Chrysalis

Chapter 77

Kim and Shane Donovan Residence

Carrie listened as the telephone rang, hoping that someone would pick up. She'd been trying to call her grandparents to speak with the twins ever since her dad had left for Ireland. Their birthday was coming up in a few days, and she felt like a horrible big sister, since she hadn't spoken to them in weeks. When her grandmother picked up the phone, Carrie said, "Hey! It's me."

"Carrie, darling!" Martha said with exaggerated joviality. Sami was sitting at the coffee table with a bucket of crayons and a Lisa Frank coloring book. Her movements stilled, the crayon dropped from her hand and she stood up staring at Matha with angry eyes. Within seconds she was stomping from the room. Martha sighed softly.

Oblivious to the drama in the Evans household, Carrie said, "I was hoping to speak with the twins. It's their birthday in a couple days."

Martha was quiet for a moment, and then she said gently, "Sami is really struggling right now. I understand the situation, but it's been so long... since Roman has called...and Marlena...the children, well, they're confused, Carrie. Not telling them about the kidnapping was a good decision at first, but I feel like it's gone too long. Eric and Sami, well, they just feel abandoned now... but I was waiting to speak with Roman..."

Carrie felt tears rising in her eyes. She remembered the confusion when she was young, when the whole family had thought Roman died. The sadness and anger she felt during Marlena's coma... or when they believed that Marlena was dead. Those were emotions that she still found complicated, and she was an adult. She could only imagine how Eric and Sami were feeling. "Dad's gone to Ireland to try and bring Marlena home–"

"--he could have called. Roman hasn't called once since the beginning of September, and even then he only spoke to me!" Martha replied in frustration. "I understand that searching for Marlena is imperative, but to completely forget to check on the children is wrong. I have left repeated messages, Carrie, and now you're telling me he's left the country?"

Carrie was at a loss for words. Her grandmother's frustration was understandable. He hadn't called the twins? "When was the last time he spoke to them?"

Martha took a deep breath, "When Marlena called, before she left for the conference in Oklahoma."

More than six months. Her chest constricted as she whispered, "They must be so confused, and scared."

Martha glanced over and saw Frank standing in the doorway, holding Eric by the hand. Both of them were watching her intently, but Eric had a maturity in his eyes that shouldn't be there. He was too young to stare at her with eyes that were full of so much sadness. Not at the age of ten. He pulled his hand from Frank's and turned, walking away. Martha said, "Samantha is angry. She's acting out at school and being aggressive. Eric... is feeling abandoned. They are both feeling abandoned, they're just handling it differently."

"We should tell them," Carrie said. "About Marlena, and... I want to bring them home." Carrie decided within seconds, "Yeah...I'm going to come get them. Me and Aunt Kim."

Kim looked up from the magazine she was reading to watch Carrie with interest. Her skin had gone pale, and her voice wavered as she said, "I know what they're feeling. I felt that, and I'm–I'm going to do what Dad used to do with me...I'm going to tell them the truth."

Martha was confused, and then she realized Carrie was not speaking about Roman. "You mean John."

Carrie wiped at her eyes, and Kim stood up stepping closer to her niece. "He never... he never left me feeling alone and scared. He answered my questions and he made me feel safe. So, yeah...Aunt Kim and I are going to come and get them. We're going to tell them the truth."