Caramel | Rip Wheeler

Caramel - Chapter Fourteen

"Hey." Monica mumbled, her light but moody foot steps coming closer to Maria.

She sat by the edge of the river, staring into it. She felt bad about last night and although she had been waiting for an hour or two, she was glad Monica showed up. It was about twenty to thirty minute hike to get to the river, so she was almost sure she wouldn't come by herself.

She stood before her, her arms crossed and her guard up. "Kayce told me everything." She began to sit next to her. "But I really need to hear it from you."

Maria squinted her eyes, blocking the sun to look up at her as she sat down. "What do you want to know?"

"Is there still something between you and Kayce?" She crossed her legs, her heart thumping out of her chest as she awaited the answer.

"Monica." Maria shook her head with an apologetic laugh. "No, that's the one thing you can trust me with."

Monica physically relaxed. "What happened, Maria?"

Maria sighed, moving her hair behind her ear as she crossed her legs, turning her body to make eye contact with her. "Kayce and I had our thing way back when." She said. "We weren't careful and I got pregnant." Monica nodded as she listened. "About a month after I found out, I started bleeding really bad." She smiled at a turtle that poked its head out of the water to say hello. "Rip had taken me into town and in the hospital I found comfort in him. Kayce happened to walk in when he was comforting me."

"He said you two had already been sneaking around?"

"No." She shook her head. "I loved Kayce." She looked down at the rocks under her, not wanting to make eye contact because it was a little awkward telling your exes wife how much you loved him. "Rip was the first person I met on the ranch and he just felt..." She thought for a second. "Familiar."

Monica nodded for her to continue. "Months passed and Kayce stopped coming to see me. I was depressed and locked in my room, the last time he came to see me he told me he met you and you were pregnant." Her mouth agape slightly, feeling hurt for Maria. "I don't want you to hate him, you're good to him and I can see you really make him happy." She set a comforting hand on her knee. "Then you came along and you had this glow and you were so beautiful."

Monica smiled, looking away shyly. "Thank you." She looked back over at her, huffing. "Did you hate me?"

Maria shook her head, genuinely. "Never." She made eye contact with her now. "What's meant to be is meant to be, Monica." She nodded slightly, encouragingly. "It doesn't matter how it comes to you."

Monica's eyes welted up and she extended her arms, embracing Maria. "You're so strong." She said. "I'm so proud of you."

Maria found solace in Monica's hug, she's never had a sister but she figured that's what a hug from a sister felt like. She gave her a sad smile as they parted. "Thank you, Monica." She wiped a stray tear from her face. "Can I give you some advice?" Monica nodded and she spoke. "Go easy on Kayce. Yeah?" She continued to nod and Maria grinned. "He was a kid then, you made him the man he is today. He's a good father and husband from what I can see. There's no reason it should end over something like this."

"Is that you letting it go?" Monica asked, sincerely.

Maria was dumbfounded, "wow." She mumbled, "it may be."

Monica laughed, wiping her own eyes. "Can I give you some advice now?"

"Please." Maria chuckled. "The only advice I get is from John. I'm starting to act like a grown cowboy."

Another laugh escaped Monica's mouth before she spoke again. "You should go for it."

She tilted her head to the side, her eyebrows portraying her confusion. "Go for what?"