Somehow Mitch and Ches managed to pull Sebastian off; he tried to fight them but his spirit was broken.
I turned to Shirley and Donna, their faces filled with pity.
“Look after him,” I said softly. “Ches, I… just be his friend.”
Ches nodded, unable to speak.
“Oh my dear, dear child,” said Donna, tears in her eyes.
I looked at my husband, whose silence was more eloquent than a thousand words.
“Goodbye, David,” I whispered. “I’m sorry…”
He stared at me blankly, then dropped his head into his hands.
I turned to go, my eyes sweeping over Estelle’s malice, David’s bewilderment, Donald’s triumph, the sadness in the expressions of Donna and Shirley, and the anger darkening the faces of Ches and Mitch.
Then my eyes rested on the man I loved; the man I vowed I would never see again because he’d been hurt enough – by me.
“Caro, no!” he cried again, tears falling down his face, mingling with the blood.
“I love you, Sebastian. So much, tesoro.”
And then I walked away, leaving behind all the goodness and beauty that I’d ever known in my life.
Despite what happened that day, despite what happened later, I can’t bring myself to regret the events of that summer, because Sebastian taught me how to love.