by Jaime Maddox
It wasn’t the world’s fault, though, either. Sometimes, things just happened. Like Steph’s accident.
He poured himself a neat glass of bourbon and threw back his head. The golden fire ignited his throat and his resolve. He refused to let Stephanie Gates do any more harm than she already had. For twenty-five years, she had haunted him, taunted him, dictated his decisions. He hadn’t done anything without carrying her weight with him. It was exhausting, and it had to end. She’d ruined his past, and he refused to let her ruin the rest of his life, too. He’d do whatever he had to in order to make sure of that.
Chapter 7: The Neighbors’ Daughter
“I really appreciate you taking me to the airport,” Pip said.
Ella nodded. “It’s no trouble. Fortunately, I didn’t have any university functions tonight.”
It was the third week of August, and Ella had been at her job for three weeks. Three crazy weeks composed of sixteen-hour work days and seven-day work weeks. She’d hardly seen Pip at all since arriving, and now she was leaving for California. She’d tried to make time, but with a several-month backlog of work, it wasn’t easy.
It was going well, though. The people in her department were solid and seemed to work comfortably together. She’d spent the first days in meetings, getting to know her colleagues and then the workings of the department, and she was just now ready to dig in to the business of fund-raising.
Her personal items fit easily into the second floor of Pip’s place, and she’d set up an office in one of the spare bedrooms, for the times she needed to work at night. Although she hardly saw her, Pip seemed like a great roommate, and Ella wouldn’t have minded if she stayed in Scranton, but her classes were starting in California, and she was excited to go.
“Okay, let’s go over things one more time. You know where the dog food is. Don’t change brands. His tummy is very sensitive. The notebook in the kitchen drawer has the number for the vet and all the important numbers you’ll need. Alarm-company phone number and account number. Utilities. Lawn care. The neighbor’s numbers. They’re all there. Cass will probably knock on the door five times a day. You can let her in if you’d like. She likes to look at the old record albums, and sometimes she even plays them. And she’ll play in the yard with Bijou for hours if you let her.”
“You don’t let her take him out of the yard, do you?”
Pip shook her head. “No. She’s afraid to leave the yard by herself. But if her mom is with her, or her sister, she’ll walk him six times a day.”
“Sounds easy enough.”
“Just let Sharon know if you need help. She usually knows what to do. She helped my dad for years before he died.”
“Don’t worry, Pip. Everything’s going to be fine.”
“I’m happy you’re settling in. I hope you’ll decide to stay. Rides to the airport are sometimes hard to come by.”
“Fortunately, the university pays for my parking at the airport. When I was in Philly, I just took the train.”
“They’re talking about rail service to New York from Scranton. Maybe we should suggest an airport line.”
They were approaching the terminal. “From the look of the parking lot, it might not be a bad idea.”
Ella pulled into the drop-off area, where a dozen cars had queued ahead of them. When they reached the front, Ella helped Pip with her bags and then hugged her. “I’ll call you every day. Twice.”
Ella nodded. “Forewarned. Be safe.”
Ella watched her walk away toward her new adventure, feeling quite excited about her own. Pip was off to California to study film and would stay with a movie star from Scranton, a man named Miles Jones, a man whose family had been in business with Pip’s since the turn of the last century. Ella, on the other hand, was on her own, with a notebook of contacts and perhaps a few childhood friends she could call upon.
It didn’t matter. She was where she wanted to be.
Since Gerrity’s was on the way home, Ella stopped for a few grocery items. This was her first night alone, and it was Friday. A steak on the grill sounded perfect, and she’d already found her way to the liquor store in the plaza next to the market. Thirty minutes later, as she was in her driveway unloading her packages, she heard a familiar voice behind her.
“Do you need any help?”
“As a matter of fact, I do. Can you help me carry my groceries?”
Cass nodded. “Did you buy any snacks for Bijou?” she asked as they made their way from the carriage house toward the back door.
“No. I plan to make him some snacks. Would you like to help?”
“How do you make them?”
“With peanut butter and flour. They’re delicious. At least, my old dog Hudson thought so.”
“Where’s Hudson now?”
“Doggie heaven.”
“My gram’s in human heaven.”
“I bet it’s a nice place, with dogs and grandmothers.”
“I’m not sure. It sounds pretty boring to me.”
Ella laughed. She often thought the same thing herself.
“What are you doing tonight?” Ella asked as she slipped the key into the lock and then disarmed the alarm. Before it stopped ringing, Bijou was jumping at her feet, and then when he noticed Cass, he turned his attention on her.
“Hi, Bijou. Ella didn’t buy you any snacks at the store, but she’s going to make you peanut butter and flour.”
While Cass played on the floor with the dog, Ella put her groceries away. It was approaching five o’clock. She had just enough time to whip up a batch of dog treats before dinner.
“Do you like to bake?” Ella asked as she pulled out Pip’s mixer and the necessary ingredients for Bijou’s snacks.
“I don’t know how. I only cook.”
“Well, it’s time you learned. Come on,” she said, motioning with her head. “First, we’ll make something for Bijou, and if he likes it, we might try something for us.”
After they both washed their hands, Ella gave Cass the recipe and showed her how to measure the ingredients. It was a simple recipe, with just water, peanut butter, and flour, but it took all of Cass’s concentration to fill the cups and transfer them without spilling. She loved the mixer, and when the dough was formed, Ella demonstrated how to roll it out between sheets of parchment paper. Her favorite part was using the cookie cutter to make dog-bone-shaped treats. When they’d created nearly four dozen, filling two trays, Ella helped Cass transfer them to the oven and set the timer.
“What now?” Cass asked.
“The no-fun part. We clean up. But do you need to check in with your mom? She knows you’re here, right?” Wow, Ella thought. What a screw-up she was. She probably should have asked that question earlier.
“I should go home now. My mom told me not to stay too long. But can I come back later and take Bijou for a walk?”
“Absolutely. And do you really have to go home, or you just avoiding the cleanup?”
Cass looked down, guilt written all over her face, and Ella laughed before pointing a finger at the door. “Go! But next time, you’re doing all the dishes.”
With the radio playing classic rock at a respectable volume, Ella popped the cork on her wine and allowed it to breathe while she prepped vegetables for the grill. An hour later, as she sat on the porch, digesting a steak grilled to perfection and taking in the lovely view of the stone wall and flower garden, Cass reappeared.
“Can I walk Bijou now?” she asked. As he heard his name, Bijou launched himself from the porch and began weaving through Cass’s legs, stopping periodically to leap at her.
“Only if I can join you,” Ella said. An after-dinner stroll was just what she needed, and by the look of the sky, the day was almost over. It was now or never for a walk in the park.
“I have to ask Reese. She’s Cass-sitting tonight.”
“Well, go ask. I’ll get Bijou’s leash.”
* * *
Her sneakers tied, Reese stood and pulled a sweatshirt over he
r head. In an hour, it would be dark, and who knew how long Cass would linger on her walk with Bijou? They were safe from strangers in the park, Reese was confident, but the cold would surely assault them as the sun began its descent.
“Can Ella come, too?” Cass asked, bursting through the door. “She’s very nice and beautiful.”
Finally, Reese thought, she’d have a chance to meet Ella, whom Cass and her mother talked about constantly. To hear them, Ella was a cross between Christie Brinkley, with stunning good looks, Ellen DeGeneres, with a great sense of humor, and Mother Teresa, with a kind heart. She’d lived in the house next door for only a few weeks, but she’d really captivated the Ryan women. Reese was more than a little curious about her.
“Absolutely. I love nice and beautiful women. Can you grab the flashlight?”
“Why? It’s light outside.”
“Yes, it is now. But on our way back, it may be starting to get dark.”
Cass looked at Reese as if she’d just said something earth-shattering and nodded. “All right.”
“And a sweatshirt, Cass. It might get cold.”
Color-matching was not one of her sister’s strengths, and she came back with a yellow and purple Minions sweatshirt to wear with the light-blue flowered capri pants she wore.
“You don’t match,” Reese said.
Cass looked down. “Yes, I do. See,” she said, pointing to her chest. “The Minion is holding a flower, and there are flowers on my pants. It’s a perfect match.”
How could Reese argue with that logic? “Okay, then. Let’s go.”
Although her sister was sometimes exasperating, Reese treasured these times with her. She’d loved Cass since the moment she was born, three years after her own birth. Her little sister was her own personal doll, one she dressed and fed and bathed, and it wasn’t until Cass grew to be a little older that Reese understood she’d never have the kind of sister other kids had. It didn’t matter, though. They still enjoyed many of the things other sisters did. They watched television together, worked on puzzles, shopped, played ball, rode roller coasters. Mostly, being with Cass was a joy.
And besides, her parents needed a break. For a few hours every week, Reese took charge and forced them to go shopping, or out for dinner, or to a movie. They recharged, and whether they admitted it or not, they were approaching seventy and needed to rest occasionally.
With expert precision, Cass reached over the wooden gate separating her parents’ property from Pip’s and popped the lock. Reese followed her, careful to relock the gate so Bijou couldn’t escape later. Lingering on the footpath, she watched Cass bound up the porch steps and pound on the back door. A moment later, Bijou appeared, and Reese watched as he sprang through the door, stretching his lead, pulling the woman behind him.
Judgment on her personality would have to wait, but Cass had sure been right about Ella’s looks. With her blond hair pulled up in a ponytail and a dusting of freckles across her cheeks, Ella was a knockout. She seemed to pull it all together with just a hint of makeup, something with a little sparkle above her big brown eyes and shiny and clear on her full lips. She looked even better than she had on the day of her move, Reese realized.
As she drew closer, Reese could see that the eyes themselves sparkled as well, round and large like a doe’s, with perfectly matched dark lashes. She had to wonder if the blond was authentic, but it didn’t matter if Ella was born that way or acquired her hair color—the result was remarkable. She was stunning.
“Hi, I’m Reese,” she said, holding out her hand in time to cover the fact that she’d been ogling.
Ella’s smile seemed genuine, and Reese was relieved she hadn’t noticed her staring. “Ella. It’s nice to meet you.”
“And you as well. You’re all Cass talks about these days.”
“I’m very fond of her as well.” Ella looked into Reese’s eyes to show her how serious she was, that she cared about Cass, that Cass was safe with her. Sharon had told her that Reese tended to be somewhat overprotective, and Ella was anxious to prove herself. What had been an innocent gesture quickly turned to something else, though, as she seemed swallowed by Reese’s gaze. The two of them were roughly the same size—Reese was perhaps an inch taller—though Reese somehow seemed bigger and stronger, and incredibly sexy.
Ella swallowed the unexpected curiosity, the desire to keep gazing into the warm pools of blue that swallowed her like the sea.
“Can I take Bijou?” Cass interrupted her, and with the spell broken, Ella handed over the reins.
Reese and Ella fell in step behind her, following the pathway along the side of the house, through the arched stone gate, and to the street in front.
“Watch for cars!” Reese yelled, and Ella looked up, horrified, as Cass ran out between two parked cars and into the street.
Cass looked back, a concerned expression on her face, until they caught up to her and Reese patted her shoulder. “Okay, you can go.”
Even as she watched Cass reach the safety of the park, the angst on Reese’s face remained. Ella longed to tell Reese it was okay, to recover the tranquility she’d seen a minute earlier. Then she realized it wasn’t her place, that she really had no idea what it was like to be responsible for Cass for more than a few minutes at a time. Before she could filter her thoughts, they found their way to her mouth and she spoke. “I would imagine that a lot of worry comes with Cass.”
A tired smile appeared on Reese’s face, and Ella fought the urge to touch her. Over the weeks she’d lived beside the Ryans, she’d come to adore Cass, but she could also appreciate the stress she caused. As the neighbor, she could see the frustration in Sharon’s expression when Cass exasperated her, the worry in her tone when Cass made a poor choice. And she only witnessed a tiny part of their life, only a fraction of their troubles. That Reese shared her parents’ angst was obvious, and Ella wished she could do something to ease that burden, both for Sharon and for Reese.
“She knows right from wrong, and she’s cautious, but sometimes she gets excited and forgets. She’s just flitting around now, talking about you constantly, and I think her mind is too full of other things to think about the basics.”
“I’m sorry if I’ve caused a problem,” Ella said, suddenly feeling terrible. On the dozen occasions they’d walked together, she’d never thought of telling Cass to watch for cars. But, as she recalled, Cass had walked beside her, rather than running ahead like she did this time.
Reese shrugged. “It’ll pass. I’m sure.”
Awaiting them at the entrance to the park, Cass smiled, which indicated she’d already forgotten the incident. “Which way should we go? Have you been to the gorge yet, Ella?” she asked, the excitement in her voice making Ella want to see nothing else.
Reese quickly put that idea to rest. “I think it’s too late for the gorge, Cass. It’s going to be dark soon. Just stick to the path.”
Exasperated, Cass sighed and turned onto a paved path, and Ella couldn’t help smiling, but she reserved comment. They fell into an easy rhythm, matching each other stride for stride as Cass jogged with Bijou.
“There’s certainly a family resemblance. You and Cass could be twins,” Ella said. Reese’s dark hair was much shorter, but her face was the same as her sister’s—angular, with chiseled cheekbones and a pouting lower lip. While Cass had her mom’s dark eyes, Reese’s were blue.
“Except for the eyes,” Reese said.
“I was just thinking that.”
“The mailman had blue eyes, so that explains it.”
Ella laughed. “And…you’re much taller than Cass.”
Reese chuckled as she tucked her chin and gazed at her sister. “It’s a Down syndrome thing. Most people notice the intellectual disabilities of people with DS, but every chromosome—every cell in the body—is affected. Being short comes with the territory.”
“I didn’t realize that.”
“It was interesting for me as a physician to learn about Cass. My whole life, I just acc
epted her issues as Cass-being-Cass, but when I started learning about chromosomes and how they affect the body in med school, she started to make sense to me.”
Ella processed Reese’s words for a moment. “It seems she has a lot of abilities.”
Reese nodded. “She sure does.” Then, thinking a change of topic was in order, she turned the conversation toward Ella.“My mom tells me you’re just started at PMU. What do you do?”
Reese could envision Ella weaving her way through a lab filled with students, dark-framed glasses resting on the tip of her nose, instructing them on the intricacies of circuit boards, or pacing the front of a lecture hall, pontificating about a certain verse of a poem.
“I’m in development.”
“Oh,” Reese said, trying hard to hide her disappointment as her Ella-fantasy was shattered. She found nothing sexy about the people who called on the phone, nagging her for donations. She couldn’t picture Ella doing that, but still…it sounded like an awful job. Hopefully, Ella wouldn’t ask her for money. It wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate the education she’d gotten; she just had other priorities.
PMU was a wealthy school, with thousands of successful alums to help them maintain the status quo. She, on the other hand, had other obligations. Her parents weren’t rich, and when they were gone from this earth they’d leave behind two children, one of them severely handicapped. Reese needed to save all her money to help take care of Cass. Her parents never asked it of her, but how could she do anything else? Cass was her sister, she loved her, and everything she had was hers. The people at PMU didn’t get that, though, and they still sent their letters. Reese threw them into the trash with all the other junk mail. Would Ella understand that? Probably not. It was best to just keep quiet about her feelings. Surely two mature women walking a dog in a park on a lovely summer evening could find something other than work to talk about, right?
“That’s nice,” Reese said after a moment. “How’s it going for you?”
