Baumgartners Empty Nest (The Baumgartners) (17 page)

“Bad news?” Carrie prompted.

“Well, it isn’t good news.”

“Tell us,” Doc urged. “You can tell us.”

“I wasn’t Jackie’s first.” Tears trembled on Jody’s lashes. “I wasn’t the first one he… he wanted to change.”

“What do you mean?” Carrie asked, sliding one stool closer.

“My friend, Megan…” Jody looked down at the drink in front of her. “She heard from one of Jackie’s former… lovers.”

Carrie gasped. “Was he cheating on you?”

“Not exactly.” Jody gave a short, strangled laugh. “Megan says… oh my God, he’s done this before. With three or four others.”

“Done what?” Doc asked, moving a stool closer, too, so he was on her other side. Carrie met his concerned gaze.

“He takes them in.” Jody’s voice was low enough they both had to lean in to hear her. “Like he took me in. He… he pays for everything. He pays for their transition.”

“What?” Carrie breathed, disbelieving.

“Megan says he has them put up in little houses of their own in Atlanta.” Jody moved her drink off her wet napkin, rolling her fingers over the edge of the paper, tearing little strips of it. “He pays for their surgeries and turns them into the kind of woman he wants. Then he keeps them like… like girl toys he can go play with whenever the mood strikes him.”

“Oh my God.” Carrie put an arm over her shoulder, feeling Jody trembling. “Oh, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…”

“These are all women who… who were born men?” Doc asked.

“Well, they were all born with a penis,” Jody replied. “Yes.”

Doc’s hand covered hers on the table. “And he forced them to have surgery?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugged, sniffing. “I’m sure they wanted to transition. But…”

“How many of them?” he asked.

“She didn’t say for sure.” Jody swallowed, her lower lip quivering. “At least three. Possibly four. Maybe… more.”

“And he keeps them like… dolls?” Carrie shuddered, squeezing Jody closer. “Or…”

“Sex toys,” Jody whispered. It was so soft, Carrie didn’t know if Doc even heard her, but she did. “No wonder he never pressured me to have sex…”

“He was trying to make you into his vision,” Doc remarked, frowning. “It’s like he’s trying to build the perfect woman.”

Jody’s shoulders shook at that, and Carrie heard her holding back a sob.

“I guess…” Jody took a little, shuddering breath. “I just wasn’t perfect enough.”

It happened so fast, Carrie hardly had time to react. One moment, Jody was there between them, holding back tears, and the next minute she was gone. Just gone. Carrie glimpsed her at the front entrance, but Doc was already halfway after her, calling her name.

“Jody!”

She ran. Thankfully, she was in heels, otherwise Carrie wasn’t sure they could have ever kept up with her. Doc was faster, especially since he wasn’t hindered by his footwear, following her through the streets, keeping sight of her in the midst of the crowd. Carrie ran after him in her sandals, a stitch growing in her side as they followed her around the corner.

Doc slowed, waiting for Carrie to catch up and grabbing her hand, pulling her after him. But they didn’t have to run too much further. Jody had cornered herself at the end of a pier and there was nowhere else for her to go, unless she meant to jump into the water. It was a dead end.

For a moment, Carrie thought that was exactly what she was going to do, but Jody slowed when she reached the end of the long, wooden pier. Carrie stopped to catch her breath, feeling Doc’s hand tighten in hers as they both saw Jody standing there, looking out at the sun moving low toward the water. She was hugging herself, arms crossed, such a lonely, solitary figure that just looking at her in the slowly fading sunlight broke Carrie’s heart.

They didn’t speak. They just approached her quietly, both of them coming up behind her on the pier. Jody didn’t turn, but she acknowledged them.

“It’s okay.” She sniffed, closing her eyes. “I just… I have to be alone.”

“Is that what you really want?” Carrie put a hand on her shoulder. Jody glanced at it, her lower lip trembling.

“I’m always alone.” She shivered. “I’ve been alone since I could remember. That’s how it is.”

“Jody…” Doc’s hand on her other shoulder. “You don’t ever have to be alone again, if you don’t want to be.”

“He means it.” Carrie felt tears stinging her eyes as she leaned her chin on her lover’s shoulder, her words spoken close to her ear. “I mean it.”

“You’re both sweet.” Jody offered her a half-smile. “But… I’ve never been enough.”

“Jody, no, don’t say that,” Carrie whispered, feeling her own, hot tears starting to fall.

“It’s true.” Jody’s gaze stayed distant, on the horizon. “You know, other kids, they got adopted. But no one ever wanted me.”

“I wanted you.” Carrie put her arms around Jody’s slender waist, pressing her forehead to her cheek. “I always wanted you. You were the first person I ever loved. I gave everything to you. Don’t you remember?”

“I remember.” Tears slipped down Jody’s cheeks too.

“And I still want you.” Carrie tightened her arms around her, as if she was afraid she might slip away again. “Look at me.”

Jody didn’t, so Carrie took her trembling chin in her fingers, turning her eyes toward hers. They were big, brown, and full of tears. So much pain, so much fear and uncertainty.

“You’re beautiful,” Carrie whispered, her voice catching in her throat. “You’re perfect. And I love you.”

Jody’s face crumbled. She gave a low, gut-wrenching sob, throwing her arms around Carrie’s neck.

“Shhhh.” Carrie stroked her hair, her back, rocking her back and forth, her own tears falling hard and fast. “It’s okay. You’re okay. I promise.”

Carrie felt Doc’s hand on her head, moving though her hair, and she glanced up at him, seeing the pained look in his eyes. Seeing the love there, too. She held an arm out to him, and he enfolded them both in his big arms.

“You’re safe,” Doc murmured, kissing the top of Carrie’s head, then Jody’s, all of them rocking together at the end of the pier.

“I don’t remember the last time I felt safe.” Jody sniffed, turning her face to rest it against Doc’s chest. Carrie did, too, so their arms were around him and each other, their tear-filled eyes locked. “Maybe never. I never belonged anywhere before.”

“You belong here,” Doc assured her.

Carrie nodded, leaning over and kissing her wet cheek. “With us.”

Jody didn’t answer, but Carrie thought, for the first time, looking into her dark, hopeful eyes, she might really believe it. And even if she didn’t believe it now, she would. They’d spend the rest of their lives showing her just how much she was loved, wanted, accepted.

“Perfect,” Carrie whispered, pressing her lips to Jody’s. “Beautiful. Mine.”

“Ours,” Doc murmured, smiling, tightening his hold on them both.

“Yes,” Jody mouthed, but there were no more words, just kisses.

That was a language they could all speak.

The call came while Carrie was mixing afternoon margaritas in the kitchen. The temperature outside had cooled down to the early seventies and the breeze coming off the ocean was divine. She had the windows and the sliding door wide open as she ran the blender, singing along to the Counting Crows on the radio.

She glanced out onto the patio, seeing Jody sitting cross-legged and topless on one of the lounge chairs, Carrie’s iPad in her hand. Carrie poured three margaritas—Doc was due home any time from the Hunt Club—giving each a little extra splash of tequila. Back when the kids were little, they kept their drinking to evenings or nights when they had a babysitter or nanny to watch Janie and Henry.

Couldn’t do this with kids around, could we?
It was Doc’s voice in her head, and she smiled, taking a sip of her margarita. Strong. Made her eyes water. Yum.

Definitely couldn’t do this with kids around,
she thought, admiring Jody topless, sunglasses tilted up on top of her head, swiping pages on the iPad. Carrie’s mouth watered, not just because of the margarita. The thought of sucking Jody’s cock on the back patio to the sound of the surf made her pussy pulse in response.

Her iPhone rang and Carrie grabbed it, thinking it would be Doc, asking if she wanted him to pick anything up on the way home, but the number was local. 

“Hello?” Carrie licked margarita mix off her finger, putting the empty blender in the sink. 

“Great news!” Elise exclaimed. “We have an offer!”

“We do?” Carrie turned, leaning against the sink, looking out at the ocean view through the sliding door. They’d only had three showings, as far as she knew. She’d told Elise to call before she dropped over, of course, just for privacy purposes.

“It’s at your asking price, plus they’ll pay your closing costs.”

“Fantastic!” Carrie’s heart fluttered at this news.

“I can bring over all the details tomorrow afternoon. Are you free?”

“Uhh...” She glanced around the kitchen, looking for some excuse, but couldn’t find any. “Sure. What time?”

They arranged to meet at the house at two. Carrie didn’t want to do it any earlier, because they all had a tendency to lay in bed in the morning. Or, get laid, more to the point, not that she was going to tell Elise that. She was just hanging up the phone when Doc came in the front door.

“In the kitchen!” Carrie called. He appeared around the corner, whistling some tune, stopping when he saw his wife standing with three margaritas on the counter beside her.

“We’re starting early?” he asked, eyebrows raised.

“Well, I guess we’re celebrating.” Carrie picked up a glass and handed it to him. “I have news.”

“Hey, me too.” He took a sip, blinking. “Whoa, strong.”

“Mine first.” Carrie grabbed her glass, taking a gulp. We have an offer.”

“Really?” He frowned, glancing out the sliding glass door, seeing Jody on the lounge chair. “Already?”

“I guess Elise wasn’t kidding.” She sighed, taking another sweet-and-sour gulp of her drink. “She’s bringing the offer over tomorrow around two.”

“Well...” Doc sighed. “I guess we’re really going to have to make a decision.”

“What do you mean?” She cocked her head at him.

“Well, I didn’t just go out to the Hunt Club this afternoon.” Doc finished his drink in a gulp, setting the glass on the counter. “I went in to talk to Dr. Timbor.”

“Lola’s doctor?” She blinked at him, surprised. “Why?”

“I had his card in my pocket and I had a few questions.” Doc shrugged. “I just wanted to find out a little more, I guess, so I called him. Anyway, we got to talking, and he invited me to lunch.”

“Oh.” Carrie sipped her drink. “He does the transition surgery?” 

Doc nodded. “Yeah, he does—he’s got more work down here than he can handle.”

“Well, it is Key West.” She smiled.

“He’s a great guy. Had a lot to say.” Doc paused, looking out the sliding door. Jody was still on the tablet, frowning at the screen. “He made me an interesting proposition, actually.”

“What kind of proposition?” She raised her eyebrows.

“I’m not transitioning,” Doc said with a little laugh. “But he needs help, and he’s been looking for a partner.”

“Partner?” She shook her head. “But you’re not a surgeon.”

“That’s the thing—he needs someone to take over all the other stuff,” he said. “Writing scripts, doing pre-and-post-op visits. I wouldn’t have to do the surgery. Although, I could learn. It’s been a long time since my surgery rotation, but I don’t see why I couldn’t do it.”

“Are you seriously considering this?” Her heart fluttered in her chest at the thought. They’d come down here with a clear purpose—sell the time-share, so they could go home and Doc could buy half of Brady’s practice and take it over.

Then Jody had happened, and everything had changed. They’d talked a little bit about the idea Lola had suggested—buying the time-share themselves and moving down there. But they were both stuck at the job situation. Carrie could certainly get a Florida real estate license, but that wouldn’t pay all of the bills, especially when she first started out. Doc could practice medicine, of course, but again, it would take time to build the practice.

They had the money they’d just come into thanks to Viralon—yay for boner pills, Carrie liked to say. But Gordon didn’t want them to spend too much of that. Investing it would be the smartest thing to do, and living on that money would deplete it far too quickly.

So they’d come to the decision that, even if they wanted to stay down there in paradise, in spite of Elise’s dire warnings about Florida weather and culture, it just wasn’t the smart, responsible thing to do. This was a vacation home, not a forever home, and as much as she didn’t want to give it up, she had come to a sort of acceptance about it over the past week. It was the end of an era. They were moving on.

Now this!

“I don’t know.” Doc sighed, looking as conflicted as she felt. “Things are in such flux right now. It would mean moving down here. But his offer is actually far better than Brady’s.”

“Really? That much better?” Her heart was beating too fast. “Maybe... maybe we really could move in here?”

“It’s a thought...” He met her eyes and she saw the excitement in them. She knew what the smart, sensible thing would be, but she also knew her husband had been resisting it since Brady had made the offer. Maybe it was a time in their lives not to do the smart, sensible thing? “I mean, we don’t really have anything tying us down, aside from the practice. Why couldn’t we sell the house in Michigan and move in here, as long as I had a job lined up?”

“Do you mean it?” She barely got the words out in a whisper.

“Well... maybe...” His gaze moved back out to the patio, a smile playing on his lips. “I think Jody would be far happier here than she would if we took her back to Michigan.”

“Oh, Doc...” Carrie put her arms around him, her cheek against his chest. 

There was plenty he wasn’t telling her, she realized, feeling tears stinging her eyes. He’d called Dr. Timbor, had taken that initiative, and maybe it had happened like he said, but she thought Doc had done more than a little pushing and selling for his part. And he’d done it because he loved her, because he was already more than half-way in love with Jody, and he had wanted to make them both happy.

And they would all be happy here.

“This is such amazing news.” She turned her face up, going on tiptoe to kiss his lips.

“Oh, I do have something else to tell you.” His face darkened. “Actually, both of you. And... it’s not such great news.”

“What is it?” Carrie frowned, her belly clenching at the look in his eyes.

“Carrie!” Jody slid the screen door open, rushing into the house, holding the tablet. She’d thrown her cover-up on and she sat at the kitchen table, looking at the two of them with wide, blinking eyes.

“What is it?” Carrie asked, disengaging from husband’s arms and going over to her.

Jody looked down at the tablet, whispering, “Oh my God, oh my God, it’s real...”

“Is that...” Carrie looked at the photo filling her iPad screen. “Your ex?”

“That’s Jackie...” Jody pointed her finger at the man on screen. “And that... is not me.”

“She looks kind of like you...” Doc frowned at the photo as he approached.

“They all do.” Jody flipped through, showing them. “Look.” 

Doc and Carrie stood, staring over her shoulder.

“These are the women he was paying for?” Doc asked. “All the surgeries?”

“They all look like Barbie dolls,” Carrie mused.

“He wanted me to get my nose done...” Jody sighed. “And my lips...”

“Not to mention your cock.” Carrie’s hand fell onto her shoulder.

“I have this same dress!” Jody exclaimed, pointing a finger at a photograph of a woman on the iPad who looked far too much like her to be a coincidence. “It’s in my closet at home... well... back in Georgia... it’s not home anymore...”

“This is awful.” Carrie sighed. “Is he still seeing all these woman?”

“Megan sent these.” Jody pushed the iPad away, shaking her head. “I told her... I just... I guess, I didn’t want to believe. She hired a P.I. to tail him and he took these pictures.”

“Now you know it’s true.” Carrie put her arms around her from behind, kissing the top of her head. “I’m so sorry...”

“At least I know.” Jody sniffed. “These pictures don’t lie.”

“No, pictures don’t lie,” Doc agreed, sliding into the chair beside her. “Jody, I have something to tell you...”

“What is it?” Jody’s head came up and she frowned, watching Doc pull a folded manila envelope out of his back pocket.

“I hate to add insult to injury, but I’ve got some news about your Jackie Benton.” He slid the envelope across the table.

“He’s not my Jackie anymore.” Jody leaned back against Carrie, looking at the envelope, but not moving to touch it.

“I was at Dr. Timbor’s office today,” Doc explained. “He was showing me some of his case files. We were looking at some before and after photos. And I came across this.”

Doc picked up the envelope and pulled a bent file folder out of it. Carrie gasped when he opened it.

“Is that...?” she whispered.

But Jody had already confirmed it, eyes wide. “That’s Jackie.”

“He transitioned back in 1999.” Doc cleared his throat, sliding the file closer.

“He transitioned… into a man?” Carrie looked from the file to Doc and back again, incredulous.

“This explains so much...” Jody closed her eyes and Carrie felt her trembling. “I’m in trouble. I’ve put you both in danger. I’m so sorry. I have to go.”

Doc grabbed her arm when she jumped up, reacting far more quickly than he had back at the bar when she’d run the first time.

“You’re not going anywhere.” Carrie got her arms around Jody’s waist, pressing her cheek against her back.

“You don’t understand!” Jody wailed, Doc’s arms going around her, too. They held her close between them and Carrie felt her whole body quivering. Jody choked out, “He’s coming for me. Megan says he hired a P.I. of his own and he knows where I am now. He’s on his way down here.”

That thought made Carrie’s whole body go cold.

“I have to get out of here.” Jody lifted her face from Doc’s chest, a panicked look in her eyes. “Right now.”

“Jody, no...” Carrie pleaded with her, meeting Doc’s dark gaze. She knew he just wanted to protect them both.

“What am I going to do?” Jody whispered, her voice choked with fear.

“Shhh.” Doc stroked Jody’s hair, meeting his wife’s tear-filled eyes. Carrie was scared. If Jody was this terrified of the man, she was afraid to imagine what he was capable of. “Listen, I did a little Googling. Is it true that Jackie Benton made his billions in sporting firearms?”

“Yes.” Jody sniffed, nodding. “He’s ex-army and was a pro shooter on the circuit before he went into the manufacturing end of the game—that’s how I met him.”

“Good.” Doc pulled Carrie into his embrace, too, trying to calm them both. “It’s going to be okay. I have an idea.”

* * * *

They watched the sun rise on the beach before they headed to Captain Tony’s. Jody had called Jackie from a still-working payphone downtown the day before, making arrangements to meet him. Carrie held her hand on the way over. They drove the Mustang—it was far too early for the streets to be crowded. Captain Tony’s was dead, still closed to the public.

“Are you scared?” Carrie whispered as they knocked on the door.

“I’m as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs,” Jody admitted. Her hand was clammy in Carrie’s and she squeezed it, trying to reassure her.

“It’s too fucking early.” Lola opened the door, wearing no make-up, looking still sleepy. “Come on in.”

“Hey, Doc,” Captain Tony called from his stool at the bar. He was drinking already, even though it wasn’t quite eight a.m. “If there’s gonna be trouble, I can have a dozen Merchant Marines with horrible hangovers here in a heartbeat.”