How could this happen? How could he leave after all this time? 17 years, did it mean nothing to him? Did her mother and her mean absolutely nothing? Caroline didn't know what to think, except the fact her dad was leaving and she would be left alone with her mother. A mother who didn't really act like one, until it was convenient for her. Her father had fallen in love, with a man no less. "Well I guess you really can't help who you love." She spoke out loud. So many thoughts were going on inside of her head, she couldn't focus on anything else. She felt betrayed, tossed to the side, and utterly alone. The father that she had known would have never done this to her. Caroline kicked at the rocks on the road she was currently walking down after the argument between her and her parents.
"Honey this is for the best. Your father and I haven't been happy for some time. It's time to move on and get pass this. It will get better, I promise." Her mother had told her.
"Bullshit!" Caroline yelled out. She couldn't take it anymore, she fell to her knees and sobbed. She felt her life was a complete wreck and it had only taken a twenty minute conversation to ruin it. What would people at school think? She didn't want to be known as the girl whose father left her mother for another man. She didn't want anyone's pity. Caroline sobbed on the ground until she couldn't breathe.
"Caroline, I know you think this means that I'm leaving and won't see you, but that's not true. I will get to see you all the time. Especially when Steven moves to Richmond. You can come visit or I can come see you. It will be like I never left. I love you sweetheart. You know my intentions were never to hurt you. Your mother and I just can't do this anymore. I will always love her as your mother, but I'm not in love with her."
That's what her father had told her. Love was a fucked up thing. You could either love someone or be in love with them, and then act like it never existed… still to her love screwed everyone over. Caroline swore to herself that she would never fall in love. It was pointless and irrelevant. It ruined lives, specifically hers. She would never fall for a man just for him to have the chance to leave her, or fall out of love. She had been through a lot in her 17 years, and she would be damned if she let someone else in and risk hurting herself.
Caroline got up, wiped her face off and dusted her shorts off. Starting now she was going to live her life the way she wanted and wouldn't care how anyone would or would not approve. She started walking back to the house. The house she had shared with her parents since the day of her birth. The house had so many wonderful and terrible memories and now she could only think about how it was going to be her mom and her from now on.
Caroline saw her dad placing boxes in an old Ford truck, she presumed it was Steven's. Bill looked up and saw Caroline quietly walking over to him from the road. Caroline couldn't look up at her dad's face, she knew he would tell that she had been crying. The redness from her eyes and dried tear stains on her cheeks proved he was right. "Caroline, sweetie, are you ok?" he asked her. Caroline looked down, ashamed that her dad had seen her in such a vulnerable state. She looked back up and him "Not today dad, but… I think eventually I will be." Bill gave her a sad smile and pulled her into his arms. Caroline hesitated for a moment before returning the hug. "You know you will always be my daughter and I will always put you before anything, right?" Bill stated pulling away from Caroline. Caroline sighed, she didn't want to talk about it anymore. "I know dad, I know. I'm just going to miss you. Washington, D.C. isn't very far to travel, but still… I'm going to miss seeing you around here." Caroline gave him a faint smile.
"I will be back to visit you before you know it. I promise you, Caroline." Bill said as he shut the passenger door. Caroline glanced at the house to see her mom looking down at them from the window. She could tell her mom was upset, but not heartbroken over the situation. "I know dad, just call me when you get a chance and be careful. I'll see you soon." Caroline leaned up to give him a peck on the cheek. Bill nodded and slowly moved to get into the drivers seat. Caroline turned to walk into the house when she heard her father's voice "I love you Caroline, don't ever forget that." Caroline turned and smiled "I love you too, daddy." Caroline watched as Bill rolled up the window, started the ignition and drove off.
She started walking up the porch stairs, and into the new life that she had planned for herself. If only she had known how drastically that life was about to change.