night and I suggested I'd stay with you and mom said no way would she allow me to stay with you by myself so Beth would have to be here as well. That was the setup Beth was alluding to. You know if told you and Trevor were fucking she'd practically die."

"Yes, of course. Beth was shocked but why weren't you?"

"Well because I know people get a bit on the side all the time. Now you are not to repeat this but I caught dad and Aunt Louise hard at it at Christmas a few years ago."

Carrie and Beth momentarily looked horrified and then Carrie eased the tension when she said, "Well then, I'm no worse than dad."

"Who knows, mom could have had it off with someone."

"I don't think so," Beth said but Carrie said, "Mom can look very sexy when she dresses up. As Debs says who knows? God you are wonderful Debs, I feel better already and not really so drunk. Let's order in pizza and then start drinking again. I know where mom and dad keep their adult videos. I saw mom putting one away one day."

Debbie and Beth looked at Carrie mouths open in shock.

* * *

The next day Carrie and Debbie visited the Lambs. After Carrie called to say they wished to visit, Mrs Lamb invited them to lunch and after that the three women went to the house.

Debbie kept her arm firmly hooked into Carrie's arm and said, "Although it has vivid memories it's only a house, not a tomb."

That seemed to calm Carrie. Mrs Lamb chose only a handful of things, as Debbie had guessed only memorabilia. Afterwards they went to the cemetery together.

When they were leaving the Lambs' home after afternoon coffee Mrs Lamb kissed Carrie and said, "Thank you for coming. What we did today has given me the release I required Carrie. You are a wonderful young woman. I expect we won't see you very often after this."

Debbie squeezed Carrie's arm and Carrie just smiled at Mrs Lamb.

As they drove off Carrie said, "Why did you warn me not to say anything in reply to Mrs Lamb?"

"She was telling you, in sort of code I guess, she didn't wish to see you again because you are no longer part of their life."

"God, how brutal. But Mr Lamb really likes me. He'll not wish to see me fade away."

Debbie said emphatically, "Oh yeah? Let me tell you darling Mrs Lamb rules that roost."

Carrie wept for the second time that day but Debbie let it go. It was a big improvement on the figure her mom had alleged, twenty to thirty bouts of weeping each day.

Helen and Harry were home when they returned. Debbie said she wouldn't go in, leaving it to Carrie to explain why she was in such better mood and dry-eyed.

Debbie said firmly, holding Carrie, "You don't let mom bully you, do you hear?"

"Yes I will call her to heel. You have been so wonderful to me."

"Poof it was nothing. I suggest you put the house up for sale as soon as you can and relocate somewhere else, preferably right away from here but I do ask that you keep in touch with all of us."

"I have been thinking along those lines. Probate will be granted in about nine months but as I'm named in the will as the sole beneficiary I'll ask my attorney to arrange the sale of the property at the earliest opportunity. There is a big insurance policy in my name so I can expect the payout within a few weeks. Meanwhile I have my own separate bank account and that has enough in it to see me through until everything settles."