The Second Chance She Never Planned
Chapter One
Caroline
I haven't told anyone I'm coming home yet.
I'm not sure that I will. It's about a two hour drive back to Melwood from Chicago.
I know my parents will already be tucked in after their nightly reruns of The Big Bang Theory.
One can only hope that they still leave a spare key under the stone turtle by the front door, so that I can crawl into my old bed without any explanations.
It's too embarrassing to admit that I need to get myself together so I can come up with some sort of story as to why I'm showing back up here without any sort of notice.
Part of me was still holding out hope that Grant and I could work things out, so I didn't want to burn any family bridges just yet.
But this drive is making me come to terms with the fact that I just can't keep up with this facade any longer.
As I pull off the exit towards my tiny Indiana hometown, I am flooded with memories and reasons as to why I left this scene in the first place.
In a way, it's kind of endearing. The way all of the leaves are starting to turn colors over the small storefronts and the smell of fresh rain that covers the red brick roads.
Despite the lack of street lamps, I can very clearly envision each shop name in the downtown area.
As I drive through, a sense of nostalgia washes over me.
The term “downtown” is used very loosely, of course.
It hardly counts as one if you ask me. Sure, maybe 20,000 people doesn't count as a rural area to everyone, but it definitely doesn't compare to the bustling millions that I pass in Millenium Park everyday.
While Melwood, Indiana is quaint and charming, I always wanted more for myself and I was on the fast track out of here as soon as I graduated from Melwood Views High School, back in 2016.
Now, here I am nearly ten years later, back where I started.
I slowly pull my black Lexus onto the gravel driveway of the white Victorian-style home and close the car door as quietly as I can.
Grabbing my Vera Bradley duffle from the back seat and making my way up to the wrap-around porch.
I skip the creaking second stair, a hard learned habit after the high-pitched squeak earned me more groundings than I care to admit.
My view is blocked when the September wind blows my waist-length hair across my face, but muscle memory quickly locates the key right where I left it.
I slide the key into the lock and tiptoe on to the creaky wood floor, setting down my bag next to Bailey’s dog bed.
As I slide off my Birkenstocks, I hear the flick of the kitchen light come on and blind me across the living room.
My dad is standing there, looking expectantly at me in the doorway. Busted.
∞∞∞
The sunrise beams through the sheer pink curtains at the end of the bed, and I blink sleep out of my eyes as I gather my bearings.
It all comes flooding back to me when I recognize the feel of the worn, rose-colored comforter under my fingertips and take in the white four-post bed I'm in from high school. I fully expected to be questioned when I snuck in last night, but my dad simply hugged me and sent me on my way without a blink of an eye. I know I won’t get off that easy with my chatty mom when I emerge from this room today though.
I can already smell the pot of coffee she’s brewing downstairs, so I slide on my fuzzy slippers and brave the walk downstairs, in what feels like a walk of shame.
“Good morning, sunshine,” my mom rings without even glancing up from the pan of eggs she’s frying. “I wasn’t expecting company, but there’s plenty to go around. Fix yourself a plate.” She reaches out to hand me a white plate from the stack, but I leave her hanging.
“Thanks, but that’s okay. I’m going to meet up with Kate at Moonstone here soon.
” I also hardly have any appetite right now.
I couldn’t not text my best friend when I got in last night.
Although she already knows just about everything, I definitely need to debrief with her before I get sucked into my parent’s intervention.
“Okay Caroline, nice to see you too,” she snaps back, placing the plate back down. And let the guilt trip begin...
People wonder why you don’t come back to visit, but as soon as you do, that’s all they want to talk about. And it’s exactly why I avoid it at all costs. But there’s nowhere to run away to now.
Without responding, and against my better judgement, I scoot out one of the pine barstools and take a seat.
Wrapping my fuzzy robe around my waist. I haven’t sat down and enjoyed a hot cup of coffee in Lord knows how long.
The baristas at Starbucks in our building basically have my iced triple espresso ready at 7:30 every morning on my way out the door for my commute.
Something about sipping drip coffee out of my mom’s thick mug feels so nostalgic, but that peace is quickly interrupted.
I’ve zoned out to the clattering of forks on plates when my dad says, “So, what brings you back to this neck of the woods? Sure haven’t seen you around here in a while.”
Insert major eye roll… “Sigh, Can’t a girl just come home because she misses her mom and dad and wants to surprise them with a visit?” I quickly respond with a wide grin. Hoping to distract them with excitement, rather than any further questions.
Laughter erupts, “Yeah, wouldn’t that be nice,” says my dad with no further comments. Guess that’s not going to happen, but yeah I deserved that one. With the tension in the room getting thicker by the minute, I think it’s time I get out of here.
“Alright, well it’s been fun but I gotta go before Kate drinks both of our lattes. Be back later!” I shout behind me, hopping out of the wood barstool and setting down my half drank coffee on the counter.
I run back upstairs and throw my robe onto my bed.
Quickly grabbing an old black cardigan out of the closet, I put it on over my tee shirt and leggings before heading back down the stairs.
I swiftly trade my slippers for white slides, as I slip one off and into the next at the front door.
I grab my lanyard off the wall hook and sprint out the door with my hair barely brushed, but not giving a damn.
∞∞∞
Moonstone Cafe is one of the best parts of Melwood.
Nestled in the cozy downtown village, what was once a hole in the wall for locals, has quickly gained popularity.
The bell chimes above the glass door as I swing it open, and quickly spot my childhood best friend sitting in the brown leather booth ahead.
Her long dark curls bounce around her as she stands to wave me over.
“Long time, no see! Come here often?” Kate yells across the coffee shop, knowing damn well that it will embarrass me. She is the extrovert to my introvert and she knows it, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Yeah, yeah, that seems to be the running joke today. Good morning to you too!” I grin and lean down to give her a hug in her seat before sliding into the chair across from her. “This place has really made some upgrades, huh? We even have faux granite tables now?”
“I know, right? Believe it or not, Sydney convinced her old man to get on board with the whole social media thing and it has really popped off. Syd’s given herself a whole new role of marketing this place and it seems to be working.”
“Wow, I miss that girl! Is she here today?” Sydney has been our friend since high school, but she has quite the social life and can be hard to track down.
Her parents own the coffee shop, bakery, and bookstore so I usually bank on finding her at one of those locations.
Most people who are still living here in Melwood are here because they are small business owners or they work at the school or hospital. The rest of us have moved the heck on.
“No, I’m pretty sure she stayed up too late binging the new season of Ginny & Georgia with a bottle of cabernet last night and is still asleep,” Kate explains. “Honestly, pretty jealous. But I got you your usual so you have no time to dilly-dally. Now, spill.”
She pushes the sturdy white mug in my direction, filled with my favorite liquid: a hot white mocha latte.
It looks even more creamy and frothy than I remember and it’s warm but not too hot to drink.
I take a long, slow sip not breaking eye contact with her.
I’m unsure where to start. Kate is the one person I talk to daily and tell just about everything to.
But even the details of this I have kept to myself.
I guess it’s time to go ahead and rip the bandaid off.
“Grant cheated on me with his bimbo assistant.” There, just drop the bomb with no emotion. You’d think this happened months ago and not less than 24 hours ago, with how numb I sound. But there’s really no beating around the bush with this one.
Kate’s gasp comes at the most theatrical time, when a glass is suddenly dropped behind the counter, shattering and adding to her shock. She completely ignores it.
“Ashley?!”
I nod to confirm, lips pressed firmly together.
“Gosh, it’s always the ones they tell you not to worry about, isn’t it? I knew I never liked the guy, but that’s lower than I thought even he would go.” She pauses then says. “Wait, how did you even find this out?”
“I literally came home and caught them in the shower… apparently our high class water pressure drowns out the noise of the deadbolt.” I still say nonchalantly. Her mouth has yet to close. “Sure wish I could erase that image from my brain.”
“Oh my god, Caroline I’m so sorry. That’s awful! How did he respond? Beg for forgiveness, I hope.”
“I honestly couldn’t tell you. I didn’t give him the time. I just remember seeing red, throwing my shit in a bag and leaving as quickly as I could. I stormed out, ears still ringing,” I lowered my head in defeat. “But he didn’t try to stop me.”
A breeze comes in as the front door opens again, I lift my leg and slide my cold toes under my knee to warm up.
It’s layered-cardigan-weather. Where it’s chilly in the morning, but sweltering by the afternoon.
The background noise picks up and all I hear is loud elevator music, steamers frothing, and cups clanking as Kate stares at me in disbelief.
I’m not sure if she’s more stunned at what happened, or the fact that I am usually much more emotional.
I decided to break the silence. “I’ll take these back up, do you want anything else?” I ask as I gather the dirty mugs. It feels like we’ve hardly started talking, but I could catch up with Kate all day.
“No, I need to chill on the caffeine.” She responds, making me wonder if she’s on one of her new health kicks, considering she never turns down coffee.
Trying to muster up my old serving skills, I balance the mugs and saucers over to the return counter.
I manage to dodge the influx of small children starting to flood in with the stay at home moms and set the dishes on the dirty rack.
Wrapping my cardigan back across my body, I get shoulder checked as I turn back to our table.
“I’m so sor– ” my words fall short when I look up and my brain catches up to my eyes. Standing right in front of me at the check out line is none other than Reid Perry himself. As if this day could get any worse.