Page 103 of The Fool

“I owe Ben my life, Mom,” I tell her with conviction, making him sink even further in his seat.

“We’re proud of you, Ben,” she says with a smile that’s soon going to turn into a sob. “I’m so proud of everything…everythingyou’ve done to keep Bea going, thriving, and making it through what she did. If it wasn’t for you then she wouldn’t…”

She trails off as Ben crosses the room with two giant strides and takes her into his arms, the both of them crying and offering the other unconditional love. My father soon joins them, and I take the moment to watch Ben getting what he’s so desperately needed since that awful night.

“You ok?” Nate whispers to me, kissing the back of my hand with what feels like reassurance. I nod with only a semblance of a smile, for I’m not sure I’m being entirely honest.

“I’d miscarried, killed my baby, slept with another woman’s husband, and condemned Ben to be forever scarred by what he saw and heard that night.”

“Beatrice, don’t ever say that,” Ben says as he wipes tears away from his face, “we’re family, and you needed me. I will always be there for you, no questions asked. I love you, Bea.”

“I love you,” I cry as I go to him and wrap my arms around him so tightly, it reminds me of how much I had leaned on him in those first few months afterward.

“So, where do you want to go from here, baby girl?” Mom asks as she too wipes away her tears.

“I want it all to end, once and for all,” I tell them determinedly. “No more anger, no more guilt, no more blame. I want us to be a family again; I want to forgive everything,” I admit, turning to face Emma with a genuine smile. “That’s if you can all forgive me,” I continue, now looking at Ben.

“Sounds like a plan, baby girl,” Mom smiles with relief.

“Agreed,” Dad says softly before bringing me in for one of his warm, papa bear hugs, the type I always craved as a child.

Ben simply nods with a smile and a kiss on the top of my head. However, when I turn to face Emma, she doesn’t look so sure.

“I’m scared, Bea,” she says with a whimper, “I’m scared of never being able to forgive myself. I hurt all of you. I was so desperate to be noticed, to be accepted, to have this great romance, I hurt the most important person in my life.”

“You did hurt me, Emma,” I tell her bluntly, breaking away as I go to where she’s huddled over with fresh tears in her eyes, “but I forgive the Emma from nearly ten years ago. As for the Emma who is sitting before me now, I really want to get to know her again.”

“Really?” she asks with a smile creeping through her tears.

“Really,” I reply. “You were my sister and my best friend once, before Dean. Let’s not let him win, not after everything.”

“Then I want that too,” she says, all the while clinging onto me as if her life depends on it.

_____

Bea

A few hours later, Nate and I are sitting in his car getting ready to go. The emotions of today have virtually wiped me out and I am more than ready to curl up on our new couch with a glass of wine and a half-naked boyfriend. Things will take a while to return to what we once were, but at least my family is on the road to recovery. With that thought in mind, I take hold of Nate’s hand to stop him from starting the car. He turns to face me fully and smiles with warmth and affection.

“Thank you,” I tell him, which only causes him to frown at me, seeking further explanation. “You’ve made me happy again, and if it wasn’t for that, I wouldn’t have been able to forgive Emma, or myself.”

“Bea, you’re not the only one who finally feels happy,” he says, brushing away the hair from my face. “I can’t imagine being with anyone else.”

“Me neither,” I tell him as I cover his hand with mine. “Which is why I’m going to blow caution to the wind that has always stopped me from taking any kind of risk.”

“You are?”

“I am,” I giggle with nervous anticipation. “Nate Carter, I’m finally ready to answer your proposal; my answer is yes.”

“Yes?” he gasps with pure excitement pumping through his entire body. “Yes?!”

“Yes,” I laugh as he takes hold of my cheeks and begins kissing me all over.

“Shit, I don’t have the ring,” he flusters. “I have a ring, I promise.”

“Nate, I just want you,” I tell him. “Rings can wait.”

“When can we get…”

---