Karl the Great

Six weeks after the last time Karl saw Zoe, he was patiently waiting for her, resting his back onto the taxi's door. He's been standing there for an hour already, making taxi's driver anxious and angry even after he was shut up with a few solid bills. When Zoe finally showed up, a nurse was helping her to step outside the massive building. As soon as Karl saw his girlfriend, he rushed right to her, greeting both women.

“Hello, thank you for looking after her, I'll take from here” – Karl said, looking at the nurse and, when she nodded before leaving, he turned to Zoe – “I'm so happy you're finally back on track. Let's go, my baby Z”

Zoe didn't reply to Karl's words nor to his smile, which looked decent enough. Karl wrapped his arm around Zoe's shoulder and led her to the taxi. When they finally were inside, Karl told the address to the driver and then turned to Zoe, his arm still around her:

“Have you eaten yet?” – he asked and continued, when the girl slightly nodded – “I still want to treat you to a dinner, alright? How do you feel about some Italian food? I'm sure you'll swallow your tongue. The food back there probably wasn't that good.” – he motioned to the building behind them, that had almost faded as they drove away.

The last month and the half Zoe spent in rehab, trying to overcome her drug addiction. Ironically, it was only thanks to Karl. When the two had their little fight right before Karl left to Milan, the following day Jessica stormed into Zoe's house.

“What the fuck?” – Zoe could still remember how she stood in total bewilderment, after opening her door and seeing Jessica there. The girls knew each other from school, but weren't really friends.

“Spring sent me” – Jessica shrugged and forced herself inside.

“Get the fuck out of my house. He said very clearly that we're done just yesterday” – Zoe furrowed her eyebrows and pointed to the door with her index finger.

“Well, clearly you two are not done. Pack your things, you're going with me” – the other replied, feeling a bit anxious. Zoe wasn't the most pleasant person to be with, for raven-haired girl at least, but Karl was her friend and she would do anything for her friends.

“Come with you? You're shitting me, right?” – Zoe laughed in irritation.

“Come on, Zoe. I don't have all day to mess around” – Jessica said impatiently, actually being afraid to be demanding near the other girl.

“What the hell does Spring want you to do?” – Zoe asked after a pause, getting a bit curious and crossing her arms in front of her chest.

“He's sending you to a rehab and begged me to drag you even if you killed me” – the other explained.

“Rehab? Why the fuck would I ever go there?” – Zoe laughed, shaking her head.

“Spring said you should think about the baby...” – Jessica said, trying to use her softest voice, then added – “... and about yourself.”

“Get the hell out of my house. I'm not going anywhere. Especially with you.” – Zoe knitted her brows harder.

“No”

“Jessica Marshall!” – Zoe shouted – “I said to get the fuck out of here!”

“Zoe Carnero!” – Jessica replied in the same manner as the latter – “I said I won't!”

Zoe felt like knocking the other girl down and punching her in the face several time with all the force she had. She cooled down a little after few minutes and sighed. The thoughts of how much shit has Zoe been through crept up in her mind and then it hit her. Zoe realized that she actually wanted to collect her shit. After a while she gave in and was driven to rehab by Jessica. At rehab, it took two weeks for Zoe to grow fond of her baby and become excited about the pregnancy. When another four weeks passed, the girl was still struggling to brush off all the pain Karl had caused her, but she knew that she needed him in her life.

Even now, sitting in a fancy, probably the town's best, Italian restaurant with Karl, Zoe felt uneasy being near him. It seemed as if Zoe did something unacceptable, even if accidentally, she would be called a whore and thrown out like the last time.

“What would you like to eat, love?” – Karl asked with a sweet smile upon his face.

“I don't know... I've never been to such place” – Zoe mumbled, feeling out of place in fancy surroundings.

“Aah, how about we start with some appetizers, then? What do you think about scampi carpaccio with two caviars? I'm sure you'll like it, since you're fond of caviar”

“Mmm, okay...” – Zoe whispered.

“So first, bring us that” – Karl turned to the waiter – “Then bring crispy soft shell crab for me and lamb lollipops for the lady. And two apple crostatas for dessert.”

“Would you like some wine, sir?” – the waiter asked after writing down the order.

“No, thank you. Water will be enough”

When the waiter left, Karl looked at his girlfriend. He placed his hand onto Zoe's, that was rested on the table.

“I'm really happy you're here with me” – Karl said.

Zoe just smiled, nodding slightly. She was suffocating inside, anxiety attacking her because the girl knew she didn't fit into the frame of the sumptuous place. Yet, she smiled, because she wanted to keep Karl close.

After both of them were done with their food, Karl paid, called for a taxi and left the restaurant with his girl, their hands entangled. When Karl told the address to the driver, Zoe raised a brow, because it was neither of her house or Karl's old apartment. However, it was a short drive and, truth to be told, they could have walked for twenty minutes.

“What are we doing here?” – Zoe asked, when they got out and were left before a two-stock newly-built house.

“I bought it for us to settle.”

“You what?!” – Zoe couldn't believe her ears, but Karl just smiled ant led the girl into the building.

“It's late, we should just go to sleep. Do you want to take a shower first?” – Karl said, when they were already in.

Zoe just shook her head. She was dazed and couldn't understand what was going on. The thought of being back with Karl so easily seemed crazy but that's what exactly was going on. Karl showed around a bit to Zoe, finally stepping into their shared bedroom. The first thing Zoe saw in here was a king-sized bed, covered in white and fluffy-looking sheets, suddenly making the girl sleepy. Karl explained where pyjamas were placed and turned on his heel to leave, letting the girl to change.

“Spring...” – Zoe's sweet voice stopped the guy – “I... I-I want you to make love to me...”

Karl froze, blinking a few times and not being sure if he heard right. He turned around and saw Zoe only few inches away from him.

“Sweetheart...”

“I mean it”

“But... I don't want to hurt you... or the baby” – he hesitantly placed his hand onto Zoe's already forming belly.

“You won't hurt her” – Zoe whispered and smiled shyly.

“Her?” – Karl's face lit up.

“The doctor said it's a girl” – Zoe nodded.

“Let's call her Lilith. I'm sure she will be as wicked as you are”

“And Emily. After your mother”

“Emily Lilith” – Karl smiled, feeling as if he was about to explode from happiness.

Zoe didn't say anything more, she silenced Karl with a chaste kiss on his lips. Their love-making was slow and emotional. When both of them were able to reach their orgasms, Karl rolled off Zoe, panting heavily. The girl snuggled closer to her boyfriend, who wasn't back from his high yet.

“I love you, baby Z” – Karl finally wrapped his arms around the girl.

“I love you, Spring. But...” – her voice cracked a little.

“But what? Is something wrong?” – the boy raised his head from the soft pillow.

“I-I just... We never really talked about this and I need to get it all off my chest for once, Spring” – Zoe confessed.

“Are you talking about... you know, before I left two years ago?” – Karl asked carefully, his breathing becoming uneven.

“Yeah... Do you remember, why I call you Spring?” – Zoe looked at the tattoo across the guy's sweaty chest, circling her fingers around the area.

“You said that with me you bloomed and I was able to shoo away your sadness...” – Karl said after a pause, then chuckled – “And partly because of my tattoo.”

“I'm glad you remember... But sadly, you were the one who caused all that pain to me in the first place” – Zoe started to slowly unbosom after all the years of keeping everything inside – “I was only fourteen, when you asked me out. I still blame your perverted side, because you were seventeen then, but on the other hand, I was the naïve one, so I share half the blame. It was so sweet and innocent at first, but then one day you forced me into having sex with you and got violent. I was so scared, Spring. So so scared! I wanted to tell my mother about it, but she didn't get back from work that day. Do you remember why? Because some fucking prick decided it would be great to smash with his car into my mother's at the traffic-light! I felt like crawling into a hole and crying my heart out, but I thought I was really going to die after you laughed into my face, because I refused to get in your bed and according to you, losing my mother wasn't something to be sad about. I figured it was your way of dealing with your own loss of father and older brother, when they died in a car accident and left your fourteen-year-self with mother. I was already fifteen then, but still as fragile as a year ago, when we started dating. My mind was screaming at me to leave you and, to be honest, I was determined to do so. But then my father started drinking and despising me so much that I didn't have anyone to turn to but you. You made me happy for some time back then. Taking me to the cinema, buying me cute presents and holding me in your embrace during the worst nights. I even got used to you hurting me during sex because of that. I was so sure that you loved me. And then you left me, saying you are off to be a model. Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to deal with losing you so suddenly? I was forced to go back to my father's house. He didn't hit me, but his words of how he hated me, because I was too much of a reminder of my dead mother to him, were sharper than physical pain. I dropped out of school at the age of 17, when there was only one year left for me. I started performing at Dirty Duck, then random guys approached me every night and finally drugs happened... I was in so deep then... I can't believe I'm now here with you again... Feeling so safe and almost happy” – Zoe whispered her final sentence.

Karl responded only by hugging Zoe tighter. He did feel guilty for the pain he had caused to Zoe, but felt somewhat uneasy about all this. Like the little happy bubble that they were in right at that moment would be burst soon.

Little did Karl know that he felt so for a legitimate reason. When three days passed, he had to leave again for his job and when after two weeks he was back, bad news were waiting for him.

“Karl... your mother died a week ago. Lung cancer took her.” – Zoe's voice trembled, as she told the news to her boyfriend.

“And you only tell me that, when I'm back?!” – Karl couldn't hide his fury.

The guy had no idea how his fury would grow even bigger in the middle of August, when Jessica decided to call him.

“Jessy? Why are you calling me?” – Karl asked, stretching in his hotel bed in London.

“Spring... I'm so proud of you! You're so kind...” – Jessica said, making Karl sink in confusion.

“I really don't understand what you're talking about”

“Well, I'm speaking about Zoe, of course...”

“What about her?”

“Wait... don't tell me you don't know...” – Jessica gasped.

“Jessy, tell me what the fuck is going on.” – Karl demanded.

“She... Zoe lost her baby, like a day or two after you picked her up from the rehab and left for work.”

“She what?!” – Karl shouted, sitting up on his bed, that suddenly felt so heavy.

“She probably didn't tell you because of your mother...” – Jessica tried to reason the girl, starting to pity her.

Karl didn't reply, he just hung up. The guy was so frustrated and frantic with grief, that he only managed to silently weep, when Igor was thrusting in and out of him later that night.