Miss Margret | Caroline Forbes

Chapter Five

 For the next week, Margret did her best to stay out of everyone's way. She didn't want to get in the way of the renovations going on, so she spent most of her time outside the boardinghouse. She would hang around on the grounds outside the boardinghouse (soon she would have to start thinking of it as the boarding school) or she would go walking around Mystic Falls. 

 Mystic Falls was clearly the sort of town where everyone knew everyone and weren't always sure what to do about strangers randomly popping up. She had gotten a few inquisitive looks, but that was it. No one had yet approached her to start a conversation with her. Was this what people were normally like? Maybe it was. She still remembered what it was like to be part of a close-knit community. Her family was once like that. 

 After her first week in Mystic Falls, Margret thought she might go insane with only nature, fresh air and her own mind to keep her company. She never planned to stay for long, so she wasn't going to out and try to make any friends. There would be no point to it. The only reason she hadn't left yet was Caroline. 

 Caroline Forbes Salvatore, Stefan's widow. Margret felt so dirty thinking that Caroline was attractive. She was her old friend's widow, for God's sake. Stefan hadn't even been gone for a year yet, and she wanted the woman he was married to. What was wrong with her?

 Because of these conflicted feelings, Margret avoided Caroline as much as she possibly could. It wasn't as hard as she thought it would be once she tried it: Margret would see her breakfast and at dinnertime, and then could spend the rest of the day and night staying out her way. That way she could also avoid any awkwardness with Alaric and the questions of their daughters, which Margret didn't want to have to answer. 

 This worked out pretty well for her during her first week at the Salvatore Boardinghouse (soon to be school). But then there came an evening when she found Caroline sitting alone by the fireplace. 

 "Is Mr. Saltzman off with the girls?" Margret asked. 

 Caroline nodded. "He said he'd take care of them for a little while. You can sit down." 

 Margret sat down in a chair opposite Caroline. "Thank you." 

 "How do you like Mystic Falls?" Caroline asked her. "I noticed you haven't been spending much time indoors."

 "No, I haven't. I've either been here on the grounds or walking around town. It's nice. It seems to be a very close-knit community. You know, the sort where everyone knows everyone." 

 "Yeah, I guess it is." 

 "And I also didn't want to get in the way of anything going on here," Margret went on. "I know you and Mr. Saltzman are trying to get the school up and running for your daughters. I feel a little awkward being here in the house, so I spend my time outside. Are you sure you're okay with me being here?" 

 "I am," Caroline answered. "I wanted you to stick around because I wanted to get to know you a little better. You were a friend of Stefan's way before I knew him."

 "Oh. Well, you just have to ask. Mrs. S-Caroline, you said Stefan died saving the town." 

 Caroline nodded. "Yeah, he did. He sacrificed himself so his brother Damon wouldn't have to, so no one else would have to. But...we just got married. We'd just gotten married that day, and he gave up his life without telling me." 

 It started to make more sense now. Through her grief, Caroline was also angry. She was angry her new husband had left her that way without telling her what he was going to do. 

 "I'm sorry." Margret sat down next to Caroline on the sofa. "That doesn't sound like the Stefan I knew." 

 "Yeah, well. I guess he changed." Caroline sniffled. "It sounds so selfish, but it's the truth." 

 "I don't think it's selfish," Margret said. "I think any wife would have wanted what you wanted. You're not being unreasonable." 

 To her surprise, Caroline shifted in her direction and hugged her. Had she needed someone to tell her she wasn't selfish? Whatever the case, Margret hugged her back. 

 "I'm sorry," Caroline said, pulling out of the hug. "I must seem really silly. You know what, I think I'm just going to go upstairs for a little while. Thanks, Margret." 

 Margret watched her go, and then stared into the fireplace. She had been considering leaving the next day, but she wouldn't be able to bring herself to go.