I don't own anything. I wish I did. If only I was capable of dreaming up these characters. Here is a little short one to keep us all going.

Everything Happens for a Reason

'Yes, the linguine is fine,' Caroline forced a smile and poked at the lengths of pasta in the white bowl, they smelled appetizing but she struggled to enjoy any food these days.

'It's just that, well, you don't seem to be enjoying it.'

The woman, whose name was Maxine had a concerned look on her face. Caroline liked the woman's face by all accounts. It was angular, with high cheekbones and cupids bow lips and heavily made up hazel eyes that popped attractively with neatly applied eyeliner. If things were different she would have liked to look at Maxine's face over a candlelit dinner again.

I'm going to have to give her the speech, Caroline thought. This happened every time, she went out with a woman that she thought she might like and every encounter ended with Caroline blowing them all off.

'Or is it my company that you're not enjoying?' Maxine said it only half jokingly.

Caroline laid her fork down and smiled again.

'You're very lovely,' she said.

'Oh God,' Maxine sat back in her chair and wiped her mouth with the napkin. 'I know what's coming.'

Caroline raised her eyebrows.

'You're going to say that time old phrase, it's not you it's me.'

Caroline blushed.

'Aren't you?' Maxine queried.

'A version of that,' Caroline mumbled. 'But it's true.'

Maxine sighed. 'How many dates have you been on?'

Caroline looked away. So many that she was embarrassed to say.

'Isn't there anyone that…

'No,' Caroline interrupted. 'There isn't anyone that's made me feel the way I used to feel.'

There was a long list of people that were trying to find happiness for Caroline. Janet from work, had friend that recommended Maxine as a potential suitor and after a couple of email exchanges and a telephone conversation, Caroline had agreed to the date.

Maxine reached across the table and gently touched Caroline's knuckles. 'Maybe you need to seek out a different feeling?'

Caroline slowly pulled her hand away and used it to reach into her handbag.

'I really think that I should go home,' she pushed away from the table but before she could move away Maxine threw her napkin on the table.

'I'll go,' she stood up and towered over Caroline. 'I really hope that you can find someone to make you happy,' Maxine threw some money on the table. 'Goodbye, Caroline.'

Her tall, elegant body walked through the restaurant and out of the front door without so much as a backwards glance.

Crap – Caroline thought. That did not go well.

She caught the eye of the waitress and requested the bill.

'No problem,' the teenage girl smiled. 'Was there a problem with the food?' she picked up the plates that were still full.

'No, not at all,' Caroline said. 'My friend had to leave suddenly and I don't really feel like eating alone.'

Behind the waitress a throat cleared and then a head appeared.

'You could sit with me and my book if you like.'

The voice belonged to a lady in her fifties, with sparkling blue eyes and white hair. 'I would be more than happy to keep you company.'

'Oh, no thank you,' Caroline said quickly. 'I wouldn't want to impose.'

'There's no imposition if I request your company,' the woman said and gave a beaming smile.

The waitress looked expectantly at Caroline then placed her plate of linguine on the other table and took Maxine's fish dish away, effectively making the decision for her.

'Oh,' Caroline looked embarrassed as she slipped from her seat to the one that was in front of her bowl. 'This is mortifying.'

'Why?'

Caroline thought for a moment and then laughed 'I don't know.'

'Your friend left,' the woman said. 'And my daughter has been delayed and we both have food that needs to be eaten. It seems sensible to me that we eat together.'

Caroline tilted her head and absorbed the genuine kindness of the woman's face.

'You're right,' she finally said. 'I'm Caroline,' she stuck out her hand across the table past the extra large pepper grinder.

'Pleasure to meet you Caroline, I am Ariana,' the woman shook her hand firmly.

The name suited her, Caroline thought. There was something mysterious about Ariana that drew Caroline to her.

Ariana was eating garlic bread and a plate of salad. Caroline looked at the food.

'I'm trying to stave off the hunger until my daughter arrives,' Ariana explained. 'She's stuck on the train because a vehicle hit a railway bridge somewhere.'

'Oh,' Caroline picked up a fork and picked at the food again. 'Where is she travelling from?' she attempted to keep the conversation going.

'Edinburgh,' Ariana tore at the garlic bread. 'She's a historian and has been working up there for the past three months.'

'Oh,' Caroline nodded. 'And what do you do?'

'I have a little shop in town,' Ariana smiled.

'In Harrogate?'

'Yes, I sell furniture and household items,' Ariana said breezily. 'You know the sort of thing.'

Caroline wondered if she had ever been into the store.

'Your date didn't go too well then?' Ariana ventured with a twinkle in her eye. 'I couldn't help but overhear,' she admitted.

'It wasn't her fault,' Caroline said miserably. 'I lost my wife and we have a child together, it's been a tough couple of years,' she trailed off. Certain that a stranger would not want to hear any of this.

'I'm sorry,' Ariana said. She had stopped eating her garlic bread and looked at Caroline with measured compassion. 'Life can be cruel.'

Caroline chewed her lower lip and tried to stop her hands from shaking. 'You just have to get on with it don't you?' she tried to sound positive but it never worked.

'Yes,' Ariana said. 'My husband passed away four years ago, it was very sudden.'

'I'm sorry.'

'But we have to go on living.'

Caroline nodded.

'Eat your dinner,' Ariana encouraged. 'We can't have you wasting away.'

She spoke to Caroline like they were old friends, rather than two people that had just met.

Caroline found that the linguine was more palatable sitting across from Ariana than it had been when she was trying to put on a show in front of Maxine.

'What do you do Caroline?' Ariana asked.

'I'm a teacher,' Caroline said.

She no longer cared to tell people the full extent of her job. It had once defined her but there were more important things in her life now.

Ariana studied her face for a moment. 'I could have guessed that about you.'

Caroline smiled. 'How so?'

'You have a knowledgeable face.'

'Are you implying that I'm old?' Caroline joked.

Ariana laughed. 'Not at all, you have this air of intelligence surrounding you.'

Caroline sat back in her chair and tilted her head. 'As do you.'

The waitress wandered up and smiled.

'Could I get you ladies a drink?'

'Well,' Ariana grinned. 'What would you think to a glass of something with a bit of fizz to it?'

'I would say that sounds perfect,' Caroline said.

The door to the restaurant opened and Ariana's face lit up.

'Three glasses please,' she said to the waitress. 'My daughter has just arrived.'

Caroline felt awkward as Ariana stood up and embraced the woman that approached them.

'Hello, my darling,' Ariana kissed the face that belonged to a dark head that was out of Caroline's eye line. 'I am so pleased you made it.'

'Me too, mum,' said a muffled voice. 'Who's your friend?'

Ariana released the woman and Caroline stared up into the sweetest face she had ever seen. It was smiling down at her expectantly and the blue eyes searched her features eagerly.

'I'm Caroline,' she struggled to speak.

'Caroline and I decided to eat together,' Ariana explained. ' This is my daughter Joscelyn.'

'Pleasure,' Caroline managed to choke out.

Joscelyn was looking at her mother in amusement as if this sort of thing happened a lot and Ariana made new friends wherever they went.

Joscelyn pulled up a chair and joined them at the table.

'Has my mother been boring you to tears talking about hand carved, wooden brackets?' she teased.

Ariana feigned indignation.

'Not at all,' Caroline found some composure. 'We only just sat down actually.'

Joscelyn stole some of Ariana's garlic bread and ate it quickly.

Caroline took a moment to look at the young woman properly. She had dark freckles that were dappled across her cheekbones and she wore very little make up, her naturally dark skin tone making any assistance unnecessary. She was dressed in jeans and a casual shirt with a messenger bag strapped across her person but it was her hands that interested Caroline for some reason. They were strong but elegant and her fingernails were painted black.

'Caroline was telling me she's a teacher,' Ariana enlightened Joscelyn.

'Oh yeah?' Joscelyn fixed her gaze on Caroline who looked down at her bowl of food. 'I could have guessed that about you actually,' the young woman smiled. 'You have a sense of authority though so I bet you're in charge of the school aren't you?'

Caroline gasped and Joscelyn grinned triumphantly.

'I knew it,' she winked at her mother.

'That's my girl,' Ariana grinned at Caroline. 'Smart as a whip.