Chapter Thirteen

Some things in life are completely and totally unforgivable. These things include murder, adultery, kidnapping, abuse. Some people find themselves able to forgive these crimes to humanity, others bear the suffering of remembrance, to the point where they cannot hold it in any more. There are two kinds of people in this world. Those who forgive, and those who do not forgive. They can also be classified into the category involving those who accept, and those who do not. Although this may be true, it is not, however, true that forgiving and accepting are the same thing. It is much easier to forgive someone than accept what they might have done. This goes for everyone, old and young, wise and mentally unstable.

One of the most feared things in life is change, and that is why people stay the same. There are several examples of this through time, but we have not the time to relay them. Most people do not fear death, but rather what comes with death. And that is change. When someone dies, they are no longer there. A mother cannot tell her child night time stories, or kiss them on the cheek as a farewell until morning. There are no more fishing trips between grandfather and grandson, no more hunting, no more long talks in the tree stands. And this is feared above all else. Because most people do not want to let go to what they have held so dear for so many years.

This is the same for Kirstin. She did not want to let go to Sandy. If she did, that would mean no more love for her. He would really be gone. Far away in a distant kingdom, laughing with God and telling him his jokes that everyone used to laugh at. If she let Sandy go, that would mean he would no longer be there to comfort her. And that is the sad part. He was the one to always comfort her in her time of need, and now, when Kirstin needed it most, he wasn't there to help her. He was the one she was mourning, the one she had lost.

And for this she hated God.

Kirstin turned the wheel, flooring the gas pedal and driving towards the cemetary. She wanted to see Sandy again, say her final goodbye. Kirstin had told herself several times over the past week that she had to let go, had to move on, and now was the time. It was time to let go, time to say goodbye to all of the memories she held dear. Not that she wouldn't still love Sandy--the fact was that her love for him could never die--it was just time for her to move on. It had been nearly a month since her husband had died from the heart attack and she couldn't stand another minute of weeping. Time to let go, she told herself. Time to let go. She pulled into the parking lot and opened the car door. Time to say goodbye to the man she loved, only to say hello (hopefully) in a few more years or so.

She began to walk up the path, and then stopped in her tracks. There, standing before her, was another woman staring down at Sandy's grave. Her long black hair lay on her shoulder, twisted in the curls just like the last time that Kirstin had seen her. Kirstin gasped, her hand going to her mouth, and then began to charge at the woman. She couldn't hold her anger in, her fury for this woman coming to Sandy's gravesite. For several months, she had taken Sandy away from Kirstin, nearly tore their love apart. Not now, not at her final goodbye.

"How dare you?" screamed Kirstin, grabbing Rebecca's shoulder and spinning her around. "How dare you come to my husband's grave after all of the misery you have caused us."

Rebecca was in a stage of shock. "I am sorry, Kirstin. I didn't know that you would be comin--"

"LEAVE!" screamed Kirstin, pointing towards the road. Her eyes were filled with tears, which were streaming down her cheeks. "Leave, goddamn you! Get away from me and my husband's grave!"

Rebecca sadly turned and began to make her way down the path and, in a hushed whisper, said, "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry that I have to leave," said Marissa.

"Then don't," said Ryan, grabbing her shoulders and hugging her close to him.

"I have to, Ryan. His father just died, and he wants me to be there for him."

"When are you going to tell him?"

"Not now..." Marissa stared down at her feet. "I mean, not right away, Ryan. I don't want to add too much to his plate right now. He can't digest all of this at once."

Ryan kissed her softly on the lips. "Okay. Well, remember that I love you." He turned her around towards the short line for boarding the plane, and gently pushed her towards it. "You'll be back in a week?"

"Hopefully sooner," said Marissa. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"You got the part!" said Summer's agent on the other end of the line. Summer sqealed with excitement.

"Really?" she said, flabbergasted.

"Yes," said Joe. "We need you to fly to New York tomorrow."

"What?" said Summer. "But I can't. I'm here with my boyfriend and--"

"Summer, I busted my ass to get you this part. The LEAST you can do is fly in tomorrow for the rehearsal."

"Okay," sighed Summer. "Let me tell Seth." She hung up the phone and began to walk down the hall.

Anna sat in the room, sobbing. Seth told her he didn't love her, that he loved Summer. He said that he didn't mean to hurt her, and he was sorry for using her to get back at Summer, but Anna just couldn't accept it. She loved Seth with all of her heart and all of her soul, and now she didn't know what to do. She lay there on her bed silent for a few moments, and then the bedroom door opened. There was Luke, standing there, a mere silouhette in the doorway.

"Hey," she said softly.

"Hey, Anna." Luke sat on the bed beside her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing...it's just...Seth..."

Luke wrapped his arm around her. "He doesn't want to be with you?"

"He's in love with Summer."

Luke sighed, then looked Anna in the eyes. "The truth is, it's his mistake that he doesn't want to be with you. You are one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen."

Anna's eyes glistened. "Really?"

Luke nodded, slowly leaning his head in. Anna began to lean in too, and her lips parted and met Luke's. They kissed for the longest time, then fell back on the bed, Luke running his hand up her shirt, feeling her soft skin. She ran a hand through his thick hair, kissing him harder with each second. That was when the door opened. Anna jerked up and saw Seth there.

"What?" he said, awed. "Luke and Anna?" Then he hurried out the room, stunned.

Kaitlyn pulled the top over her head and let Zach suckle her nipples. He began to unbuckled her belt, unzipping her jeans and struggling to pull them to her feet. He pulled his own shirt over his head, revealing his muscular chest, and began to move over Kaitlyn, entering her with quick thrusting motions. That was when her bedroom door flew open.

"Kaitlyn," said Jimmy. "I found this--"

That was when he saw the two in the bed, making love.

"Oh. My. God."