by Olivia Harp
It was a bit out of her way but their coffee was worth it.
She walked to the counter, the pictures on the wall deliciously inviting. I won’t order anything else besides the frappe, I’m not even hungry!
The young cashier girl nodded and welcomed her with a big smile.
“Welcome to Bakeosaur’s our special for the day is—”
“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Cassie said, “I just need a couple of Moka Frappe’s, please.”
The young girl nodded and rang her order. Cassie turned around to see Deedee walking up to her, waving. She wore a loose, gray sweatshirt with the words “Wicked” on it, purple tights and big, brown worker boots.
Her heart almost burst out of her chest, her surprise impossible to hide.
“Hey, Cassie,” Dee said.
She breathed out as sneakily as she could. Meeting Dee’s smile with her own.
“Hey, Dee, how are you?”
Way back, in one of the tables near the side window, she saw Raiden standing up, nodding her way as his eyes met hers.
She nodded back.
“Long time no see, what are you having?” Dee asked, careless and free.
“I’m having,” Cass said, sighing, pretending normalcy, “uhm, you know, just a frappe, and you?”
“Orange juice,” she replied, “my dad doesn’t let me drink coffee.”
“Really?” she said eying Raiden, who was on his way to the counter, “I wonder why.”
“He says I’m crazy enough.”
Cassie laughed.
“And what do you say?”
Dee shrugged, looking at her dad, “men... what do they know?”
“Hey,” Raiden said, now beside his daughter.
“Hey,” Cassie said. She was sure she was calmer now. The few words with Dee gave her enough time to regain control of herself.
“How are you?”
“Busy,” she said with a shrug.
The air was heavy between them, but it wasn’t because he hadn’t replied. Okay, it is because of that, but we also never talked about how to deal with our... situation... in front of Dee.
There was a moment of silence, Dee looked up at Cassie, then at his dad, rolled her eyes and sighed loud enough for everyone to hear.
“Dad, what did you do this time?”
Raiden almost jumped back in surprise. He put his hand on his child’s head, gasping for air.
“What did I do? What do you mean, Deeandra?
Cassie lowered her head to hide her smile.
At least someone’s bright enough to know.
“Something happened,” Dee said, “what did you do?”
“I didn’t do anything!”
“There you go,” she said, then turned to Cassie, rolled her eyes, and said “men...”
Cassie burst out laughing, tapping her head.
“I know, right?” she said.
Dee giggled.
“How are you? Haven’t heard from you in a while,” Cassie said.
It took two seconds to realize what he’d done.
“I’m sorry,” he said, “I’ve been busy.”
Cassie shrugged, “sure, no problem.”
“You like Wicked?” Dee said, grabbing her sweater and showing the play’s logo to her.
“I’ve heard it’s a great show.”
“My friend Faith gave it to me, back on the mountain, I read about it online but it’s not the same.”
“It’s actually playing here; did you know?”
Dee’s eyes widened, her jaw about to fall off.
“Really?”
She nodded. Dee was so excited she almost dropped her juice, she was visibly shaking.
“Oh no,” Raiden said.
Dee just turned to him. She didn’t even need to say anything, she just looked at her dad. Cassie held her laughter.
“No,” Raiden said.
Dee exploded, “but daaaaad!”
“It’s not for kids, Deeandra.”
“Dad of course kids can go, tell him Cassie!”
Woops. She made a mistake. What would she do now? Back Raiden or back the kid? Raiden was looking at her, his face expressionless.
“What?” she said.
“Tell her it’s not for kids, it’s a play for grown-ups.”
She could tell he honestly thought so.
Cassie wondered.
“Why do you say that?”
“Well... Wicked? Dee says it’s about a witch and that kind of stuff, I don’t want her to be scared sleepless.”
Cassie tapped on his shoulder, laughing.
“Raiden! It’s about the Wicked Witch of the West! From The Wizard of Oz? It’s a comedy!”
Raiden’s face turned from seriousness to a complete question mark.
“See, dad?” Dee said exasperated.
“Really? I always thought...”
“Yes, Ray, it’s for all ages. Expensive, though...”
Raiden nodded slowly, he was still processing the new information.
“Dad, can we go? Pleaaaaaseeee?”
This kid knew how to get to her dad. She looked up at him with her best Puss in Boots face, her eyes so meltingly cute, her tone full of innocence.
“Well,” Raiden said, scratching his head.
“Can Cassie go? She’s a fan, too!”
Cassie’s heart almost stopped.
“No— I...”
He hadn’t texted her or returned her calls. No way she was going to go, she wasn’t going to impose like that.
“Sure,” Raiden said, then turned to her, “if she wants to.”
Dee jumped in excitement, meanwhile, Cassie’s stomach fell so heavy she thought she was going to throw up.
Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God. What could she do?
“Well, you’ve been busy,” she said, “I wouldn’t want to—”
“Come on, Cassie, let’s go, it’ll be fun!” Dee interrupted.
Raiden and Dee looked at her. It was too much pressure.
But you just said you weren’t going to put your heart out there like a child, Cassandra. Darn it. What now? She cornered herself into this.
It was a friendly invitation. Besides, she hadn’t seen the play, now she had an excuse. It didn’t need to be a date, she’d pay for her ticket and all.
Stop fishing for excuses already, you know why you want to go.
“Okay, I’ll go,” she said with a smile.
“I’ll get the tickets online,” Raiden said, “pick you up later today, okay?”
Was this a date? What was it?
Cassie Bennett, you never learn.
Chapter 23
Raiden wore a casual jacket and tie. Formal but not too formal. Cassie waited for them outside her apartment, she wore a black, loose on top, semi tight bottom cocktail dress that Raiden almost ripped apart the moment he saw her.
Good thing his daughter was around, he had to behave himself.
The theater was packed. Raiden used some of his contacts to get fifth row seats for the three of them. Dee had a cute dress she was mostly comfortable with. She wasn’t a girly girl but she could play one for the night if that would get her to see Wicked.
People talked in hushed tones. Dee was acting strangely calm, refined, you could say. It was a good idea, bringing her to the theater.
She was growing up so fast. It seemed only months since she was in his arms, then she started school... and now she was a fan of the fine arts.
He shook his head, he’d enjoy her as much as he could, before long she’d be leaving for college and getting married and—
“Dad, what’s this?” she said.
“That’s the program Dee. It tells you about the play, and who the cast is.”
She read it out loud, showing it to Cassie.
“Honey,” Raiden told Dee, “no yelling.”
Dee covered her mouth, nodding. Then continued reading.
“Julia Jackson, she’s the main actress, see?” Dee pointed out to Cassie.
“Really?” Dee yelled in amazement.
Raiden just looked her way and she shrunk in her seat, giggling.
Cassie laughed and patted her head.
“Well, she’s two years older than me, I met her in theater class.”
“You’re an actress too?”
Cassie laughed.
“No, dear. She is an actress. I’m an amateur.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s when you do something for fun, but don’t earn money doing it.”
“She was getting paid back then?”
“No, but she was already a pro. I just crossed a few words with her, she was always nice.”
“My mom was an actress too.”
Raiden stomach tightened. She remembers that? Cassie snapped back in surprise, then turned to Raiden briefly.
“She was?”
“Yes. My dad used to show me pictures of her, she won an award in college, she was very good.”
“That’s amazing, Dee. Acting is very hard.”
“Yes, remembering all those lines.”
“Well,” Cassie said, “learning your lines is the easy part. The hard part is actually playing your character.”
This was interesting. She had Dee’s complete attention, she was mesmerized by Cassie. Raiden couldn’t stop watching her. She was the most interesting person he’d met in a long time. She was an artist and a businesswoman, she’d done all kinds of things before settling on her art and gone all the way with it.
She was a professional. He respected that. He admired that, truly admired it. She had control over her life, she never made any excuses, she was a fighter, in her own way.
The show was about to start, ten minutes to go.
He looked at his phone.
Three missed calls.
What the heck?
It was Damien, his alpha. He called a few minutes ago but his phone was on mute and he didn’t feel it vibrate in his pocket.
Cassie and Dee were deep in conversation.
“Excuse me, ladies. Gotta make a phone call.”
“Everything all right?” Cassie asked.
“Yes, don’t worry,” he said standing up, his big frame making it hard to walk to the aisle, “it’s work related stuff, but I’m on vacation.”
***
“Hey, man, you called?” Raiden asked as Damien answered the phone.
“Just wanted to know if everything’s okay.”
His voice sounded far, as if beneath a blanket of white noise.
“What do you mean?”
“We’ve gotten some reports here. The Tribes are worried about a puncture up north.”
“Yes, I checked into it. I haven’t seen anything—”
“You need help?”
Raiden’s bear pushed inside. His alpha was the Primal Bear, but that didn’t mean he had to personally solve every problem that arose everywhere.
“The Tribes want to solve this on their own.”
Silence on the other side.
“What do you think?” Damien asked, “they’re your people.”
Raiden clicked his tongue.
“Not my people Damien, come on.”
“I mean; you know them better than anyone.”
Raiden breathed out. Calmed down. Damien was his friend; he was trying to help.
“They don’t want to depend on us for everything. They want to be independent.”
“What do you think?”
“I think it’s risky but they got a point.”
Damien didn’t respond immediately. Raiden let his leader think. He was much better than him at things like that. Raiden as an alpha would’ve just turned and destroyed everything. Damien had a much more empathetic nature.
Besides, he had his hands full with Dee as it was, he didn’t need a whole crew on his shoulders.
“All right,” Damien said, “we’ll see how it develops. You need anything just ask.”
“Will do, sir. By the way, how’s Zoe doing?”
He could hear a chuckle on the other side of the line.
“Great, man. Everything’s great. Forty days to go, I’m kind of nervous.”
“As you should, mofo.”
“I’m not worried anyway, if I need to change a diaper, I know who to ask for directions.”
Raiden laughed, “sure, but I don’t know how I’d feel changing my alpha’s diapers.”
“Go to hell,” Damien laughed.
“No, but really, anything you need, you know?”
“Sure, no worries.”
“All right, show’s about to get started, talk to you later, tell everyone I said fuck you.”
“Everyone? Even the girls?”
“No, not the girls,” he said, “damn it, you win this time.”
“Always do, man. I’ll tell everyone how much you miss them.”
“We’ll be back soon.”
“Keep me posted on the Elk situation, we don’t need another crisis.”
Raiden nodded, a decade old flashbacks came to him but he pushed them aside. This was no time to remember the bad days.
“Sure,” he said and hung up.
***
Cassie and Dee were having too much fun together, and the show hadn’t even started.
Raiden could see them from afar, his daughter’s face lit with happiness. A different kind of happiness she normally expressed.
She so needs a woman to talk to. She’ll be a teenager soon.
“Hello again, girls,” he said as he passed them and sat down.
“Dad, did you know Cassie’s mom died when she was little too?”
Raiden stopped breathing, his whole body tense. He saw Cassie looking at him with a worried look.
“That’s true?”
“Yes dad and she turned out fine!”
Cassie couldn’t stop her mouth from hanging.
“What do you mean?” Raiden said.
“She’s awesome and—”
“Do you think you’re not going to turn out fine?” Cassie asked her directly.
Dee suddenly got embarrassed, blushing.
“Well, the other girls like doing their nails and I don’t.”
“So?”
“I like playing in the woods.”
“Everyone is different Dee,” Cassie said, “you don’t have to play with dolls to be a girl.”
“Besides,” Raiden said, “you love dressing up in costumes and can’t stop watching Disney movies.”
“Yes,” Dee said.
Cassie looked at her, “Is anyone at school giving you trouble?”
“No,” Dee replied, embarrassed.
Was Dee being bullied at school? How could Raiden miss this? Was he being a bad parent?
“Dee,” he said, “you know you can tell us anything, right?”
She nodded.
“Is someone bullying you?”
She was put on the spot. He better backed before she started crying.
“Okay—”
“Well...” Dee interrupted,
“There was this girl...”
Raiden tensed up. He never expected that.
“But I told her to fuck off.”
“Deeandra!” Raiden yelled, everyone in the theater turned to look at him.
“Dad,” she said smiling, with her index on her lips, “no yelling!”
Cassie suppressed a laugh.
“Dee,” he whispered, “you don’t pick fights with anyone, you have to come to me, or to your teacher, okay?”
“Daaaad,” she replied, “but she stopped.”
Shit. How could he argue with efficiency?
“It doesn’t matter Dee,” Cassie said, “you can’t let anger get the best of you.”
Dee nodded.
“You’re a princess,” Cassie continued, “they might be jealous.”
Dee was completely surprised, her mouth slowly opening, her eyes deep in th
ought.
“She might just need a friend,” Cassie continued, “and if she doesn’t, you don’t need people like that in your life, right?”
Dee nodded, happy.
Turns out you can argue with efficiency, you only need to be more diplomatic and less of a berserker bear.
Then the lights turned off and the curtain opened. It was show time.
Chapter 24
The ride back home was pleasant chaos. Deedee was almost out of her mind retelling scenes from the play and both Raiden and Cassie laughed at how well she remembered them.
Everything was great, but Raiden couldn’t stop thinking about what Damien said.
Rumors had gotten as far south as Oregon already. Maybe everything wasn’t as fine as the tribes were saying.
The fact that Dee was going out on The Walk again lingered on his mind. Would his daughter be at risk?
He could take her out of it and investigate, but that would make matters worse.
She’s part of them, she’d feel disconnected. It wouldn’t be fair.
Besides, her grandparents wouldn’t put her at risk. He was certain of that.
He laughed.
The biggest, baddest berserker bear. The greatest warrior of the North, worried.
That’s something stories never tell you about. Heroes always seem so carefree.
***
Raiden parked at Cassie’s building and got out to open the door for her.
“Thanks for coming out with us!” Dee told Cassie.
“Thank you for inviting me, I had a blast, too.”
Raiden peeked inside for a moment.
“I’ll walk her to the door, Dee. Don’t move anything.”
He’d learned early on to take his keys with him, this little girl would probably steal his car and travel around the U.S. if he let his guard down.
“Thank you, Raiden, it was a great night,” Cassie said.
“It was a pleasure having you with us.”
The door was ten or twelve feet away from the car, he knew Dee was pretending to look at her phone but all her attention was on them.
Cassie opened her arms and he went in for a hug. Gave her a kiss on the cheek.
Cassie’s eyes shuffled for a bit, then she nodded.
“All right... I’ll see you again, I guess.”
Raiden scratched his head.
“Sure, I’ll call you, okay?”
She nodded, pursing her lips.
