careol , carol peletier.
sometimes she can’t believe she’s living the life that she is. she used to be so outgoing, had so many friends, hell, she was even planning on being a nurse. had even started the program when the man she was seeing proposed. he’d been so CHARMING, but isn’t that how it usually is? they’re sweet, they charm the pants off you, treat you like a queen… until they have you locked in. then it gets UGLY. which is exactly what happened. as soon as the i do’s were said, everything changed. she was TRAPPED, with no way out. and when sophia came along? everything got so much SCARIER, because she had this tiny life to protect from his wrath. she never let him lay a hand on her, she would take it all. she would intervene, she would get in his way, she let herself get the WORST just to spare that sweet girl from any more trauma.
seeing nathan in that store, normally one would find RELIEF seeing an old friend. but not carol. she’d been TERRIFIED, because he knew how to read people. he saw right through her facade, and now she was here, anxious, completely AFRAID of what might happen. she’s wanted ed gone for a long time, but the man has pull. they weren’t RICH, but they were comfortable. he had a good job, and he could play the charming husband act when he wanted to. people always believed HIM, rather than her. ❝ my sophia… i never… i didn’t PLAN on bringing a child into this world. but i couldn’t get rid of it either. she’s my world. she’s only twelve… i SEE the way he’s looking at her. ❞ carol is so afraid of where this might lead. she’s tried before to save herself and sophia, but it NEVER WORKS. how can she be so sure it would this time? and would it be linked back to her? ❝ just… what EXACTLY are you gonna do, nathan? ❞
there’s something so telling about a man who abused his power. the word coward came to mind, as their conversation continued. nathan could remember when carol first starting seeing ed, but they drifted apart shortly after that, both getting married and starting families of their own. he thought about her, sometimes ; hoped she was doing well. maybe if he had checked in on her, tried to contact her... but there was no time to wonder about what could have happened. it was hard enough getting carol here to meet with him. he could only imagine the consequences if ed found out. but he wasn’t going to find out, and nate was going to make sure carol never had to see him again.
‘ sophia. that’s a pretty name, ’ words are said quietly as man thinks about the girl in that house. about what would happen to her if her and carol stayed in that house any longer than they already had. active imagination causes nathan to take a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment to center the anger that began to boil up from within. he had to control himself, control the situation. his team may think this was too personal of a job, but he also knew they wouldn’t say no. not when a woman and a child’s life were at stake. eyes open and land on carol’s once more, almost softer than before, though you wouldn’t be able to tell, if you didn’t look that close. ‘ well, we’ll look into his background, see what we can use against him, and then we’ll do what we do best - take down the bad guy, ’ corner of lips upturns just so, trying to give carol some sort of comfort. ‘ you won’t be involved at all, so he can’t trace anything back to you. consider yourself and sophia safe from now on, ’
