Augusta Again (Completed)

23- Labor Day Weekend Part 3

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Sunday Continued:

     Caroline stared at him with hurt on her face, unable to respond. Mason reached out and rubbed his thumb under her eye, and she realized she had been crying. She pulled back, covered her face with her hands, and turned away trying to muffle her sobs.

     "Please don't cry. Just hear me out. I would never hurt you. Caroline, I...Jessie...she just broke things off with her fiancé because he attacked her and hurt her badly early this morning, and she's so emotionally and physically hurt and confused. For the first time her fiancé's verbal rage became physical and he hit her and tried to choke her. She escaped, called the police, and finally made it here in about 3:30 this morning. Brent and I spent a couple of hours with her in the hospital and then we came back here to talk because she wasn't ready to sleep. Brent went back home about 30 minutes ago." Caroline looked at him skeptically. "I promise... nothing is going on." He raised his arms in surrender.

     By this time, Caroline had uncovered her face and turned back around to hear him out. He pulled her to him again.

     Caroline looked up at him and could see how earnest he was. She felt bad for jumping to conclusions, but struggled to get past the affection she saw between them and the knowledge she had of their history together. She felt sorry for Jessica, though, and wasn't sure how to unify her conflicting feelings.

     Closing her eyes and trying to collect her thoughts, Caroline finally spoke. "I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions and doubting you. It's just... I came down to watch the sunrise with you like we had planned-."

     "I completely forgot. I'm the one that's sorry," Mason rushed out. "You don't have anything to apologize for. I'm just sorry you had to see it when you didn't realize what was happening, I can understand how it seemed." He looked up at the sky. "I'm sorry we didn't get our sunrise beach walk. I had to take care of Jessie, and with all that happened I got caught up in the moment and forgot." He rubbed his face and it was clear he was exhausted.

     Caroline's brow furrowed at the fact that he felt he had to take care of Jessica, when her brother could have taken her to the hospital by himself.

     Mason saw the look on her face. "I'm sorry. That didn't come out right. You're normally my top priority, but in that moment I was so worried for my friend and her safety that I wasn't thinking straight. We'll get up early and do it tomorrow."

     Caroline could tell that what Jessica had going on was serious, but the fact that he was putting someone else before her still hurt. Even Jessica's brother had gone home to go back to sleep, but Mason had forgotten their plans and stayed with Jessica. And why did Mason have to be involved anyway in the middle of the night? It bothered her that she was feeling so selfish about his attention, so she decided to stay quiet about those particular feelings until she could work through them. For now, she would shove them down. With a pasted on smile Caroline announced, "I understand, she needed you. I'd like to meet Jessica."

     Wrapping his arm around her waist, he led her back to the house and they found Jessica in the kitchen at the island. Caroline felt a pang of guilt when she saw the bruises on Jessica's face and neck, and the weariness in her eyes. Jessica's eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Caroline, and then darted to Mason's arm around Caroline's waist. The look Jessica gave her made Caroline feel self conscious.

     "Jess, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Caroline."

     One eyebrow went up on Jessica's face, and then she smirked and held out her hand. "You can call me Jessica. Mason's always called me Jess, but I prefer others to call me Jessica." She glanced at Mason tenderly as she shook Caroline's hand.