Episode 688: Punishment

"Just sit down, Nate," he said. "I’ll be okay in a minute."

"That’s what you said, like eight minutes ago. Let me call mom and dad. Let me call-"

"No. Just relax, okay. Pacing and freaking out isn’t-"

"Caroline," Nate called out.

Jesse spotted her a second after Nate did. She walked across the grass, so pretty with her butterfly wings glowing behind her. Nate ran to meet her; the kid nearly bowled her over with a hug. His little brother barely knew Caroline. He must have been even more terrified than Jesse had thought.

The more he thought about it, the more terrible Jesse felt, and he already felt terrible to begin with, the only thing that brought him comfort was Caroline drawing closer, or rather, Nate dragging her closer by the hand. Caroline would calm everything.

"Do something," Nate demanded of Caroline.

"There’s nothing I can do. I’m not a doctor."

Caroline frowned at Jesse. He didn’t find that very comforting. He found even less comfort when he noticed some guy in a baseball player costume, hovering behind Caroline, very near her shoulder.

"Who’s he?"

Caroline glanced back as if she’d forgotten anyone else was around. It was a little comforting to realize her focus was so firmly on him that she was oblivious to anyone else; still, it sure looked like she was with someone else, someone tall and strong, and someone capable of standing on his own two feet.

"Who’s that?" Jesse repeated.

"I don’t know," she said. "He drove me here."

"He drove you here. So, you’re letting guys you don’t know drive you places. Smart."

"You’re the one who can’t get off the ground and won’t see anyone about it, and you’re questioning my smarts?"

"I know what I’m doing. I’m fine. I will be."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "You aren’t fine. You haven’t been fine for a long time. So here I am, driving around with a guy I don’t know to come check on you." She sank to her knees on the grass and brushed Jesse’s hair away from his forehead. "I’m a glutton for punishment."

Nate dropped down beside her. "I don’t understand."

"Yeah, you do," Caroline said to him. "You’re scared, right, Nate? You’re looking at Jesse and it scares you, it feels like the worst punishment ever, doesn’t it? So, you know, why wouldn’t I let some guy drive me other places, too, wouldn’t you rather be anywhere, Nate, than looking at him like this?"

Episode 689: The Truth About Love