Steven's Bride Read online

  STEVEN'S BRIDE

  Written by

  Kate William

  Created by

  FRANCINE PASCAL

  Copyright © 2015, Francine Pascal

  To Megan Walsh

  Cara took a deep, shaky breath. She looked straight ahead at the line of the hills rather than at Steven. "The real reason we went to London was because Mom was being considered for a big promotion."

  "Well, that's great. Isn't it?"

  "You don't understand," she told him. "A promotion—and a transfer."

  "A transfer?"

  "They called her on Monday, after we got back to Sweet Valley. She got the job in the London office. She starts in three weeks." Cara's voice dropped to a whisper. "Steven, my mother and I—we're moving to London."

  Slowly, Cara turned to face Steven. He stared back at her, but he couldn't speak or move his hands to touch her. It was as if the shock had drained all the power from his body, all the blood from his heart.

  Finally, he managed to stutter, "You can't. You can't go."

  "Do you think I want to?" Cara cried.

  Steven reached for Cara. He held her as tightly as he could, but even so he felt as if she were already slipping through his fingers.

  CONTENTS

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  One

  "What's so funny?" Jessica Wakefield asked her friend Cara Walker, who had just burst out laughing. It was a typically perfect southern California Saturday, and the two girls, both juniors at Sweet Valley High, were reclining on lounge chairs by the pool in Jessica's backyard. They weren't alone. Earlier, Jessica's older brother, Steven, a college freshman and Cara's steady boyfriend, had announced his intention to fire up the grill for a cookout. To Jessica and her twin sister, Elizabeth, it had sounded like a good excuse for a party. They had gotten on the phone to some of their friends immediately.

  "I was just thinking," Cara replied, "how if for some strange reason I were having a hard time telling you and Elizabeth apart, I'd only have to look at your reading material to figure out who was who."

  Jessica glanced down at her glossy fashion magazine. Then she looked over at her sister. Sure enough, Elizabeth was halfway through a novel that looked as if it weighed as much as she did.

  Jessica and Elizabeth had identical physical features—the same perfect size-six figure, sun-streaked blond hair, sparkling blue-green eyes, and a tiny dimple in the left cheek. But they were different in many ways, and Cara had just pointed out one of them. Elizabeth was known as the serious twin; she was a conscientious student and a columnist for the school newspaper. Because she aspired to be a professional writer, she read all sorts of things—poetry and short stories, fiction and nonfiction. Jessica, on the other hand, considered reading for fun a contradiction in terms. She would rather play tennis or go shopping or rent a movie. After all, she had a reputation to uphold. Sure, Elizabeth went to her share of parties, but no one at Sweet Valley High knew better how to have a good time than Jessica Wakefield.

  Occasionally, though, Jessica resented the way people categorized her and Elizabeth. It seemed as if people assumed that Jessica and Elizabeth were complete opposites. And because Elizabeth was everything good, Jessica was seen as everything bad. If Elizabeth was smart and studious, Jessica was lazy; if Elizabeth was considerate, Jessica was selfish; if Elizabeth was reliable, Jessica was irresponsible. In fact, not very long before, Jessica had experienced an identity crisis. As a result of lying to her parents about her failing grade in math, she had been grounded. Suddenly Jessica had begun to feel as if everyone, including her family and her boyfriend, Sam Woodruff, had turned against her. Desperate to find someone who believed in her, she had become involved with a cult. Remembering how close she had come to losing touch with reality, Jessica shivered. She had learned the hard way that self-esteem had to come from the inside. She was one of the lucky ones. She had come to believe in herself again, and now she was glad for all the ways in which she was different from Elizabeth. It was what made her unique.

  "What is that, Liz?" Jessica asked her twin. "War and Peace?"

  "Close." Elizabeth smiled. "Anna Karenina."

  "Nice light weekend reading," remarked Elizabeth's best friend, Enid Rollins.

  "I can't put it down," Elizabeth confessed.

  Jessica turned back to Cara. "Well, compared to Tolstoy, this magazine might look flimsy, but it's really very educational."

  Amy Sutton snorted. "I'm sure you're learning tons. How are the movie stars wearing their hair these days?"

  Jessica tapped a page of the magazine. "This article is about how to balance marriage and a career in the nineties."

  "But Jessica, you're only sixteen," Steven reminded her as he hoisted himself out of the swimming pool and reached for a dry towel.

  "True," Jessica admitted. "And I don't plan to get married for decades—"

  "Phew," Sam said.

  Jessica swatted him playfully with the magazine. "And I have no idea what kind of career I want. But that doesn't mean I can't get a head start on the balancing part."

  Wrapping the towel around his waist, Steven crossed the patio to the grill to light the coals. Cara followed him, a bottle of sunscreen in her hand.

  "Good idea," Jessica observed. "Really slather it on him, Cara. He's as pale as a mushroom!"

  "When was the last time you were out in the sun?" Elizabeth's boyfriend, Todd Wilkins, asked Steven.

  "It feels like months." Steven grinned wryly. "I hate to admit it, but I rarely go anywhere these days without an armload of books. I even study at the stoplights!"

  "That's sick," Jessica remarked.

  "I think it's wonderful," Elizabeth countered. "It'll all be worth it when you get into that pre-law program!"

  Steven put a match to the coals and nodded. "I hope so."

  Jessica watched her brother closely. He had been studying hard lately, probably harder than he ever had in his life, and to Jessica's eye, the strain was starting to show. But Elizabeth was right. It would be worth it. For as long as Jessica could remember, Steven had wanted to be a lawyer like his father, a prominent Sweet Valley attorney. A few months earlier, he had applied to a special program at the university that would take him straight through law school. He would earn a combined B.A. and J.D. in six years instead of the usual seven. The program was very competitive and only a handful of students were accepted each year. Jessica sighed. Steven's getting accepted would be only the start. With extra coursework, case studies, and practical experience in a law office, the pressure would probably never let up! Still, Jessica knew her brother had his heart set on getting into the program. It would be the opportunity of a lifetime.

  "Just don't overdo it," Sam advised. "Remember, all work and no play . . ."

  "Well, hey, look at me now." Steven flourished the barbecue tongs. "Am I relaxed or what?"

  "Definitely a man of leisure," Todd confirmed. "What brought you out of the library, anyway?"

  Steven put an arm around Cara's shoulders. "I wanted to spend some time with Cara before she leaves for London tomorrow," he explained. Pulling Cara close, Steven kissed her cheek lightly. "I'll miss you," he whispered.

  Cara pushed him away. "Don't make such a big deal about it," she snapped. "I'll only be gone a week!"

  Steven raised his eyebrows, surprised by her sudden grumpiness.

  Jessica's eyes grew dreamy. "London. I'm so jealous!"


  Cara shrugged. "From everything I've heard, it's just another big, dirty city."

  "Will you take any day trips, like to Stratford-on-Avon?" asked Elizabeth. "I know I'd love to visit Shakespeare's birthplace."

  "Probably not," Cara said. "It's just a stupid business trip. My mom will be tied up in meetings all day."

  "Oh, come on, Cara," Amy protested. "I bet you'll have a blast. You can sightsee on your own while your mother's at her meetings. And if nothing else, you'll be missing a week of school!"

  "Well, I've been to London, numerous times," Lila Fowler drawled. The daughter of a wealthy computer-chip manufacturer, Lila never let pass an occasion to remind her friends that she had traveled extensively in Europe. "It's not Paris, but the shopping is still pretty good."

  "Yeah, and those big black taxis and red double-decker buses," contributed Enid. "Very romantic!"

  Jessica sighed enviously. "I would love to be in your place, Cara!"

  Steven studied Cara's tense profile, his own expression thoughtful and concerned. "I'm going inside to get the burgers," he announced. He touched Cara's arm. "Want to help me out?"

  Cara trailed after him through the sliding glass door into the Spanish-tiled kitchen. As soon as they were out of sight of the others, Steven wrapped her in a tight hug.

  Cara laughed in spite of herself. "Did we come in here for food or romance?"

  "A little of both," Steven said with a grin. "It's a good combination, I think."

  He bent his head to kiss her. For a moment she responded, then she moved her mouth away from his. Steven frowned. He and Cara had been dating for a while; they were very much in love, and very close. Steven had come to know Cara almost as well as he knew himself, and right now he was certain she had something troublesome on her mind. It wasn't like her to be moody; she was usually so caring and open.

  Steven brushed a strand of glossy dark hair back from Cara's olive-skinned cheek. "Cara, what's wrong? Is something bothering you?"

  "Of course not." Cara stepped away, turning her back to him. "What would be bothering me?"

  "Well, I don't know, that's why I'm asking," Steven replied. "Is it something to do with the trip to London? Your mom's not having problems at work, is she?"

  "No way." Cara laughed, somewhat bitterly, Steven thought. "Exactly the opposite. Since she and Dad got divorced, she's become a total career woman."

  "Good for her," Steven commented.

  "Yeah, good for her." Steven saw Cara take a deep breath. When she faced him again, she was smiling, but it looked like the kind of smile that required a conscious effort—it didn't quite reach her brown-velvet eyes. "Nothing's wrong," Cara assured him. "Sorry if I'm cranky. I guess—I guess it's just that I'll miss you."

  She slipped her arms around Steven's waist and pressed her face against his chest. Steven kissed her hair. He wasn't entirely convinced, but he didn't push it. He and Cara were going steady, but that didn't mean they had to share every single thought with each other. She would confide in him if and when she was ready. "It's like you said, though," Steven told her. "It's just a week, right?"

  Cara nodded, but she didn't lift her head to meet Steven's eyes. "Just a week," she confirmed.

  Steven chuckled. "You haven't even left yet, and already I can't wait until you get back."

  Cara squeezed him tightly. "Me, either," she whispered.

  "I'll be there in an hour," Cara announced on the other end of the phone.

  Steven glanced at the clock radio on his desk. It was Thursday evening, and he had just returned from dinner at the cafeteria. He had hoped to get in five or six hours of studying before he went to bed. "I'm kind of swamped with work," he told Cara. "I really can't—"

  "I won't bother you," Cara promised. "I'll let you read. I can't stay too long, anyway. It is a school night."

  "So maybe you shouldn't come up," Steven pointed out. "Look, tomorrow's Friday. I'm driving down to Sweet Valley after my intramural soccer game. I'll see you then."

  "But I need to see you tonight," Cara insisted. Steven couldn't ignore the intensity in Cara's voice. "I just have to see you. OK?"

  Steven sighed. "Well . . . yeah, OK. Look, I want to see you, too. But I'm not kidding about being swamped. I have my political science seminar tomorrow."

  "I'll bring a book," Cara said. "We can even go to the library. I don't care, as long as we're together."

  "OK. Come on up. I'll see you soon," Steven said. They said goodbye and Steven hung up the phone. He was not quite sure whether he felt more flattered or irritated. Cara was driving up to the university for the second night that week. It was a real turnaround. Before her trip to London, Cara had been acting distant and preoccupied, but since her return, she was more affectionate than ever. Steven smiled, remembering their reunion on Sunday night. They had driven his VW to Miller's Point, a popular hilltop parking spot overlooking Sweet Valley. The electricity between them had been incredible. It felt magical and new, the way it had when they had first fallen in love.

  Steven ran a hand through his dark hair. Cara meant a lot to him, but so did his education. He couldn't afford to slack off now; he wouldn't have a prayer of getting accepted into the special law program if he did.

  It seemed to Steven as if he had only just cracked his political science book when Cara knocked on the door of the living room he shared with his roommate, Bob Rose. "It's open," Steven yelled.

  Before he could stand up, Cara dashed into his bedroom and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Hi there!" she said, showering his face with kisses.

  Steven laughed. Twisting in his desk chair, he grabbed Cara and pulled her onto his lap. "What a reckless display of affection. You're lucky Bob's not around. He'd give us a hard time."

  "I don't care who knows how much I love you," Cara replied. She kissed Steven again, this time more deeply.

  "Whoa." Steven held her at arm's length and smiled. "This isn't a good way to start if we plan to get any work done. What are you going to read?"

  Cara kissed him again. "I didn't bring a book."

  "But I told you—" Steven swallowed his annoyance. "Here." He handed Cara a yellow legal pad. "You can write a letter or something. Didn't you say you owed Charlie a letter?"

  Charlie was Cara's thirteen-year-old brother. After Mr. and Mrs. Walker's divorce, he had moved to Chicago with his father. "Yeah, I guess I do." Cara took the pad of paper reluctantly.

  Her disappointment was impossible to miss. "Look, just for an hour, all right?" Steven said. "We'll still have time to talk before you go."

  "OK." Cara stood up and went over to Steven's bed. She settled back against the pillows, the legal pad propped on her knees.

  Steven turned back to his book. When he glanced over at Cara a few minutes later, he saw her staring at him instead of writing, an odd look in her dark eyes. "Writer's block?" Steven guessed. "Why don't you tell him what you did in London?"

  A shadow flickered across Cara's face. She dropped her head and a curtain of long, shiny hair fell across her cheek. "Good idea," she murmured.

  Steven tapped his fingers on his desk as he read. Cara's restlessness was contagious. It was hard to concentrate; he had a feeling she was still staring at him. Suddenly, Steven felt hands on his shoulders. He jumped. "Cara! What do you want?"

  "I just want you," Cara whispered, nuzzling her face against his neck.

  Steven closed his book. "I might as well face it," he grumbled. "I'm not going to get any work done tonight! Come on, let's go for a walk."

  Outside, the moonlit campus was quiet. Steven slung an arm around Cara's shoulders as they strolled across the grassy quadrangle to a bench with a view of the dark mountains in the distance. They sat down, and Steven put a hand under Cara's chin and tilted her face to his for a kiss. But to his surprise, she pushed him away. Wasn't some romantic togetherness what Cara wanted tonight? "What's going on?" he asked her, beginning to get annoyed with Cara's erratic behavior.

  In response, Cara put her
hands to her face and burst into tears. Steven stared at her, astonished. Cara was sobbing uncontrollably. "Cara, what's wrong?" he demanded.

  "Oh, Steven!" She continued to sob as he hugged her to him, stroking her damp cheek with his hand.

  "Tell me, Cara," Steven insisted.

  "My—mother," Cara began, her voice trembling with emotion.

  The night air suddenly felt cold on Steven's skin. "Is she sick?"

  Cara shook her head. "No, nothing like that. Her business trip . . . it wasn't an ordinary one.

  "She didn't lose her job, did she?" Steven asked.

  Again, Cara shook her head. "No. Worse than that."

  What could be worse than that? Steven wondered.

  Cara took a deep, shaky breath. She looked straight ahead at the line of the hills rather than at Steven. "The real reason we went to London was because Mom was being considered for a big promotion."

  "Well, that's great. Isn't it?"

  "You don't understand," she told him. "A promotion—and a transfer."

  "A transfer?"

  "They called her on Monday, after we got back to Sweet Valley. She got the job at the London office. She starts in less than three weeks." Cara's voice dropped to a whisper. "Steven, my mother and I—we're moving to London."

  Slowly, Cara turned to face Steven. He stared back at her, but he couldn't speak or move his hands to touch her. It was as if the shock had drained all the power from his body, all the blood from his heart.

  Finally, he managed to stutter, "You can't. You can't go."

  "Do you think I want to?" Cara cried.

  Steven reached for Cara. He held her as tightly as he could, but even so he felt as if she were already slipping through his fingers, leaving him. You can't go, he repeated silently. Don't go. Don't leave me like Tricia did.

  When his former girlfriend, Tricia Martin, had died of leukemia, Steven thought he would never get over the pain. It had taken a long time for him to feel that his life still had any purpose. It was Cara who had helped him to get over his loss, and in their time together Steven had grown to love Cara with even more depth and passion than he had felt for Tricia. And now he was going to lose Cara, too.