Chapter 16: Fate
Caitie woke up the next morning with the sun shining in her face. She
looked at her son next to her. He was still asleep. She smiled as she
thought back to her date the night before. It was magic.
Jaime took her out for a night on the town. They went dancing, had dinner,
and even saw a movie.
Caitie loved being with Jaime, but the best part was, being able to walk
around holding his hand. She had always felt like she had lost him. Like
there was no forgiveness in what she had done to him. But here he was,
walking by her side, with his hand in hers like nothing form the past had
ever happened.
She wondered where they would be if they had stayed together, or if Billy
had never come back. Perhaps it wouldn't have been this good. She had
always wanted to be a writer. She gave it up for her son without question.
But would she have given it up for Jaime? Would he have given up being a
doctor for her? What if they did and stayed together with low income jobs,
but were still married? Perhaps they would've resented each other? So
maybe, she thought, it was supposed to happen like this.
Jaime got to be a doctor, and while Caitie didn't become a writer, she was
incredibly happy and in love with her son. And now, she had everything she
ever wanted. Jaime doing what he loved, her and him together, and a bonus
little blessing waiting at home for her. Home? She wondered why she had
called Jaime's home, her home.
And another thought crossed her mind. A not so great thought. How long
would she stay there. She started to feel like an intruder. She new she
didn't deserve Jaime, even if he had forgiven her. And she couldn't stay in
his house forever. He had a life. John had a life. What was she doing
there?
She let go of Jaime's hand and became silent. Jaime looked down at her
and asked her, "What's wrong."
"Jaime, I know your just going to try and convince me other wise, and
that's not why I'm telling you, but Jaime, I don't think I can stay with
you."
"Caitie why?"
"Were invading your house and your life. I mean, we didn't expect this to
happen, and now I'm here and your entire life has just changed, and Jaime,
I don't deserve to change everything. I don't deserve you."
"Caitie."
"No Jaime. I mean it. I'm messed up Jaime. I don't want you to have to
deal with me. You are John. You've been great, but you need to move on with
your lives."
He could sense a sadness in her voice, and he knew she didn't want to
mean what she said, or believe it.
"Caitie."
"No, Jaime listen. We should go. We don't have to move far. We could still
live in Las Vegas if you'd like, but I can't expect you to take care of
me."
"Caitie, please! Listen to me." He grabbed her shoulders. "The only thing
that's changed in my life is that I've fallen in love. My life wasn'tworth
living to me before. All those days I was helping people, helping children.
All those days I did all that, it was like I had nothing to do it for. One
time there was this kid, a little boy about Jaime's age with cancer. I
became really attached to him. One day I came in to play a game of cards
with him, and he was asleep. But Caitie, he didn't wake up."
Caitie saw the tears welling up in his eyes. "I adored that little boy
Caitie, but my heart was broken into so many pieces. I came home that
night, sadder than I'd ever been before, and I had no one there. No one to
tell me it would be O.K. That he was O.K. No one to hold me while I cried.
I sat on my bed hunched over all night. I don't think I even blinked. I
felt scared and alone. All I've ever wanted was someone to love. Someone to
come home to and share all the joys and pains of my work with.
"And now here you are. Caitie, I never stopped loving you. I've always
been in love with you. I love that every day I go to work, the whole time
I look forward to coming home, just to see you and Jaime. It's all worth it
to me now. I've been happier, and Caitie, I want to take care of you.
Forever and the rest of my life. Caitie, there is no one better than you.
"And I know that we've only been together for a week, but Caitie, before
we were together, we were best friends. And that's the person I want to
spend the rest of my life with. My best friend."
Caitie couldn't speak. Everything he said to her, it was real. And she
felt the same. Every waking day she felt the same. And hearing these words
made her feel on top of the world. She smiled at him and took his hand. She
stared into his eyes for a minute, and kissed him. "I love you Jaime
Waite." She said, and then turned and walked forward. But Jaime didn't
move. His hand still enclosed in hers, he pulled her back around to him.
"Jaime?" She asked with a nervous laugh.
"I love you to Caitie Roth."
There was a long pause as they starred at each other. And Jaime broke the
silence.
"Caitie, will you marry me?"
The sun burned brighter in Caitie's face. Jaime Waite had asked her to
marry him last night. And she had a big smile on her face. She'd said yes.
Caitie woke up the next morning with the sun shining in her face. She
looked at her son next to her. He was still asleep. She smiled as she
thought back to her date the night before. It was magic.
Jaime took her out for a night on the town. They went dancing, had dinner,
and even saw a movie.
Caitie loved being with Jaime, but the best part was, being able to walk
around holding his hand. She had always felt like she had lost him. Like
there was no forgiveness in what she had done to him. But here he was,
walking by her side, with his hand in hers like nothing form the past had
ever happened.
She wondered where they would be if they had stayed together, or if Billy
had never come back. Perhaps it wouldn't have been this good. She had
always wanted to be a writer. She gave it up for her son without question.
But would she have given it up for Jaime? Would he have given up being a
doctor for her? What if they did and stayed together with low income jobs,
but were still married? Perhaps they would've resented each other? So
maybe, she thought, it was supposed to happen like this.
Jaime got to be a doctor, and while Caitie didn't become a writer, she was
incredibly happy and in love with her son. And now, she had everything she
ever wanted. Jaime doing what he loved, her and him together, and a bonus
little blessing waiting at home for her. Home? She wondered why she had
called Jaime's home, her home.
And another thought crossed her mind. A not so great thought. How long
would she stay there. She started to feel like an intruder. She new she
didn't deserve Jaime, even if he had forgiven her. And she couldn't stay in
his house forever. He had a life. John had a life. What was she doing
there?
She let go of Jaime's hand and became silent. Jaime looked down at her
and asked her, "What's wrong."
"Jaime, I know your just going to try and convince me other wise, and
that's not why I'm telling you, but Jaime, I don't think I can stay with
you."
"Caitie why?"
"Were invading your house and your life. I mean, we didn't expect this to
happen, and now I'm here and your entire life has just changed, and Jaime,
I don't deserve to change everything. I don't deserve you."
"Caitie."
"No Jaime. I mean it. I'm messed up Jaime. I don't want you to have to
deal with me. You are John. You've been great, but you need to move on with
your lives."
He could sense a sadness in her voice, and he knew she didn't want to
mean what she said, or believe it.
"Caitie."
"No, Jaime listen. We should go. We don't have to move far. We could still
live in Las Vegas if you'd like, but I can't expect you to take care of
me."
"Caitie, please! Listen to me." He grabbed her shoulders. "The only thing
that's changed in my life is that I've fallen in love. My life wasn'tworth
living to me before. All those days I was helping people, helping children.
All those days I did all that, it was like I had nothing to do it for. One
time there was this kid, a little boy about Jaime's age with cancer. I
became really attached to him. One day I came in to play a game of cards
with him, and he was asleep. But Caitie, he didn't wake up."
Caitie saw the tears welling up in his eyes. "I adored that little boy
Caitie, but my heart was broken into so many pieces. I came home that
night, sadder than I'd ever been before, and I had no one there. No one to
tell me it would be O.K. That he was O.K. No one to hold me while I cried.
I sat on my bed hunched over all night. I don't think I even blinked. I
felt scared and alone. All I've ever wanted was someone to love. Someone to
come home to and share all the joys and pains of my work with.
"And now here you are. Caitie, I never stopped loving you. I've always
been in love with you. I love that every day I go to work, the whole time
I look forward to coming home, just to see you and Jaime. It's all worth it
to me now. I've been happier, and Caitie, I want to take care of you.
Forever and the rest of my life. Caitie, there is no one better than you.
"And I know that we've only been together for a week, but Caitie, before
we were together, we were best friends. And that's the person I want to
spend the rest of my life with. My best friend."
Caitie couldn't speak. Everything he said to her, it was real. And she
felt the same. Every waking day she felt the same. And hearing these words
made her feel on top of the world. She smiled at him and took his hand. She
stared into his eyes for a minute, and kissed him. "I love you Jaime
Waite." She said, and then turned and walked forward. But Jaime didn't
move. His hand still enclosed in hers, he pulled her back around to him.
"Jaime?" She asked with a nervous laugh.
"I love you to Caitie Roth."
There was a long pause as they starred at each other. And Jaime broke the
silence.
"Caitie, will you marry me?"
The sun burned brighter in Caitie's face. Jaime Waite had asked her to
marry him last night. And she had a big smile on her face. She'd said yes.