Just Me

by Graysen Morgen

  “Shopping!” They said simultaneously. Cassidy laughed and shook her head.

  ~ ~ ~

  It was noon and Ian was pacing the floor in the formal living room where the Christmas Tree was located. Well by now she’s received the gift and the flowers. Please let her come to dinner, I know this is not exactly the best thing to do, but I can’t help it. Keep it friendly, professional as usual.

  “Young Wiley, you’re wearing a hole in the rug.” He knew she was worn out and running on adrenaline only. Their trip to the cemetery first thing this morning took a deep toll on the young woman. She put the odd combination of flowers between the angels, then leaned against the marble statue. Ian cried until there were no more tears, kissed the inscription, then wandered back down the path to the car. She turned back and smiled one last time. The flowers were pretty unsightly, but they were a mixture of her mother and father’s favorite flowers. Once they had arrived at the house Ian showered, and exchanged gifts with Giles. He’d bought her a beautiful gold pendant of a guardian angel, it had two small colored gemstones on each side of the angel. She realized one was her mother‘s birthstone and the other one was her father‘s. She cried and he wrapped his arms around her. She gave him a two thousand dollar gift certificate to the tuxedo store that he shopped at, a raise, and another rare coin for his collection. He always wondered how she was able to get her hands on items that seemed to be out of reach, such as the tickets that he overheard her purchasing for a completely sold out concert next week, and the rare coins she always gave him for his birthday and Christmas. She’s so much like both of her parents. A perfect mold of two genuine people. “Sit down already.” He scolded.

  ~ ~ ~

  “I can’t believe we are doing this. She’s my boss for crying out loud!”

  “Oh calm down, get your thong out of a wad Cass!” Wendi growled.

  “She doesn’t seem so bad, I don’t know why you’re so scared of her.” Trina suggested.

  “I’m not scared of her!” I’m scared of the way I feel about her.

  “Look, here comes the car. Woo hoo, ‘Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous’ baby!” Wendi hooted and smacked Trina’s arm. Giles pulled the car around and stepped out to greet them, he held the door while all three women slid into the back seat.

  ~ ~ ~

  Ian continued to pace the floor in the formal living room in front of the large bay window. She ran a restless hand through her short blond hair. What the hell am I doing? She let out a deep breath followed by a long sigh. Her heart stopped beating completely when the black car pulled through the iron gate, drove up the circle drive and stopped across from the front door of the house. Giles stepped out, straightened his tux, before he walked around the back of the car to the right rear passenger door. Ian’s heart wasn’t beating and she knew she wasn’t breathing. If she’s not in that car I’ll die right here on this floor.

  Giles pulled the door open, the spunky redhead slid out of the car and moved away from the door, Katrina was next to vacate the black car. Ian felt herself getting light headed and dizzy from the lack of oxygen and blood flow as she watched intently. Wendi and Trina looked in awe at the massive house in front of them, neither woman noticed Ian standing in the window staring out at them. Giles had a teasing thought about closing the door and letting Ian, which he saw in the window, completely lose her mind thinking the third woman had not joined them for dinner, but instead he reached and grabbed her hand as she stepped out onto the snow covered ground, taking in her surroundings with amazement. As soon as she saw Cassidy, Ian let out the breath she’d been holding, her heart beat rapidly, allowing blood to flow into uncharted territory. She’s beautiful. The three women were dressed in wool slacks and various blouses, they all had black overcoats on. Giles walked ahead of them and opened the right side of the double front doors, he waved them in and took their coats, hanging them in the large closet off to the right. Cassidy held her breath as she looked around the large foyer. The floors were dark Teak wood that contrasted beautifully against the crème colored walls, full of various paintings. Marble statues sat on either side of the long winding staircase in front of them. Twinkling lights seemed to be glowing in a room off the left, Trina cocked her head to see further into the room, that’s when she saw Ian walking towards them from the center of that room. Her blue eyes sparkled, her smile went on for days. She was dressed in gray slacks and a maroon colored V-neck sweater that hugged her upper body tightly, her sun-tanned arms stuck out of the three-quarter length sleeves. Trina recognized the silver Role,x with diamonds in the face, that she wore on her left hand surprisingly since she was left handed. Cassidy had her back to that glowing room until she heard a familiar voice. She spun around so quickly she almost knocked Wendi over.

  “Hello everyone. Merry Christmas and welcome to the Wiley Estate.” She spoke softer. “My home.”

  My god she’s gorgeous. It took everything Cassidy had to pull her attention away from the deep blue eyes staring directly into her soul. She stepped forward and offered her hand. “Thank you so much for inviting us Miss Wiley”

  “Please, you’re guests in my house, call me Ian.” She winked and smiled innocently. I’m treading on thin ice above freezing cold water. I hope I know what I’m doing. Who the hell am I kidding?

  “Thank you.” She took a deep breath. “Ian.” Cassidy turned towards the women standing behind her bewildered. “These are my two best friends, Wendimena Blanchert,” she pointed to the redhead that cringed when she heard her full name announced, “and Katrina Sylvan.” The sandy haired woman stepped forward and shook Ian’s hand. “Please call me Trina.” The redhead was right next to her extending her hand as well. She shot an I hate you glance across her shoulder towards Cassidy.

  “It’s very nice to meet you, and please call me Wendi.” Ian could sense the desperation in the woman’s voice.

  “It’s my pleasure to meet you. You have a lovely name.” She smiled.

  “You should hear my middle name, sometimes I wonder what drugs my parents were doing.” Wendi laughed, Cassidy’s eyebrows flew up, she wanted to knock her best friend out for embarrassing her. Ian laughed with her.

  “Really? Well now I have to know what it is and the story behind your name.” She waved towards the living room that she came from. The three women walked into the large room, complete with a fireplace in one corner, a grand piano in the other corner, two large sofas across from each other on top of an elegant oriental rug with a Chippendale wood table in the middle. The twinkling lights were coming from the eight foot Douglas Fur Christmas Tree that sat next to the piano. Wendi and Trina sat on one sofa, that left Cassidy to sit next to her boss. Somehow she thought her friends were up to no good. Ian sat last and grabbed Cassidy’s hand that was lying on the soft cushion next to her, she let it’s warmth go right through her, it trembled lightly. The touch happened so fast no one noticed except Cassidy. “Happy Birthday!” The blond smiled charmingly and let go of the hand.

  “Thank you.” Shit you dummy, you never mentioned the gift or the flowers, what a moron she probably thinks your shallow. “And thank you for the beautiful flowers, I love roses, I wouldn’t know where to begin with the gift, I love jazz and Harry Connick Jr. is my favorite. Thank you so much.”

  Yes! Jackpot! “You’re welcome.” She tried not to stare, but she couldn’t stop thinking about running her hands through Cassidy’s shoulder length black hair and kissing her tenderly at the base of her neck. Holy shit! Where did that come from? Giles help! Just then the Butler appeared in the doorway.

  “Pardon my interruption, Would any of you ladies like a beverage?” He stood poised with his arms by his side and his hands clasped behind his back.

  “I think a nice bottle of wine would be good Giles.” She glanced at everyone, the women nodded in agreement.

  “Yes ma’am, may I recommend a fine rose, to go with dinner?”

  “Sure, I haven’t been down to the cellar lately, bring up whichever one will go
best with the feast that you’ve been preparing all day.” She smiled at him, he grinned and nodded before leaving the room.

  “Forgive me for saying so, but you two are quite comical.” Trina met sincere blue eyes. Ian took a deep breath.

  “Yes. Giles and I, well we’ve been through a great deal, he was with my family before I was born.” She drifted into memories of her childhood with her parents and Giles. “So, weren’t we discussing that unusual name of yours Wendi?”

  “I was hoping you forgot.” Wendi smiled. “My father named me after his mother and my grandmother, therefore, Wendimena Agatha Blanchert at your service.” She did a mock bow. Both of her best friends were staring at her, they knew about her name, but never expected her to tell a total stranger. And she wasn’t even drinking yet.

  “I still think you have a wonderful name, there is absolutely nothing wrong with having a strong family name. I’m named after my father and grandfather.” She poked herself in the chest. “Ian Leland Wiley, in the flesh.” Wendi smiled and leaned across the table to extend her hand, they shook hands and laughed. Both completely understanding the childhood and torment the other faced with having a ‘different’ name.

  “Well, I don’t know about you Cassidy, but Katrina Marie Sylvan didn’t give me any problems in school, I guess I’m just normal.” She teased.

  “Actually, my name has a story behind it.”

  “Do tell.” Wendi was waiting for this, she’d never heard of any name story in Cass’s family.

  “Uh…okay, my parents wanted a boy and a girl, Cassidy and Calamity, from Butch Cassidy and Calamity Jane.” Wendi laughed while Trina and Ian choked back and smiled. “Two years before I was born, my mother was pregnant and gave birth four months prematurely to a baby girl that they named Calamity, she died within the hour due to complications, her lungs weren’t completely formed. Anyway, two years later I was carried to term and born with no complications, and since they had named the first child Calamity, that left Cassidy for me. So, that’s how I became Cassidy Elaine Harland.”

  “That’s a very special story Cassidy, thank you for telling it.” Ian looked at her with admiration. It took guts to tell that story.

  “You're welcome.”

  “Wow, I’m surprised you never told us Cass.” Trina spoke first. Wendi was wiping the tears from her eyes.

  “I guess I haven’t thought about it in years.” Giles came into the room with three glasses of blush colored wine. He gave Ian his best, do not spill this on the rug, look, she smiled and he left the room once again.

  “What’s he cooking? It smells delicious.” Wendi gathered courage to speak, shocked at the tears that fell from hearing the heartfelt story. You big sap.

  “Uh…turkey and ham with probably fifteen side dishes.”

  “Holy shi…uh…wow that’s a large amount of food.” Wendi saw the razor sharp look Cassidy gave her. Ian laughed.

  “Try living here, I’d weigh four-hundred pounds if I didn’t work out regularly. That man has cooked for an Army my entire life.” An army of one now. She missed her parents. This was one of the hardest days since they’d been gone. Somehow spending it with strangers seemed to make her happy.

  ~ ~ ~

  No one was aware of the two feet of snow that fell while they ate. Giles had outdone himself with a mouthwatering turkey and a honey glazed ham, complete with stuffing, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, garlic butter acorn squash, mashed potatoes and giblet gravy, broccoli cheese casserole, and four different types of bread. Not to mention a blueberry pie, raspberry cheesecake, and chocolate silk mousse pie. Before she ever sat down, Ian went to the old man and asked him to join her at the table, telling him that he was now the only family that she had and therefore needed to share this holiday dinner with her. He choked back tears and joined the group.

  Three hours later the women sat back in the living room. Wendi and Trina enjoyed coffee mixed with Irish Crème. Cassidy joined Ian with a nice brandy cordial. Giles worked feverishly packing up the leftovers and cleaning the kitchen. It was close to ten p.m. when Giles walked back into the living room. The fireplace was burning and the multi-colored lights were twinkling on the tree. The women were engrossed in conversation over the latest movie stars in the headlines. Ian wasn’t much of a movie buff, but Wendi and Trina could tell her anything she needed to know about the movies. Cassidy seemed to be in her own world listening contently to the soft jazz that played on the stereo.

  “Pardon me Miss Wiley”

  “Yes Giles? She stood and walked over to him. “What is it?”

  “The snow is falling harder, there’s at least two feet on the roads going down the mountain.”

  “Wow, I didn’t remember hearing anything about a heavy snowfall tonight. I can take them back in the SUV.” Cassidy could tell they were deep in conversation as they walked over to the window, Ian shook her head as she looked out. The front yard was covered in a blanket of white.

  “Is everything okay?” Cassidy called out. Ian turned towards her.

  “We have about three feet of snow on the ground, the roads are covered.”

  “Oh my god.” We’re stuck here.

  “It’s not that bad, I can take you back in the SUV.” All of the women were up now looking out at the snow covering everything. Giles butted in.

  “Perhaps they should stay here tonight Miss Wiley.”

  “What, oh no that’s not necessary. Thank you though.” Cassidy tried not to look nervous.

  “It’s dangerous out there Cass, he has a point.” Trina agreed.

  Blue eyes met gray ones, they held one another softly. “It’s settled then…” Ian spoke before tearing her eyes away. “I have plenty of room, you can all stay here tonight. Giles will take you back as soon as the road clears in the morning.” She stepped around the brunette and sat back down on the couch to finish her brandy.

  An hour later, Trina and Wendi were dosing on the couch.

  “I’ll have Giles show all of you to your rooms.” The women followed the salt and pepper haired man up the stairs. They saw what appeared to be two master suites at opposite ends of the hallway with two small rooms in the middle on the left side and two small rooms in the middle on the right side.

  “Here you go ladies. Miss Blanchert you may stay in here and Miss Sylvan you may stay in that room there.” He pointed to the room next to it. “These rooms share a bathroom between them. “Miss Harland you may stay in the room over here.” He took her across the hall.

  “Is that your room next door?” She hoped she didn’t have to share a bathroom with the butler, she was already in a panic for having to stay the night. She didn’t want to invade their space even further. The corner of his mouth turned up slightly.

  “No ma’am, you see the rooms at both ends?”

  “Yes.”

  He pointed to one end. “That’s Miss Wiley’s room and the other one was…it was her parent’s.” she nodded. “My room is downstairs.” He made sure everyone was settled in and wished each of them good night. Cassidy was too agitated to sleep. She was freaked out about being in her bosses’ house, with whom she was infatuated, and now sleeping down the hall from her was going to drive her insane. She changed into the tee shirt and pajama bottoms that Ian had lent her to sleep in. She was nice enough to lend all of them some sort of outfit to sleep in, it was up to them whether or not they slept in it.

  ~ ~ ~

  “Come in here Giles.” Ian called out as she heard the man come back down the stairs. “Sit down, take a load off.” He smiled and sat across from her. “Is everyone squared away?”

  “Yes ma’am. I could sense the nervousness in Miss Harland.” Ian chewed on her bottom lip, surprised that she wasn’t drunk, actually, none of them were. Most likely because they spaced their drinking out over a matter of hours with an enormous meal in the middle to soak it all up.

  “I’m sure you’re right, she’s probably scared to death, I’m her boss. And trust me, I’ve heard
her say that more times than I care to count.” She laid her head back against the cushion.

  “May I speak freely?” She opened her eyes and stared at the man across from her. She considered slapping him for even asking, after everything they had been through he knew he was her only family and she treated him as such.

  “I’m not a hard ass like my father Giles, besides, if you didn’t ‘speak freely’ on a regular basis around here, who would keep me in line?” She grinned. Her mother and father had always treated Giles as if he were family. Out of respect for them, he never once spoke out of context.

  “I guess you’re right, I’m sorry young Wiley.”

  “What’s on your mind old man?” She closed her eyes.

  “Miss Harland seems to be rather intimidated by you, she acts very reserved around you.” He stared at the fireplace.

  Ian opened her eyes and waved around at the room. “And you wouldn’t be a little intimidated by all of this? Besides the fact that she works for me, I’m sure me opening up my home to her has been a little too much for her to take in.”

  “I’m sure you’re right. Can I get you anything before I go to bed?” She opened her eyes and looked at him as he stood up.

  “No, I’m fine, thank you though.” He turned to walk away. “And Giles…Merry Christmas.” She smiled and he returned the gesture.

  Ian ran both hands through her short hair and stared at what was left of the fire burning to her left. She closed her eyes, willing her mind to focus on something besides the brunette asleep upstairs down the hall from her own bed. Her eyes flew open when she heard foot steps.

  “Hey, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to wake you. I couldn’t sleep so I wanted to come down here and look at the tree again.” Cassidy looked adorable in Ian’s white CSU tee shirt and black cotton pajama pants.