.....Where Were You....
The chime of the doorbell echoed loudly through the house. Joey wiped his hands on a dishtowel and made his way down the hall to the entry way.
Impatiently, the bell rang over and again.
"Hold on a second!! I'm coming!"
With his characteristic smile and flourish, he opened the door, his greeting ending abruptly. "Who the HELL would be...."
His mouth fell open when he beheld her form standing on the worn welcome mat. Those same hazel eyes...that same hypnotizing smile....the blond ringlets in which he'd buried his face against night after night, holding her in his arms.
Her hand still clutched that canvas bag. The one she'd held onto as she walked away, her words of goodbye ringing in his ears.
"Carrie?"
A small smile covered her face. "Honey....I'm home...."
I use to wake up nights calling out your name
Then cry myself back to sleep, knowing I'd only dreamed
I stayed inside for days, traped within my� mind
Wonderin' where you had gone...convinced I could not go on
Now just when I start to feeling
Those hands of time start to healing
You're here at my door saying your new dreams
Have led you back to me.....
Joey stood unmoving as she stepped inside and brushed her lips against his. He closed his eyes, remembering the last time he'd touched her...When he held her tightly begging her to stay...
"Carrie, please...think this over...You have to reconsider! You can't do this to me!"Tears fell unyieldingly from his eyes as he begged for another chance. She stared at him blankly, unaffected by his apparant anguish.
"I can't stay Joey. My whole life has been about you for the last 2 years. I lost my sense of self along the way and I want it back."
And she was gone.
It had taken six months for him to realize she was never coming back....
............and here she was.........
Where were you?
When I was going crazy
Where were you?
Did you know what your leaving put me through?
You were feeling lost last thing I knew
You went off to find yourself
Where were you?
Joey closed the door behind her and followed her into the den. Carrie dropped her suitcase and ran her hand across the bare mantle. Her eyebrows furrowed in thought.
"You took down our photos?......why?..."
Joey looked at her in amazement. "How can you think I could look at them day after day? I put them away when you left."
Carrie nodded. "I understand."
Suddenly she turned, a smile covering her face. "How are the guys? I hear things are going really well for you."
Joey nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. "Everyone is fine. Busy. As a matter of fact, we're on a three day vacation. It's by mere coincidence that you caught me home."
"It's not a coincidence, Joey. Christina told me."
Joey looked up, his eyes glazed with anger.� "She helped you PLAN this?"
Carrie shook her head quickly. "Of course not. She hates me too. When I called her, JC answered the phone..so I knew you would be home as well. So I came."
"But WHY Carrie? WHY did you come back?"
Carrie turned to him, her lip quivering as she struggled to find the words. "I've missed you Joey. I have thought about you every day. I want to come home baby. I want to know you still love me."
Joey turned quickly before his face could betray him. He trembled as he felt the walls around his heart begin to break away..
I can't pretend I'm strong
Or act like I don't care
But I won't betray my heart
Now that we've come this far
I let you go cause I had to
I'll close this door cause I need to
This tunnel has a light
It's not that far away
It's brighter every day
"Joey? Say something...Please.." Carrie crossed the room and lay her forehead against his back.
Joey shrugged away from her touch. "No, Carrie. I can't do this again."
"Baby PLEASE...Take some time and think it over before you answer."
Joey spun around to stare into her eyes. Six months of pent up anger, desire, and heartbreak was directed toward it's originator.
"Time? TIME!?! I've had six MONTHS, Carrie! SIX MONTHS of sleepless nights...SIX MONTHS of pain..of lonliness...SIX MONTHS of trying to figure out what I did so wrong! But it wasn't me, Carrie. It's YOU!"
Tears of regret streamed down her face. "I love you Joey...I've been..."
Joey shook his head, raising his hand, commanding her words to cease. "I DON'T CARE Carrie! I don't care WHERE you were. I don't care WHO you were with. I don't care WHAT you did or WHY you left!� If you regretted you decision, you could've called before now. I've been right here!� Where the hell were you!?!"
Where were you?
When I was going crazy
Where were you?
Did you know what your leaving put me through?
You were feeling lost, last thing I knew
You went off to find yourself
Where were you?
Joey opened the front door. "Get out."
Carrie lifted her suitcase slowly and crossed the room to the door. "I'm sorry I hurt you, Joey."
"I'm sorry I fell in love with you."
Joey closed his eyes as she walked out of his life for the second time.
This time, there would be no coming back.