As the dark green SUV that Caitlin was driving traveled down a residential street, its occupants started a rather interesting conversation.
"Hey Allie look, I'm sorry that you got upset with me earlier. I was just trying to pay you a compliment and I'm sorry if I offended you." Craig said apologizing to Allie.
"You don't have to apologize. I guess I kinda overreacted. I've been having some issues of my own about how guys look at me, but I shouldn't have taken that out on you." Allie replied.
"It still wouldn't hurt you if you tried to be a little more sensitive when you're talking about women, especially young ones." Caitlin added.
"I know, I guess it just came out wrong. Sounds like most of the things I've been saying lately." Craig stated as he looked at Allie, who was sitting in the back seat. "You know, you haven't been around the house lately."
"I've just been dealing with things going on in my own life. Besides, the last time I came over, Sydney definitely made me feel like I wasn't really welcome." Allie revealed to them.
"What do you mean?" Caitlin asked.
"We just didn't get along, plus there was something that she said to me." Allie answered.
"Like what?" Craig asked with an intense curiosity.
"Well, one Friday night I came over to the house. You were out on a date with Ashley, so I was hanging out with Angie on the sofa watching TV. Joey was still at the dealership with a customer, so it was just me, Angela and Sydney in the house. Anyway, Sydney came up and said that I didn't have to wait for Joey, that Angela wouldn't need a babysitter that night since she was there. I told her that I didn't mind, that I liked hanging around with Angela. So then she makes some statement about why would a teenage girl want to hang around someone half of her age, that I should be able to find some friends my own age." Allie told them.
"I can't believe she would say something like that. Wait a minute, yes I do!" Craig said as he remembered some of the other statements that Sydney made while she and Joey were dating.
"That must've really hurt. What did you do?" Caitlin asked her.
" I told her that it must not be that bad, especially since Joey didn't mind dating someone twice his age." Allie replied.
"Classic!" Craig exclaimed.
"No you didn't?! Remind me not to get on your bad side." Caitlin said as she smiled at Allie.
"My Mom has always taught me to show respect to adults, but respect is a two way street. Besides, I hate to say it, but Sydney was a major bitch." Allie said.
"Tell me something I don't know." Craig replied.
"As much as you two might agree on your feelings about Sydney, I don't feel comfortable sitting here and badmouthing Joey's Ex. So let's find something else to talk about." Caitlin said as she changed the subject.
"Okay. You said that you went to Degrassi with Joey, did you two used to date back then?" Allie asked her, having no idea the feelings that she stirred up in Caitlin as she thought back to her younger days.
"Yeah, we did. Joey was actually my first boyfriend. We started dating when we were still in grade eight." Caitlin answered.
"Wow, you two were that young. What was Joey really like as a kid?" Allie asked her.
"He was like most teenage boys. He tried to act so tough around his friends, but I could see through all of that. I could see the tender side that he tried to hide from everybody." Caitlin said as she reminisced.
"So, why did you two break up?" Allie continued.
"Um, maybe Caitlin doesn't feel like going into all of that right now." Craig interjected.
"It's all right Craig, I don't mind talking about it. Joey and I dated off and on through junior high and high school. After graduation, he asked me to marry him. After thinking long and hard about it, I decided to accept his proposal." Caitlin answered.
"But you two didn't get married?"
"No, we didn't. I later found out that even though Joey had asked me to marry him, he had been cheating on me the whole time with another girl." Caitlin revealed.
Allie couldn't believe what she heard. She had always thought of Joey as a caring Father and friend, she never thought that he would do something like that. Craig just sat there listening, realizing how some of Caitlin's story mirrored his own situation and it also reminded him why she had been less than thrilled at his recent behavior.
"So, what did you do?" Allie asked, starting to wonder if maybe she shouldn't have started this conversation.
"I got really upset and, after a few choice words, I told him that we were through." Caitlin answered.
"But you forgave him?" Allie inquired.
"Eventually, but it took me a few years to really move past all of that anger inside."
"How did you do it?" Craig asked her.
"It' like that old adage, 'time heals all wounds'. It just took me some time. For years, I couldn't think about Joey without part of me getting upset. But, there was a part of me that still loved him. I guess what I'm trying to say is that, despite all of that anger inside of me, the anger eventually faded away. And all that was left was that part of me that loved Joey Jeremiah, faults and all. For a long time I guess I just tried to deny that part of me, the part that still cared about him on a deeper level." Caitlin revealed to the pair.
"Sounds pretty intense." Craig said.
"That's when you know love is real, when you have that feeling for someone and you can't turn it off, no matter how hard you try." Caitlin said.
"I think that's how I feel about Manny, I just wish I had realized it a lot earlier." Craig said.
By this point, Caitlin's SUV had made it to Allie's house. After making sure Allie made it inside all right, Caitlin turned around to go drop Craig off so that she could head home herself.
Next chapter: Allie's adventure continues…
