by Robyn M Ryan
“We’ll see.”
Tom recognized the tone in Andrew’s voice. When hell freezes. Over my dead body. No fucking way. Rather than respond, Tom reached for unhappy Jenna.
“Call if you need anything,” he said.
50
Cassie turned off her phone and dropped it along with the clothes she shoved haphazardly into her travel bag. Lauren packed a suitcase more carefully than her niece.
“You know, you don’t need to take everything now. I can get the rest later,” Lauren said.
“I’m not putting you in the middle of this. You’re Caryn’s best friend. You’re like sisters. I don’t want to be the first thing that comes to her mind when she sees you.”
“Caryn will understand.”
“I doubt it. I certainly don’t.” Cassie grabbed another suitcase and emptied drawers. “I want nothing to remind them of me when they come home. Did you tell Dave not to bring dinner here?”
“Yes, but he’ll stop by to help us load everything into his truck.”
Cassie sat on the bed with a sigh. “Please don’t let this make either of you uncomfortable around Caryn or Andrew. I don’t fault them at all. I screwed up…Please just let it go.”
“We’ll be fine, Cass. Don’t worry about us. You know, with the All-Star Game and bye-week coming up, there’s plenty of time to get past this initial fear and anger. Knowing Caryn, she’s not blaming you. Andrew may see things differently when he has the time to process what happened. You saved Daniel’s life.”
Cassie didn’t reply as a sob lodged in her throat. Instead, she grabbed her backpack and tossed everything in the bathroom into it. I should check the pool area in case I left my iPad out there. After opening the French doors, Cassie scanned the tables. The only thing she saw was Amelie’s backpack. Not my problem. She again traced her steps to the spot where Danny fell into the pool. She felt the hitch in her heart as the vision of Daniel trying to touch the water flashed through her mind. Oh, Danny, I’m sorry I failed you.
She walked inside the great room and checked carefully in case she’d left something there. She followed her earlier steps, stopping in the nursery to tidy Jenna’s bed. She put her favorite teddy bear in the middle of the bed, then without thinking, turned on Daniel’s mobile. I’ll never hear “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” without thinking about Danny and Jenna. She stared at the stars and moon that circled his crib, remembering the many nights she and Caryn had rocked the twins while that song played.
She didn’t know how long she stood there with tears streaming down her cheeks. She startled when a hand gently gripped her shoulder. Dave. Thank God…I can’t look at anyone else right now.
“The truck’s loaded. Lauren will drive your car, kiddo. Let’s get out of here and head home.”
Cassie nodded and moved away from the cribs. Would she ever see the twins again? Hold her love bugs? Watch their next amazing milestone? As she left the nursery, she couldn’t quell the feeling that she’d never set foot in there again.
Lauren and Dave did not allow her to dwell on the horror of the day. Despite her protests, they insisted she sit at the dinner table with them. Pasta, soup, and garlic bread—the ultimate comfort food—tempted her. Despite claiming she had no appetite, Cassie accepted a portion of garlic bread and nibbled on it.
Dave opened a bottle of wine and poured glasses for Lauren and Cassie. She drank hers much too quickly, but the warmth that spread throughout her chilled body dulled her thoughts. She shook her head when Lauren offered to refill her glass.
“Not just yet—empty stomach.”
Lauren nodded at her plate. “The chicken is fabulous. I know Italian food is your weakness.”
Cassie sampled the chicken and suddenly felt her appetite awakened. “Comfort food.” She spun her fork to gather spaghetti and spoke quietly. “Thank you for this afternoon…I’d still be staring at Daniel’s mobile.” She caught Lauren’s eyes. “Have you heard from Caryn? Any updates?”
“No pneumonia—and that’s because you took care of Danny just like a paramedic. You got all the water from his lungs.”
“Least I could do.” Neither Lauren nor Dave acted as if they heard Cassie’s muttered sarcasm.
“Just a few more days, and we have ten days free.” Lauren changed the subject.
“When does your family arrive?” Cassie asked Dave.
“No one’s given me their flight schedules—I have a feeling we’ll have a merry-go-round with members of my family coming and going. Be prepared for a madhouse. My family overwhelms and captures all the oxygen, but I think you’ll enjoy Kimberlee—she’s about your age, Cass. She’s always wanted to swim with dolphins.”
“Me, too, as long as the dolphins don’t live in a concrete pool or captivity.”
“If there’s one around, she’ll find it,” Lauren predicted. “School may come as a welcome respite, Cassie.”
“I no longer have to worry about completing all my coursework by the All-Star break.” She looked at Dave. “I hope I can test out of remedial math next week if you think I’m ready.”
“You’re more than ready, kiddo. You just need to believe in yourself. We can try a practice test if you’d like?” Dave continued. “I went to the site of the company that produces these tests. They have several you can use for test prep.”
“How did I not know that?”
“Your school may not advertise it, but don’t worry—everything’s legit.” He paused a moment while he drank some beer. “We may want to try a practice test before my family descends on Tampa. I highly recommend that.”
Cassie looked at Lauren. “You put my stuff in your office. You’ll need the extra space for the family.”
“Nothing’s set in stone yet. We don’t even know who’s coming when.”
“My nephews can sleep in the screened porch unless we get a cold snap,” Dave added.
“You think you can keep them away from your secret pool off the master bedroom?” Cassie asked.
Lauren giggled. “We’re hoping they don’t figure out it’s there. We’ll take them to the big community pool and get passes. No problem.”
“I think I’ll apply for on-campus housing.” Cassie sampled another bite of the chicken. “I’d considered it before but didn’t think I could handle the commute. Now that’s not a problem, so I might as well get the full college experience.”
“Cassie, you’re welcome to stay here. Today, next week, as long as you want,” Dave said. “Don’t go to the dorm because you think we don’t want you—or that you’ll inconvenience us. We enjoy having you with us.”
Her eyes suddenly misted, and Cassie reached for her water. When she finally spoke, her voice sounded hoarse. “Thank you. If you weren’t here, I don’t know what I would do…where I would go.”
Lauren grasped her hand and squeezed it. “We’re family, Cassie. You can stay as long as you want.”
Tom arrived home with Jenna to an empty house. He called Cassie’s name, but didn’t expect to hear her answer. He carried Jenna with him as he walked to her room. The open door revealed no sign of his rainbow girl. Not really surprised. Andrew’s temper on top of the guilt she feels…I’d want to get away from here too. I’ll check with Lauren. Either Cassie’s phone died, or she turned it off.
“You hungry for dinner, Miss Jenna?”
His niece patted his shoulder and babbled words he assumed meant “Yes.” He stopped in the nursery to change her diaper before allowing her to speed crawl to the great room. She made a quick turn into the play area, and Tom chuckled as she pulled out the basket of blocks, then wandered to the window overlooking the pool.
With one eye on Jenna, he scanned the deck, trying to picture Daniel by the pool. Where did he fall off the side? Cassie told the paramedic he went in headfirst. So lucky she got to him just after he tumbled into the water.
He took a deep breath before returning to Jenna. “Good job with the blocks, Jenna!” She held out her hand, clutching a block. “Do you wa
nt me to put this on top?”
Jenna responded with happy-sounding babble. Tom carefully placed the block on her stack, then watched as Jenna laughed and pushed the tower over.
“You trickster!” Tom picked her up and held her over his head. “Did your brother teach you that?” He settled her in the highchair and placed a handful of Cheerios on the tray. He opened her dinner plate, set it on the tray, and then filled her sippy cup with milk.
Jenna spied the cup and reached for it. “Thirsty, sweet Jenna?” Tom thought of the times he’d joined Cassie in the kitchen to help feed the twins. The Cassie he knew would never knowingly leave the pool door open. She always triple-checked that the lock had engaged. Nothing distracted her when she cared for the twins. Something didn’t add up, and Tom determined to discover the truth.
51
Feeling a buzz from two glasses of wine, Cassie excused herself and returned to Lauren’s office. Time to organize some of my belongings. She dumped the contents of one bag on the bed, then groaned at the disorganized mess. I can’t do this now. Don’t even know where I put my phone. At least I won’t worry about dodging Mom’s call…calls? Wonder if Tom’s tried to call or text? But why should he? He may feel the same as Andrew. Last thing I want is to cause a rift within his family.
She collected her toiletries and carried them into the adjoining bath. Then she folded and stacked the clothing on the bed. She exchanged her clothes for an oversized shirt…Dave’s? Tom’s? She couldn’t remember.
She quickly completed her evening routine, then flopped on the bed, too tired to pull back the covers. She hugged a pillow to her chest. She said a prayer for Daniel, Jenna, Caryn, Andrew, and Tom, then closed her eyes, hoping she’d wake up in the morning and find that the horrible day was just a nightmare.
When Tom couldn’t reach Cassie after getting Jenna ready for bed, he assumed she’d turned her phone off or had forgotten to charge it. He called Lauren reasonably confident he’d find Cassie with her.
“Tom, hi. How’s Daniel?” Lauren greeted.
“Just spoke with Andrew. His doctor wants Daniel to stay in the hospital twenty-four to forty-eight hours in case of residual problems. I think that’s unlikely. The little guy’s exhausted, not agitated at all.”
“Thank God…How’s Jenna holding up confined to one room?”
“I brought her home with me. Don’t know what Andrew was thinking. She was irritated, cranky, and hungry.” He stepped out on the front porch to enjoy the fresh evening air. “Just like any toddler.”
“I’m glad you have her. Caryn and Andrew do not need to handle a rambunctious, unhappy child right now.”
Tom chuckled. “True. Jenna collapsed right after dinner. Fell asleep as I was changing her clothes.” He paused for a moment. “I’m assuming Cassie’s with you? I haven’t been able to reach her.”
“She’s here. As for her phone, I doubt she knows where it is. I saw her toss it into a bag with some clothes, but even though she started unpacking, she also collapsed—she’s sleeping curled up on a bed full of clothes.”
“How’s she doing?”
“Devastated.” He heard the emotion behind the word.
“You were with her when Andrew picked up Jenna?”
“Yes. Not pleasant for either,” Lauren said. “Cassie didn’t make excuses, but Andrew didn’t want to hear her explanation; she apologized and accepted full responsibility.”
“Did he ask…tell her to leave?”
“Not in so many words, but the implication was clear. Cassie wanted all of her belongings out before they came home—nothing to remind them of her.”
Tom paused with a sigh. “After all these months, Cassie’s a huge part of our family. Jenna and Daniel will look for her, Caryn understands it was an accident, and she’s thankful Cassie saved Danny’s life. Andrew may take some time, but I think eventually he’ll accept that accidents happen. It doesn’t matter who’s at fault. Daniel’s safety and health—that’s what counts.”
“Cassie didn’t leave the twins…” Lauren began at the same moment as Tom heard Jenna’s cries of distress over the monitor.
“Let me get Jenna settled down. I’ll call you back when I can.”
“No problem, Tom. If you need any back-up, call me.”
“Thanks, Lauren. I think I’m good for the night.” Tom paused a moment. “Please tell Cassie not to blame herself—she saved Danny’s life. She needs to remember that instead of dwelling on the accident.”
For a moment of panic, Cassie did not know where she’d awakened. She felt the bed and the piles of scattered clothes and then remembered that she’d taken everything over to Lauren and Dave’s home. Her dreams had revolved around the twins. Images of Daniel and Jenna tumbling into the pool ran on a constant loop. Cassie desperately tried to save both, taking turns blowing air into their tiny lungs. Neither showed signs of responding, so Cassie switched to two breaths each turn. She felt her heart thud against her chest, the physical sensation causing her to wake with a start, but the dream’s images hung in front of her eyes like photos on a wall.
So, yesterday really happened—not a nightmare…I hope Danny’s out of danger. It’s way too late to ask Lauren if she’s heard anything new. Hang on, my little tough guy. Can’t bear to think about the panic you felt when you fell into the water. I should have been there, Danny. I’m so, so sorry.
Cassie flipped on the bedside lamp and saw the bottle of water that Lauren must have brought in after she’d fallen asleep…passed out? Either way, she drank it gratefully.
After refolding and organizing the clothes on the bed, Cassie stored them in the empty dresser Lauren had indicated. Swallowing a yawn, Cassie picked up her travel bag and emptied it. My phone. Thought I’d left it at the Chadwick’s. Dead. My charger? Who knows?
She remembered that Dave and Lauren kept an extra charger in the kitchen, so she tiptoed across the house with her phone. She plugged it in and made sure she muted the sound. Don’t need my mother’s ringtone blasting everyone awake. How long can I dodge her?
Cassie picked up another water bottle, then her stomach rumbled when she spied the covered bread from the Italian dinner. She tore a large piece, wrapped it in a paper towel, and returned to her room. She needed time to think.
Late the next morning, Cassie forced herself to get out of bed. The hot shower did not wash away the guilt, remorse, or fear for Daniel’s safety. Quickly dressing in a T-shirt and jeans, Cassie wandered down the hallway toward the kitchen. She knew Dave had probably gone to morning skate and wondered who spoke with Lauren. A few steps further and Cassie stopped, recognizing Tom’s voice. What’s he doing here? Does this mean Daniel’s home from the hospital? Can I face him?
She turned to retreat to her room but stopped when she heard her name mentioned. She eavesdropped for a few moments.
“Yeah, an ambulance chaser tried to give his card to Andrew. When he declined, the guy didn’t give up. He told Andrew he should think about the potential medical bills and suggested a meeting to go over options.”
“What options?” Lauren asked quietly.
“Lawsuit for damages, pressing charges…”
“Cassie didn’t break a law, did she? It was an accident. Do we need to get a lawyer?”
“When the lawyer pushed Andrew, he told him to leave—he has no intention of suing, and as far as he’s concerned, the idea of pressing charges is absurd.”
“I can understand the lawsuit idea. But, did the police talk to either Caryn or Andrew?”
“No, and don’t worry about either scenario. Caryn overheard the conversation and said she would call security if the lawyer didn’t leave.”
“That’s the last thing they need. I never considered that the police might get involved.” Lauren’s voice sounded shaky to Cassie.
“Not unless the physician suspects abuse or neglect of any kind. Here, we all know that’s a non-starter.”
Cassie walked back to her room and took a few minutes to compose hers
elf. Even though it was an accident, I acted irresponsibly. “Negligence?” Is that the term lawyers use? “Child endangerment?” Wouldn’t blame either Andrew or Caryn if they reported me. Cassie’s mind wandered to Amelie, wondering what she’d said when she found Caryn at the spa. Maybe I’ll call her later, or she’ll get in touch with me.
But Tom? She now faced her worst nightmare. Once Caryn and Andrew “gave their blessings” to their relationship, she felt confident she’d do nothing to jeopardize her job or come between Tom and his family. But I managed to screw things up. Big time. Why did I ever trust Amie to watch both Jenna and Daniel? Caryn and I have trouble keeping up with them. Amelie couldn’t be expected to handle both. Incredibly stupid, Johnson. I also didn’t check the door to the pool after Amelie came inside. Andrew’s right—I was distracted, obviously.
Tom most likely regrets getting into a relationship with me. No doubt he’s infuriated with me, just like Andrew. Danny’s his nephew. He’ll question my judgment—rightfully. Too young, too immature…a wake-up call he didn’t expect. Cassie didn’t want him to feel obligated to stand by her, jeopardize his relationship with Andrew’s family. Tom needs to support Andrew, not me.
Cassie looked around the bedroom at Lauren’s office. Will Lauren’s relationship with Caryn suffer? What about their company? Everything’s upside-down because of my stupidity and carelessness. Maybe the best thing I can do is move away—not be a constant reminder of Daniel’s near-death?
Cassie glanced at the suitcases, still packed with clothes. Tempting to pack her car and drive away…somewhere? Vancouver? Definitely not an option. She could accept the offer at the university in Toronto—maybe visit Europe in the interim? How could she stay in Tampa—a constant reminder of how close they came to losing Danny?
