Page 1 of The Soul Never Forgets

Prologue

Caroline Beaumont

New Orleans,Louisiana

Present Day

There hasn’t beena single voice in my head since I woke from the coma. Random thoughts from decades ago have vanished from my mind. Visions of the past are just that… in the past.

Grief doesn’t begin to describe the loss I feel in my heart. Frank and Augustina have been with me since I was four years old. They’re part of who I am as a person. Losing that piece of myself has been devastating.

I want to remember everything about them forever. Memories are the only thing I have left of them, and I’m terrified that they are going to fade a little each day until no part of them remains. That’s why I’ve spent countless hours journaling about their lives, sketching every little detail that I can recall. It’s become an obsession.

I miss Frank and Augustina so much. I wish I could see them again. Hear them. I want nothing more than to pierce the veil of time and be with them, but I know in my heart that it’ll never happen again.

Because the wrongdoings that pulled me into the past were made right.

Frank was never mine to have. He always belonged to Augustina. I understood that from the start, but it was impossible to not form a connection to him.

And attachment is such a difficult thing to undo.

I mourn the loss of communication with them, but my heart knows it’s for the best. Frank no longer calls out to me because he’s finally at peace. And that’s all I ever wanted for both of them.

Chapter1

Caroline Beaumont

New Orleans,Louisiana

Present Day

Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop––I’mgoing back to the place where this adventure first began twelve months ago. It’s where we were when Teagan and Riley decided to get psychic readings, which led to a roller coaster of events… none of which have led me to finding my soul mate.

Where is he? The leaves on the trees turned fresh and green but are now back to red, gold, and brown again. Why have we still not found each other?

Miss Seraphine says that all is aligned and I must be patient, but I can’t help but wonder if she’s mistaken. I ask myself if my alteration of the past is affecting my present life. Yes or no, I wouldn’t change my decision to save Augustina. It was a sacrifice that I made with a happy heart.

I enter the candlelit bar and search the dark room, locating my friends at a table in the corner. I look at the four of them and see how happy they are. I’m not jealous. Well, maybe I am a little, but it’s only because I ache for what they have. Not because I would wish them to not be together.

Teagan appears cozy beside her boyfriend, Tanner, Landon’s friend who was with him the night that we met in this very place a year ago. He’s a nice person, as is Teagan, and they make a perfect match.

And then there’s Riley… who is with Landon. It’s fine, more than fine. Landon isn’t my soul mate. He and Riley should be together. He makes her happy, which makes her pleasant again. She’s back to being the friend I love and adore, the girl she was before her former boyfriend broke her heart and made her bitter.

Landon adores Riley, and he’s a great partner for her. But who is he to me? I still don’t understand what his role in my life is other than being my friend and my best friend’s boyfriend.

It’s been a year. Why haven’t I discovered the purpose of his presence in my life?

Meeting this man wasn’t a fluke, and neither is his persistence. He plays a significant role in your future. I don’t know what it is yet, but he’s important.Miss Seraphine was so sure. And still is. She insists that Landon is the key to something important in my life, but I’m beginning to have doubts.

Riley stretches tall in her seat when she spies me and waves. “Caroline! Over here.”

I wave, pretending that I’m only just now noticing them instead of the truth: I was standing here pining for what they’ve found in each other.

“Hey, everybody. The fifth wheel has arrived,” I say as I sit in the empty seat, the one they obviously took from another table and added to this table for four.

“Honey, you could never be a fifth wheel.” Teagan leans over and hugs me. “I’m so glad you came.”

“We’re all glad you’re here,” Riley adds. “It’s been too long since we got together.”

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