His Sister

Chapter 32

"Where are you going?" Dad asks me from the couch. He seems to be doing a lot better. He's been going out with his buddies a lot and just getting out of the house and his mind off his dead wife. He's keeping himself busy.

"I gotta meet Caroline." I say as I pour tea into a to-go cup.

I see him nod his head. "Ya know, I haven't seen her in a while."

"Yeah." What else do I say? I don't feel like getting into the whole thing right now, so I grab my tea and head into my car.

My body shakes as I drive to the lake, the photo of Jackson is now something I'll never forget. The question I'm going to try and found out is: why?
I'm sure she's gonna tell me anyways.

If Caroline didn't send me that picture and just told me to meet her here, I would be hesitant and Harper probably would've told me not to go. After the picture, I kinda need to go and get clarity, Harper agreed.

As I pull up to the lake, I see Caroline sitting on the dock and my heart starts to beat faster than it did the whole car ride here. With all of the shaking my body was doing, I really don't know how I got here safely.

I slowly get out of the car, deciding to leave my tea for the time being, and throw my phone in my jacket pocket. My steps are slow as I admire the frozen lake.

I'm not even sure if she knows I'm here right now.

As I get closer, I can tell that Caroline is shaking. Her black hair is up in a high ponytail and she's all bundled up in clothes (well, a jacket, jeans, and low boots). She looks like the girl I used to know before all of this happened.

The dock creeks as I step on it and Caroline turns around. From here, I can see her eyes are red and there's tears on her face. Sadness washes over me in this moment and I forget everything that happened. She stands up and starts walking closer, I can now see her glossy eyes.

The second she gets right in front of me, her arms wrap around my waist, and she instantly starts to sob. The cold air blows as the snow starts to slowly fall. Caroline keeps sobbing into me as I gently rub her back.

"R-Rose." She says through sobs and all I do is shush her. We stand there, on the dock as it snows, while she sobs into my chest. I feel myself starting to tear up. I wanna be mad at her, I really fucking do, but I can't be mad at her in this moment.

Maybe everything will change.
Maybe it will stay the same.
It all depends on what she says in the next few minuets of explaining herself.

I feel the tears start to come down my face, but I stay silent. I don't want her to know that I'm this upset.

She pulls away and looks at me. "Rose." Her eyes are even more red, her eyes glossy, and her face is super red and washed. "Can we sit?"

I nod as we make our way to the edge of the dock. I sit down and let my feet swing over the icy waters a few inches below me, Caroline doing the same.

Where do you even start in a situation like this? Where is a good beginning?

I side eye her to find her staring out into the horizon, thinking. I don't wanna be the one to start the conversation, she was the one who asked me to meet. On the other hand, I need answers to that picture.

Fuck it.

"Caroline, can we just get this over with?" I'm about to have an anxiety attack if we don't.

"I'm sorry, Rose. I never should've chose that dickhead over you." She looks down and starts to play with the rings on her fingers. "When we were kissing at the party, I saw you look at us. It made me realize how distant we were and how I miss you. I created this hole between us and I regret it all."