Finding Mr. Right

Chapter 20

Caleb's POV

With each passing day I was finding myself falling deeper in love with Katherine. She was my everything and I wanted to be with her forever. We spend the last several months laying down a foundation for our relationship that would last a life time. She was all I needed and wanted in my life. I had never been in love before. Sure I had been in lust but never in love. I didn't know it could feel so good to want to spend the rest of your life with someone. Not that I was a ladies man but I just didn't think I had it in me to settle down. Yet here I was ready to commit myself to the woman I loved and finally establish some roots somewhere. She made me want to be the best version of myself and I would gladly take a bullet for her. There was only one thing that kept nagging at me and that was the secret I had been keeping from her and her family. I just didn't know when the right time would be to tell her. I wanted Katherine to know first she deserved to be told first. I just hoped that she wouldn't hate me forever.

Three months had passed since we first started dating and it was becoming harder and harder not to tell Katherine everything. I had made up my mind that tonight would be the night. I would lay it all out on the line and hope our love would be strong enough to withstand anything. She would be coming over to have dinner at my house. I would wait until dinner and tell her then. I decided to fix all of her favorites. BBQ chicken, fresh green beans, squash casserole and for dessert cheesecake. I was pretty busy getting everything ready that I had little time to think about telling her my secret. But as I finished up and it was about time for her to arrive, I soon became extremely nervous. I didn't know how she would react and that scared me more than telling her.

The doorbell rang and I let her in. She looked so beautiful and smelled amazing. She was truly the most beautiful woman I had ever seen in my life. She had no idea just how beautiful she really was. We walked into the kitchen and I pulled her chair out for her. She commented on how wonderful all of the food looked and how she was surprised to see all of her favorite dishes being prepared just for her. I loved how she enjoyed the simple things. She didn't need to go out to some fancy restaurant because she enjoyed my cooking instead. She was amazing in every way and I was truly lucky to have her in my life. How was I going to tell about this secret I had been keep for so long now. I looked into her eyes and it made me feel a sense of sadness at the thought of losing her forever. I couldn't lose her. She was all I had. I had lost my parents when I was 13 in a horrible accident. I was an only child so I had no one else to help comfort me and understand my heartache. My god mother took me in but all of that ended up being horrible. I was best friends with her two sons and when I came to live with them they couldn't stand the attention their mother Cathleen was now giving to me. Our friendship soon ended and thus began my life of torment and hell.

Katherine had experienced loss also and that was something we shared. She helped me learn to cope with the loss and gave me a reason to want to live again. I had been wandering aimlessly trying to find something that made me happy and I finally found it. She was my reason for living and breathing.

I took a deep breath and gathered up all of my courage. It was now or never. "So I really need to talk to you about something." I said sounding way more nervous than I intended to sound.

She looked at me half scared and reluctant. "Sure. What is it?"

I took a deep breath and proceeded to tell her what I had been holding in for so long. "I was there the night your mom had her accident."

Her face turned white and she looked at me in disbelief. "What do you mean you were there the night my mom died?"

"I was on my way to basic training when I saw a car on the side of the road. Your mom looked like she was ok and she was talking and aside from a few scratches on her face. I called 911 from her phone and as I waited with her for a few minutes she talked about her two daughter and her husband. She said that she loved you all so very much. I asked her if she was ok waiting for the ambulance by herself because I needed to get back on the road because I was already running behind on time and she said she would be fine. But she wasn't going to be ok. I'm so sorry Katherine I should have stayed with her. I didn't know she was as bad off as she really was. Can you forgive me?"

She looked at me with anger in her eyes. "What do I need to forgive you for Caleb? For lying to me this whole time you have been here. Is this why you came here in the first place so you could ease your conscious? Did you think it would be fun and games to date the dead moms daughter? I can't trust you and I don't want to see you ever again. The sight of you makes me sick." She then stated to cry and I reached a hand out to touch her shoulder but she pulled away and said. "Don't you ever touch me again."

"Katherine I did come her looking for you all but I have really fallen in love with you. I wanted to let you all know how truly sorry I was for your loss. I felt so bad for leaving her there all alone. I just wanted to let you all know how much she loved you all. You have to believe me that I never meant to hurt you in any kind of way." I said pleading with her trying to make her understand how truly sorry I was and that I really did love her.

"You just left her there to die. Your military career was more important than spending a few more moments with a dying women. She told the first responders  that she had met an angel. I thought that just maybe she had really been graced with an angels presence, but what she really met was a coward." Her words stung and cut a deep hole in my chest.

"I'm so sorry Katherine I never once stopped thinking about you all and wished that I would have stayed. I found out when I got there that your mom didn't make it. I truly thought she would be alright."

"Well she wasn't and you have to live with that decision you made all of those years ago. Goodbye Caleb." And with that she walked out the door not even looking back at me.

I had hoped that it would have turned out better than this but here I was alone and contemplating on what I would do next. I wasn't going to be able to go back to the shop to work and I couldn't risk running into Katherine or anyone else I had grown to care about. I had to do what I did best and that was pack up and head out to the next adventure. Where ever that may take me. There was just one problem with that plan and it meant leaving the love of my life. But I knew that for her sake I had to go. She would never forgive me and neither would her family or friends.

Well now we know the big secret. Will Caleb be able to win back Katherine's love? Thanks for reading so far. I hope you like the story!!