Augusta Again (Completed)

51- AA Epilogue

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1 Year Later

     While walking back from the restaurant bathroom, Caroline noticed a blond woman seated in her chair at the table. The table where she was eating lunch with Mason. The woman was leaning towards Mason and had her hand on his forearm. A year ago, Caroline would have panicked. She looked like the exact type of woman that Mason used to date before her. The overdone, bleach blond, barbie type, who bats her eyelashes at every word that comes out of his mouth. At this point she fully trusted him, and confidently strode over to their table.

     The familiar looking woman looked up at Caroline as if she was an annoyance.

     Mason gave Caroline a mischievous smile then looked back at the woman. "Haley, I'd like to reintroduce you to Caroline Henderson."

     Haley's mouth dropped, then she plastered on her best fake smile and glanced back at Mason while batting her fake eyelashes. "Caroline? Wow! What a small world."

     Mason stood up and offered Caroline his seat, then pulled one from an adjacent table for himself.

     "Is this your co-worker that you mentioned you're here with?" Haley questioned.

     Keeping a straight face, Caroline watched Mason and wondered what was up his sleeve. Here sat Haley, their friend-turned-enemy from elementary school.

     "Yep!" He answered, avoiding Caroline's gaze.

     "You've moved back? That's so amazing! This is just like old times with the three of us together! We should do this more often. I've moved back from Macon, where I was living for the past couple of years helping my grandmother with my grandfather. I'm a nurse and can get a job anywhere, so it seemed like a good solution at the time when they needed me."

     "That's great that you were able to do that. I remember how much you used to love visiting your grandparents down there, and how close you were with your grandfather. What's wrong with him, and how is he doing now?" Caroline tried to sound interested, even though she was distracted by her curiosity and other not so nice thoughts.

     "He had a stroke two years ago, and wasn't able to get around and do things for himself. It was too much for my grandmother. He... um, he had another stroke a few months ago and passed away. I helped my grandmother sell her house, and we moved back here last week, so she can live with my parents."

     "I'm so sorry for your loss," Caroline said sincerely, suddenly feeling guilty for all of the hateful thoughts that had been swirling through her mind, at the sight of the girl who had single handedly separated her from Mason so many years ago. She had long ago forgiven her, and was hopeful they could bring it out in the open and move past it.

     "Thanks. I'm okay. He's in a better place, and I've had two years to spend with him and say my goodbyes. It was definitely his time." Haley had a sad faraway look, but quickly seemed to perk back up. "So, back to you two. It's just crazy that you ended up finding each other again, after all of the drama from your separation during elementary school. I guess you've forgiven each other for the way you left things, and are friends again. That's great."

     So Haley was really sticking with the story that Mason and Caroline had intentionally left each other hanging, when she moved after fourth grade? Wow! Caroline was left speechless, and looked at Mason for his reaction. He had raised an eyebrow and a look of disbelief on his face.

     When it was clear that neither Caroline nor Mason planned to respond to her comment, Haley turned to Mason. "Do your parents still put on their Christmas gala for family and friends at the hotel? That must be happening soon. Caroline and I can both be your dates to it. Wouldn't that be fun!" Haley was once again squeezing Mason's forearm and had managed to move her chair closer to his.

     Mason continued to smirk and looked down at the hand Haley had placed on him, before moving his arm to his lap. "I don't know that my wife would like that very much."

     "Wife?" Haley questioned in disappointment and shock. "You're married?"

     "Yes," both Caroline and Mason answered simultaneously.

     "What?" Haley looked between the two. "You're married to each other?"

     Lifting Caroline's left hand from beneath the table, Mason brought it to his mouth to kiss, then turned it so that Haley could see her rings. The promise ring, the enormous engagement ring that he gave her two months later for Valentine's Day, and her wedding band were all on display. "Since this past August. Four months." He grinned then leaned over to kiss his wife on the cheek.

     Haley continued to stare at them in shock, then tried to cover her response and act as if it didn't bother her. "That... that's great! Congratulations."

     "Thanks," Mason said as he wrapped his arm around Caroline. "Are you familiar with the story of Joseph in the Bible?" Haley looked at him questioningly. "His brothers sold him as a slave to a foreign country, out of jealousy, but God used it to save his people. Genesis 50:20 says : As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. Our story didn't save people, as far as I know, but God was growing us into who we needed to be before we married. God had a plan for good, in spite of the fact that you tried to keep us apart when we were kids," Caroline was thankful that he had tackled the elephant in the room, since she wasn't really sure how she would approach it.

     "I didn't... it wasn't my fault!" Haley huffed out.

     "Look we were kids," Caroline offered Haley some leeway. "It was so long ago. What's done is done, and in the long term it worked out. Mason, Chris, and I have all spoken and know what you told each of us during that time, and for our part we have forgiven you. Whether you ever admit your wrong and apologize is up to you, and between you and God."

     "Well, I never! I think you all have remembered things wrong," Haley spat out as she stood up and turned to walk away. She abruptly stopped, remembering how important the Smith family had become in Augusta, and not wanting them as enemies. Turning back she huffed out, "Fine. You're right. I did it." She couldn't seem to hold herself back, though, and as she continued, her voice was laced with bitterness. "You were never good enough for him, Caroline. I could see that his family was going somewhere and I knew that he would be better off with me at his side. My family is old money, and if he and I had dated, we would have been the perfect couple. You moved anyway and he didn't need to pine after you. Whatever. I guess I'll see you around." With that, Haley marched out of the restaurant like she was God's gift to mankind and she had just been affronted.

     "Well that was interesting," Mason shook his head.

     "Yeah. I'm still trying to process what just happened."

     "It appears that while admitting to doing wrong so many years ago, Haley still somehow thinks that it was justified, because she comes from 'old money.'" He made finger quotes as he spoke and chuckled at the thought.

     "Her attitude is really ironic, considering no-one around knows who her family is anymore or remembers their 'old money.'"

     "Some people's priorities are really messed up, that's for sure. We can pray for her heart to change, and for her to recognize God's role in all of this." He leaned his head against Caroline's. "I'm just so thankful God brought us back together, even with all that we went through to get to this point. Just imagine, I would have been going through the motions of life married to someone else, never really living. I love you so much, Peaches. You are my past, present, and future."

~~~

A/N: Thanks again for following along!  It's a great feeling to have completed my first book on Wattpad!  Thank you to my Wattpad friends around the world who have been so encouraging, as well as my real life friends who have been reading.

Caroline's story turned out perfect, but unfortunately our own lives don't always.  We live in a fallen world and there will always be sickness, death, hurt, and sadness.  But don't give up hope.  There truly is so much that you can do to not only change your life, but change the life of others. Be that person who loves others well, and forgives fully.  Be a difference maker!  Again I would point you to Christ, the one who died so that you can live!  Message me and I would love to tell you more.