CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Caitlin walked along the sandy shore, holding Scarlet’s hand, the ocean waves crashing just feet away. It was a desolate and bleak shoreline, stretching as far as the eye could see, the dark gray sea blending into a horizon of gray clouds. The colors matched Caitlin’s mood. As always in her life, just when everything seemed to be so going so great, things took a sudden and dramatic turn for the worse.

She supposed that she should be grateful. After all, Scarlet was alive. That, really, was all that mattered. And she was more grateful for that than she could ever express. In fact, Caitlin squeezed her hand more tightly as they walked, afraid to ever let it go.

Just as she was reeling from the trauma of the event, from Aiden’s pronouncement of a terrible loss yet to come, she also had to hear this news about Sera. Caleb’s timing was terrible, though at the same time, she did appreciate his not keeping it from her. At least she had managed to wisely hold her tongue this time, and give h