Kintsugi

Chapter 19

Caroline flipped the sign on the Brady Pub business entrance to say 'closed', and turned around to see Shawn standing there, dish towel in hand, staring off into space, when he should have been wiping down the bar. He'd been acting odd since he'd woken up the other morning, deciding to finally tell her why he'd left Ireland all those years ago. Some of it was surprising, shocking even, but some of it Caroline had already suspected. You can't be married to a man for 42 years, and not hear the things he mumbles in sleep. The name Luna was not new to Caroline, but who she was, and what she had meant to Shawn...well that was.

She was still processing what Luna DiMera, and Shawn's early love for her had done to their family. Stefano's grudge against the Brady's had always been a mystery to Caroline. She'd thought maybe it started with Roman, and the ISA, since Stefano's early plots have involved Roman. Now, she was thinking that Shawn's love for Luna, and Stefano running him out of Ireland, was more likely the beginning. She turned from Shawn when she heard a gentle knock on the door, and saw Marlena standing there with John behind her.

"Marlena, John," Caroline said. "How was the trip? I bet a few days away was just what you needed." She was always happy to see them together. Their affair had almost torn the family apart, but their love should have never been denied to begin with. When they had returned from Mexico, Caroline had voiced her doubts to Shawn. They had both acknowledged that Marlena and John had a connection that they were forcing themselves to ignore. She knew then, as she knew now, that keeping their souls apart would do more damage, and no good would have come from it. When Roman finally came home, if he came home, watching them together would hurt, but ultimately there was no other option.

"It was good," Marlena said shyly, and then, holding her hand out to Caroline she said, "We're engaged."

"It's about time you two be gettin' married," Shawn said coming around the bar, and grabbing John up in a hug. "Me and Caroline been saying for awhile that you two coming back together, well that was inevitable."

John laughed, looking at Marlena, and said, "I think I've said the same thing to Doc a couple times."

"Maybe," she said smiling back at him.

"Let me see," Caroline said, reaching for Marlena's hand. "The ring is beautiful John. Just beautiful."

"Would you like some coffee or tea, maybe?" Shawn asked them.

"Some tea would be nice Shawn. Do you have any of that Earl Grey I like? The decaffeinated one?" Marlena said.

"That I do, lassie, let me go, and get you some," Shawn said before disappearing into the back.

"You're here kind of late. I thought you might pick up the children in the morning. Sami might have already gotten them in bed," Caroline told them, walking towards one of the booths to take a seat.

"No, Caroline, we're actually here to talk to you and Shawn about something," John said sliding into the other side of the booth, with Marlena sitting beside him.

"We were given a journal belonging to Stefano. Kristen came by the loft, and dropped it off before she, and her father left for Finland," Marlena said. "Stefano had a stroke, and there's not much hope for his recovery, but she's going to take him to some specialists there. She feels like she can't just give up on him, she has to try."

Caroline was quiet for a moment, before she said, "I don't like to speak ill of people, Marlena, but Stefano having a stroke was probably for the best. He's put my family through so much unnecessary pain. At least now he can't do anymore damage."

"We need to talk to Shawn about some of it though...we've got...questions," John said slowly, watching Caroline's face change, as if she were worried. She knew something, something that was making her distinctly uncomfortable. "Ma? Do you know anything about his time in Ireland? He never spoke of it very much to me."