Claire found herself unable to speak the words. Saying them aloud would make them truer somehow. And despite the fact that she had heard what both Mary and Gray had said, telling a third party seemed to hold a particular weight. She took a deep breath as she wrung her hands nervously. "I've … been in love with Gray since I moved here, but this morning he told me that he doesn't feel the same way," her voice cracked. "He asked Mary to be his girlfriend last night."

The seriousness in Carter's face disappeared. "Ah, heartache," his expression turned wistful.

Claire nodded. Now that he had given a word to the emotion she was feeling, it intensified and she reached for the box of tissues, dabbing at the tears that began streaming out of her eyes once more. She was surprised she had tears left to cry. But that word alone – heartache – hurt to hear. A twinge of pain spread through her chest as she stifled a sob.

She was blind to the priest's apologetic glance; he hadn't meant to make her feel worse. The man sat in silence for a few minutes while she blew her nose and struggled to regain her composure. She punctuated the silence with short apologies for her behavior, but he only shook his head. "There's nothing to apologize for, Claire. Let it out; bottling these things in never did anyone any good."

He was met with a loud blowing of the nose in reply. "It's no good to keep all this in either," she let out a congested laugh that lacked humor. "I'm sorry I'm such a disgusting, mucus-y mess." Claire was certain she was what her friends in the city referred to as an ugly crier, but honestly, who looked good when their heart was stomped on?

"Please don't apologize," he replied calmly. Claire was hardly the first person to sob freely in this room, and he knew better than anyone that a maiden truly crying was anything but dainty.

The young woman rubbed her raw eyes and blinked as she stared at the splotches of stained glass colors on the floor. Her breathing eventually slowed down as she cleared out her airways once more. "I want to think it was for the best," she murmured, "but my heart won't let me."

"These kinds of things take time. No one expects you to be fully healed already. You said this just happened today. You're speaking very rationally, and that's why I know you're going to be alright."

Claire nearly deflected his compliment, almost asking him if there was a reason why she should not be thinking logically. The young woman stared at the ground. She knew that most of her thoughts today had started out a lot more emotionally-driven. "Perhaps the main reason I sound rational is because I've exhausted my emotions," Claire admitted, giving the priest a wry smile. "I'm still having a hard time putting things in perspective. I might sound calm, but I feel like a mess. I can't tell if I'm angry or sad…"

… Or relieved. She kept this last thought to herself.

"There's no reason why you can't feel all those things at once. It's natural. You lost something today, and grieving is how we deal with it."

The notion that she had suffered a loss caused a dagger of anguish to strike her heart. "I-I lost… m-my hope…" she burst into tears, burying her face with her hands in shame at her lack of control over her emotions, "that we'd ever be happy together!" she finished with a sob, reaching for more tissues. "I… I hate… that I'm having such a hard time with this… accepting it, I mean."

"Accepting something is the final step of the grieving process. It takes time for your heart to work through these emotions. Again, no one is expecting you to be fine right now."

"I… told them both… Mary and Gray… it would take time for me… to get over…"

"And that's okay," Carter replied, quietly waiting for her to continue.

"I wonder if he's always had a thing for her…" she mused aloud as she blew her nose. "I wonder just how much effort and time I have wasted…"

The priest frowned; this conversation was headed in a direction that wasn't particularly healthy. "I don't think it helps to dwell and wonder on such things. But, for what it is worth, Gray moved to this town a few years ago and wasn't the most social person you'd meet. But he started going to the library and became friends with Mary. After that, he has seemed much happier. He was a very angry person when he first moved into town, and spending time with her seems to have helped mellow him out quite a bit."

Strangely enough, Carter's story made Claire's heart hurt a little less. Even she had to admit that the two got along well and that they were good for each other, at least as friends. "I guess I knew that something was going on between the two when I first met them, but I didn't want to admit it to myself. It seems I wasn't meant to find someone here, I suppose," she added a little sadly with a wistful sigh as she dabbed at the corners of her eyes with a tissue.

She was in so much pain right now that she couldn't think about the future. Carter had been there himself, after all, back in his bachelor days before becoming a priest. A broken heart took time to mend, and getting through that period of heartache was difficult enough without planning for what was to come. "Just because things didn't work out with Gray doesn't mean you will be alone forever," Carter comforted the young woman.

Claire frowned. Her heart ached and she was so tired. "I honestly don't know if I have the heart for love anymore." The young woman's voice cracked at the end of her sentence. If Gray wasn't meant for her, then no one was.

Carter smiled. The young woman had much to learn. "But Claire, don't you see? You're surrounded by love. What about your friends? What about Karen, Ann, and Cliff?"

The farmer recalled the smiles she had received from her friends last night, and how loved she had felt. Had that really just been yesterday? It felt like weeks ago… Her heart had been full to bursting at the time; today it felt empty. She no longer had the capacity to understand anything about love, except for the fact that she wasn't receiving any of it from Gray.

"And I know that I wasn't the only one to check on you when you got sick earlier this season," the priest continued. "There are a lot of people that care about you. You are loved by a lot of people." Surely the farmer had to realize that she had become an important part of the community and many looked up to her. People admired her hard work ethic and the life she brought back to the struggling village. When Popuri stopped by on Sundays, she occasionally would mention how Karen had mellowed out due to the farmer's influence. Jeff, the grocery store owner, seemed less stressed out now that he had a steady paying customer. And Cliff… well, words couldn't do justice for the positive change the priest had seen in this parishioner – no – this good friend of his.

The young woman felt a wave of frustration wash over her. She was aware that the clergyman was attempting to comfort her, but he was taking the word love too generally. Of course she knew she was loved, but that hadn't been what she really meant. Claire sighed. "I know what you're saying, but I'm talking about romantic love," she stammered, embarrassed she had to spell it out loud for him. "I've never pictured myself with anyone other than Gray, and now that he's taken…." She realized how immature and ungrateful she sounded and she stopped herself.

Carter did not judge. "In the time we've known each other, I've seen you grow up a lot. The Harvest Goddess called you to this town for a reason. So maybe you weren't meant to be with Gray. That doesn't mean that your time in Mineral Town has been wasted. You don't have to go looking for romantic love; it will come to you when the time is right, and now that you've had this experience you'll be better able to handle it when it does. You have accomplished so much with the support of those around you, and you shouldn't let one sour experience ruin the whole thing for you. Please, don't let the news of Gray and Mary's new relationship tarnish the wonderful memories you made last night with your friends."

He was right. Today was a nightmare, but that didn't mean that yesterday was… and maybe tomorrow would be a little easier, too. Claire allowed a small smile to creep across her lips. "I got to dance with Saibara last night." The strain began to fade from her voice while she remembered the old man's cackles as he danced side by side with her the previous evening.

"You did?" The priest encouraged her with a gentle yet eager voice as he leaned forward in his chair.

"Yes. He was very kind to me," she said, recalling the blacksmith's patience in teaching her. "He said that with enough spirit, you can do anything."

The thought of the two dancing together was an entertaining one; the priest almost regretted not showing up for the social event. "He is right, you know," Carter laughed. "And Cliff said that you are a pretty good dancer."

"He's too kind," Claire chuckled softly as she dismissed this with the wave of a hand, "I just had very patient dance partners. Now… Cliff is an excellent dancer. He told me how his family used to lead off in the music festivals at his hometown," Claire played with a lock of her long, blonde hair in her fingers as she studied the colorful patterns on the carpet. "It was a bit surprising to learn that about him; it seems he has a few hidden talents."

Carter let out a friendly laugh. "Yes, he's definitely an interesting person…"

Claire nodded. "It was fun learning new dances and hearing new songs," she continued as she crossed her legs and got more comfortable in her armchair. "I really enjoyed seeing everyone together having a good time. I am very eager to meet up with Cliff again sometime and learn more about him, but today…" Her voice faded as she uncrossed her legs and slouched a bit in her chair, the memory of her heartache crashing around her.

The priest gave her a sad smile as he studied the pain in her eyes. "You heart needs a break today, huh? It's okay to feel sad about it, Claire. Give yourself the time you need to heal, but do not dwell on the pain. Be sure to spend time with your friends; their love will help you heal faster." His soothing voice eased the young woman's heart a bit.

Claire nodded, and was surprised she didn't feel like crying. Her mind felt a little less foggy, and she mulled over the day's events in her head. While the farmer felt that she had been wronged, she realized that she was not exactly innocent herself. A pang of guilt rose in her stomach as she remembered her unkind thoughts and attitude toward Mary the night before. "I would like to make a confession while I am here as well."

"Of course, my child." He folded his hands in his lap and bowed his head as he was wont to do when he heard those words.

"I… I've been mean toward Mary… I know that I've been cold toward her when she did not deserve it, and I know I've been unkind towards others as well," she recalled to him the times that she brushed off Cliff when Gray was in the same room.

"We often become blinded when we are infatuated or we feel threatened. The Harvest Goddess can see that and she forgives you. It is important though that you don't let your desire for love cause pain to another." He gave her a warm, earnest gaze as he twiddled his thumbs.

Infatuated? The young woman frowned. Surely Carter didn't understand what her heart was going through if he was going to use that word to describe it. This had been love! Perhaps he had forgotten what it felt like since he took the vow to become a priest. She decided to let this line slide; the young woman wanted to focus on their conversation and where it was headed. "I… I told Mary it might take a while for me to want to hang out with her again."

The clergyman's face lit up as he heard this news. He straightened his posture a bit and gave Claire a smile. "I'm impressed at how honestly and responsibly you handled the situation," Carter commented, smoothing out the wrinkles in his robes. "I have listened to your confessions over these past two seasons and I can see your heart maturing, Claire. You are developing into a very sensitive and caring young lady; you feel your emotions very deeply. I know that someday, when the time is right, you will find someone of your own that will make you very happy."

She knew that this last remark was one that the priest probably felt obligated to say to any heartbroken person who came seeking his counsel. "I don't want to worry about that right now," a smile tugged at Claire's lips as she stood up, "But I do feel a bit better after talking to you."

"Things will get better. Remember, Claire, bad times are just times that are bad. The Harvest Goddess has a lot in store for you here in Mineral Town." He gave her a nod of encouragement.

"Thank you, Carter," she turned to leave. Her heart felt a little less empty, but it still hurt. It seemed this problem wasn't simply going to vanish overnight.

0o0o0o0

Author's Note: Heyo! I'm back, y'all! Been busy writing some short belated holiday stories (take a look at my profile if you're interested – I wrote a Gray/Popuri one and a Phillip/Laney (Two Towns), along with a Karen/Jack *end shameless plug*)

I am glad that I'm getting the general consensus that the emotions in these last chapters felt very real; that was my goal. But I'll tell you one thing – it's exhausting to write!

If you haven't checked out my profile lately, you probably are unaware that I'm in the process of revamping this story. Chapter 1 is complete – shiny, new, and remastered. I'd like to stress that the plot of the story will not change, but a lot of details are being added. Chapter 1 has more details about Claire's life in the city and her first interactions with Gray. I really encourage you to give it a read and please let me know what you think. Already left a review for the first chapter? Feel free to leave me a guest review! I'm very curious to see what people think of the new version of Chapter 1. That being said, I greatly appreciate everyone for taking the time to read my story. You guys rock! :D