Page 20 of The Soul Never Forgets

“I’m sorry, Caroline. That was insensitive and I didn’t mean it.”

I get up off the floor and sit on the edge of the sofa. I push my feet into my sneakers, not taking the time to unlace them, which causes a battle of wills between us.

“What are you doing?”

What an asinine question. “What does one generally do when they get up and put on their shoes?”

“You can’t leave. We’re in the middle of a session.”

What a joke. “I’m sorry to break it to you,Dr. Wescott, but this stopped being a session between a therapist and his patient some time ago.”

“That’s fair but this conversation isn’t finished. I don’t want you to go, Caroline.”

My sneakers lose the battle with my determined feet. “Boy, you sure could have fooled me.”

“We’re having a quarrel. Walking out on me resolves nothing.”

I grab my crossbody, tossing the strap over my head, and stand. “You know what,Dr. Wescott? I don’t have all the answers about this phenomenon, and I never pretended to. This enigma we’ve, yeswe’ve, been thrown into didn’t come with a guidebook, but I know one thing. I shouldn’t have to work this damn hard to convince my soul mate that he’s supposed to be with me.”

It’s taken a lot of years but I have enough respect for myself to forgo groveling.

“Caroline! You’ve been living with this for twenty-five years. You dropped this bomb on me five seconds ago. My head needs time to sort out what’s going on.”

“Nothing needs sorting out when it comes to soul mates. It just is what it is. And if you have to figure out if your heart is with her or with me, then she’s the one you should be with. Soul mate or not, I’ll be damned if I’m going to stand here and beg you to choose me.”

He follows me to the door, grabbing my arm. “Caroline, stop.” He places his free hand over his heart. “Watching you walk away is literally making my chest ache.”

“You should take some antacids. I’m sure it’s just the pizza.”

“It’s not the pizza and you know it.”

I shrug and shake my head. “Go to your fiancée. Maybe she’ll be able to ease your pain.”

Dr. Wes is right about one thing. It isn’t the pizza causing him pain. I feel the same ache in my chest, and it grows as the distance widens between us.

My soul clings to Dr. Jude Dawson Wescott’s soul.

Chapter5

Caroline Beaumont

New Orleans,Louisiana

Present Day

It’s almost ten o’clock.Coco would be happy to talk to me the rest of the night if I asked her to, but I can’t bring myself to go to her house and drag the poor thing out of bed.

The only other person in my life I can talk to about Dr. Wes is Miss Seraphine. But it’s Monday. This is her night off after working all weekend. I have her number but I don’t feel right about calling and disturbing her at this hour.

My mom.

My brother.

Teagan.

Riley.

Landon.

---