Chapter 6

The next morning, Sheldon came downstairs to find Caroline in the living room. She sat on the couch, scowling.

"Sheldon Graham!" she snapped.

He could tell she was in a bad mood, but he had no intention of soothing her. He wasn't exactly warm toward her, either.

"Oh, morning. I'm heading out to see my girlfriend, so you'll have to entertain yourself."

Caroline had been holding her anger in for days. After hearing that, she snapped.

She shot to her feet and seized Sheldon by the wrist. Her eyes were ablaze with fury as she demanded, "Since when do you have a girlfriend?"

Sheldon didn't answer. He didn't even look the least bit intimidated.

Caroline grew even angrier, and she tightened her grip without realizing it. "What, cat got your tongue? Answer me!"

Sheldon tried to pull his hand free, his wrist red from her grip. When he spoke, his voice remained cold.

"What does it have to do with you? Why are you sticking your nose into my business?"

Just as their argument grew more heated, Diana hurried downstairs and stepped in to separate them.

"Cut it out, you two. Sheldon's just in a mood. He has too much on his plate right now to start dating anyone. If he were going to date, it'd have to wait.

"You've known each other since you were kids. Whatever the problem is, you can talk it out. Now, stop fighting."

With Diana there, they both kept their anger in check and sat down.

After Diana left, Caroline realized she'd gone a little too far. Once she'd regained her composure, she thought back on what Diana had said and frowned.

She'd mentioned Sheldon was too busy right now. What was going on? Why would he have to put off dating until later?

Unable to make sense of it, Caroline asked Sheldon, "Were you lying to me just now?"

He glanced at her before taking a seat in the corner.

"Is there something you need?"

When he brushed off her question, Caroline realized he'd been trying to get a rise out of her. Relieved, she dropped the subject and got to the point. "Why aren't you coming to my birthday party?"

"I'm busy. I can't make it."

Sheldon's icy demeanor sent Caroline's temper flaring, and her voice rose before she could stop herself.

"What could you possibly be so busy with? What could be more important than my birthday? You used to be more excited about celebrating it with me than anyone else!"

Sheldon took a sip of water. His voice was as flat as ever as he answered, "Things are different now. You have a boyfriend. You should be telling Oliver that, not me. I'm just an outsider."

For some reason, the word "outsider" left Caroline feeling unsettled.

She crossed her legs, clasped her hands together, and said, "I don't care. You're coming this year. Remember those three wishes you promised me a few years ago?

"One was for you to knit me a scarf, and another was for you to go hiking with me. You've already done both. Now, I'm cashing in my third wish. You have to be at my birthday party."

This time, Sheldon didn't snap back. He simply looked down.

His silence only frustrated Caroline further.

"Have you forgotten why you promised me those three wishes in the first place?" she asked, her voice growing colder.

Of course Sheldon remembered.

Three years earlier, they'd gone to the beach together. When the tide came in, Sheldon's leg cramped up, and the current swept him farther out to sea.

Caroline had risked her life to save him, but she'd pushed herself so hard that she nearly drowned.

Sheldon had cried so hard beside her hospital bed that he'd nearly passed out. He'd even thought about ending his own life rather than living without her.

When Caroline woke up, she gently wiped his tears away.

"Hey, don't cry like that. You'd think I was dead," she said softly.

"I was scared out of my mind, and you're saying things like that?"

Sheldon pinched Caroline's cheek in exasperation.

She begged him to let go while trying to soothe him. "Okay! If you really care about me that much, then just grant me three wishes."

The memory left Sheldon silent again. After a long pause, he finally answered. "Fine. Once I've granted your third wish—"

Just then, Caroline's phone rang. She answered and got up, already heading for the door.

"Good. That's all I wanted to hear. Just make sure you're there tomorrow."

Sheldon watched until she disappeared through the doorway, then quietly finished what he'd been about to say.

"We shouldn't keep in touch anymore."