Cassidy furrowed her eyebrows. What stressful word started with the letter M? “I don’t follow.”
“Mom.” Michelle rolled her eyes. “Morgan and Sam are ‘mom.’ Teri-Lyn and Isabelle are ‘mama.’ I don’t like ‘mommy,’ the movie Mommy Dearest always springs to mind when I hear it. I don’t identify with any of those words. I can see why Mackenzie opted for the whole ‘Morgy’ thing. It showed she’s an unconventional free spirit who makes up her own rules.”
“If she’d called her dad ‘Sethy,’ I’d be inclined to agree. She was totally testing her limits with Morgan.” Cassidy laughed as she swept away the crumbs off her arm from Owen’s cookie. “What about a British spin on it? How about ‘mum’ or ‘mummy’?”
“One’s a flower and the other’s a linen-wrapped zombie.”
Cassidy shook her head. “Your mind goes to some really strange places.”
Michelle shrugged. “The hazards of owning a bookstore. I’ve read so many stories that have sparked my imagination that half the time I’m riding around on a magical dragon in my head.”
“I’m all out of ideas, but we’ll search for something that you can identify with. I’m sure you’ll come up with something.”
Morgan, Isabelle, and Sam joined them.
Morgan put her arm around Michelle. “Is she rambling again? She does that when she’s nervous.”
“We’ve moved past rambling and are now on to what the baby’s going to call her.” Cassidy thought for a moment. “Michelle, what did you call your mother?”
“Madessa.” Michelle smiled and teared up. “It’s a combination of mom and Odessa. She told me to call her that when I first went to live with my adoptive parents. I didn’t know them that well, so calling them mom or dad right out of the gate seemed awkward.”
“You’re going to make me cry. Again.” Morgan sniffed and touched her tummy.
“So when’s the official verification from the doctor?” Sam said.
“I have an appointment on Tuesday. But it’s only a formality to confirm that the eight positive pregnancy test results were the real deal.”
“Eight?” Cassidy asked.
“I wanted to be sure. I’ve peed on a stick practically everywhere on the ranch this week.”
“Geography wouldn’t change the result, but it does explain why you inhaled that leg of lamb at dinner last week,” Isabelle added before smiling at Owen. “Come here, sugar king.” She held up a bland teething biscuit to Owen to trade for the lemon cookie. He leaped into his mother’s arms and grabbed it, but made a face when he bit into it. “I see you convinced Aunt Cassie to give you a sugary treat. You won’t be able to get to sleep tonight, mister. It’s already past your bedtime.”
“I didn’t realize he’d been eating sweets all day.” Cassidy bit her lip. “I am so sorry.”
“No worries, this one is very persuasive without saying a word. I bet he flashed the baby blues at you and you caved.” Isabelle sighed.
“Yes, I did.” She couldn’t help a laugh.
“He’s inherited his dad’s flirtatious traits.” Isabelle shook her head. “And his cast-iron stomach.”
“I see a lot of lovelorn girls trying to climb over the ranch fences after Owen when he gets older.” Michelle ran her hand through his hair.
Cassidy laughed to herself. Isabelle was right. Owen knew just the right way to make your heart melt and give him whatever he wanted.
“Michelle you better toughen up during this pregnancy. Children need boundaries,” Morgan said.
She pouted. “Oh man. I like being Cool Aunt Michelle.”
“I know.” Morgan put her hand on her hip. “Jake said you let him drive the golf cart the other day to the ice rink.”
“He wanted to try it out—”
Sam put her arm Michelle. “We have several months to get you in shape. Before you know it, you’ll be saying no as expertly as Morgan does when the kids ask for a third dessert,” she said. “In the meantime, you can bask in your pregnancy while helping with the family tree project. By the way Cassie, I need the information for your branch of the tree.”
“Oh. OK. How extensive does it have to be?”
“I think Isabelle and I decided on great-great-great grandparents and their offspring.”
“Wow. That’s really detailed.” Cassidy gulped. She knew little about her family’s lineage beyond her grandparents.
“Sam wants to make sure none of the kids marries a distant cousin.” Isabelle giggled.
The sharp tap of the glass with a fork signaling a call for another toast turned everyone’s attention to Teri-Lyn, who was standing in the middle of the floor. “It’s my turn for another toast. I just want to say how delighted I am to add another member to this family. I never would have thought that being a grandma would mean so much to me, but—”
John Jacob handed her a handkerchief as she fanned her eyes to stop the tears.
“But it warms my heart to know that we support and love each other. To family in all its many forms.” Teri-Lyn raised her glass.
“To family.”
Cassidy couldn’t help but feel that the last part of the toast was meant for her and Channing. She’d had plenty of long talks with her mother-in-law over the years about her fears of not being able to have a family. She’d faced those uncertainties when she dealt with her cancer diagnosis on her own. She’d made sure she kept her spirits up, trying not to measure her femininity against being able to conceive. But still she braced herself for a childless future. Then Channing came into her life again, demanding she not box herself into an uncertain, lonely doom over something she had no control over. He’d convinced her that there was a lot more to being a woman than having an active birth canal.
So she’d focused on loving him and having a successful law practice. He’d been her solace and helped her keep her sanity. What else did they need? It was a damn good life. But those times when they babysat the kids, she’d see the look on his face when he interacted with them. He was playful but firm when he had to be and loved stimulating their minds. He would hold kangaroo court sessions to give them an idea of how the justice system worked. A hug and promise not to misbehave again was all that was needed to get the case dismissed. He was sure that he’d steered at least of one the Blake brood toward a career in law. He was an awesome uncle who deserved a chance to be a dad.
Too bad she wasn’t sure she could give him what he wanted.
* * *
Channing was happy that Tyler had managed not to faint again, much to the relief of the family. It was funny to watch his happy-go-lucky brother excited about fatherhood. Still, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of longing as people continued to congratulate the couple and offer them parenting advice.
Later that night he and Cassidy rehashed the day’s events as they prepared to go to sleep.
“That was another auspicious Blake event.” She sighed as she sat propped against the pillows on her side of the bed and applied moisturizer on her hands.
“Yes it was.” Channing cut out the bathroom light and went into the bedroom.
“Did you see your mom’s face?” Cassidy scrunched her nose. “She’s thrilled about another grandbaby.”
“Mama loves having little ones in the house. She says it makes her and Daddy feel young.” Channing pulled back the comforter, slid in next to her, and gave her a kiss.
“The Blake family gene pool is the new fountain of youth.”
“Right now I want to take a dip into Lake Cassidy.” Channing pulled her down onto the bed and tumbled them both until he lay on top of her.
“I’m so glad you didn’t use those cheesy lines when you were wooing me. I would have run for the hills.” Cassidy giggled and put her arms around his neck.
“Hey, I used my A game to get you to fall in love with me.”
“Heaven help me, it worked.” She caressed his cheek. “How do you feel about Tyler and Michelle having a baby?”
“I think it’s awesome.”
He nuzzled her neck then pulled back. “You know, we haven’t talked about starting a family in a long time. Do you want to talk about it now?”
He could tell Cassidy was searching for the right words when his cell phone pinged with a notification alert. He almost ignored it but decided to give Cassidy time to find the words she wanted to say. He picked the phone up off the nightstand and held it up to read the display. It was a text from her mother.
Cassidy squinted at the display. “What is my mom doing up so late? And why is she texting you?”
“It’s only midnight in Ohio, and she sends me texts because you don’t answer her.” He pressed the screen. “She wants to know if we’re coming to Anderson and Shannon’s house warming.”
“Can’t we skip it?”
“We haven’t been to Ohio in a while. It will be good to reconnect with your side of the family.”
“You just want to do another VIP tour at the Football Hall of Fame and remind them how much time is left before you and every member of this family nominates Seth.”
He grinned. “Three more years to go before I pen a passionate nomination letter. But there are other reasons to visit Canton. You love the Museum of Art.”
“Do you really want to spend time with my family?”
“It’s only fair. We see my family on a daily basis.”
“We live on the family property. It’s expected. Besides, I don’t want to hear about Anderson and Shannon’s perfect marriage. Get unwanted fertility advice from Dahlia. And listen to Julian and Megan drone on about the eternal battles with single-dom.”
“Megan’s stories are really entertaining.”
“No, they’re not. I lived with her neurosis my entire childhood. She’s been man-crazy since she learned how to walk.”
“She likes to have a good time. You mom would love to see us. It’ll be fun.”
“I’d rather get a root canal.”
“Cassie, you said you’d be more open to getting closer to your family.”
“I did.” She rolled her eyes. “Text your best friend Hyacinth back and tell her we’ll be there.”
“You won’t regret it. I promise.” He kissed her. She cuddled down on her side of the bed like she was ready to go to sleep as he composed the reply text. Once he was done, he cut out the bedside table lamp and nestled next to her. But he also remembered she hadn’t answered his question about starting a family.
CHAPTER TWO
Cassidy reached for the file that said E. Grayson and opened the folder. Her client would be there within the hour, and she wanted to review her notes. It was a clear-cut ending of a marriage, a less messy dissolution than she’d seen lately, and she appreciated that. Emelia and her husband Kent were two hard-working professionals trying to make a name for themselves in their respective fields but had forgotten along the way to be dedicated and nurturing to their own marriage. Emelia was in tears the first day during the consultation, bringing with her evidence from a private detective that Kent had had a series of rendezvous with a woman who worked at his marketing firm. Cassidy was sure she’d ask her to put the screws to him, but instead she said she wanted to end the charade as fast as the state of Texas would allow without fuss. Property division wouldn’t be a problem because they valued different things. He didn’t care about the paintings they’d bought in Spain on their honeymoon as long as she didn’t try to take away the three exotic sports cars or the boat he obsessed about. Despite learning he’d been unfaithful, Emelia just wanted to move on with her life. Cassidy contacted Kent’s lawyer. After the denial of infidelity and getting past the anger that Emelia wanted him gone, Kent was finally willing to do the right thing.
There were other cases that weren’t so great. For every levelheaded Emelia, there was a pissed off Marjorie who was set on global destruction. By the time she’d sifted through what had gone wrong with the Sanborn marriage, there were claims from both of them about domestic abuse and attempted murder. The legality of dissolving their union was going to be lucrative for all involved. Too bad it was making their kids miserable. The four almost-adult kids had taken sides and voiced their opinion about custody, which made Cassidy’s job even harder. The end result was that part of her profession became helping people break up their families without smashing vases over each other’s heads.
Battling it out for her clients during the day made her grateful when she returned home at night with Channing. Seeing those dysfunctional families made her appreciate the wonderful relationship she had with her husband. A hearty hug from Channing and inspiring words about being the voice of reason for sometimes irrational people always made her feel like her efforts weren’t in vain. They were in a good place. They both had careers they loved and they both made an effort to be considerate and attentive. They had a great balance in their life. On top of that, they were part of the babysitting rotation on the ranch, so every now and again the kids would come over for the weekend and fill the house with laughter and chaos. It was such a comfortable existence she wasn’t sure if she was ready to upset the apple cart by delving into fertility issues again.
The intercom button on her phone blinked. She pressed it. “What’s up Cynthia? Don’t tell me Emelia’s early?”
“No, she hasn’t arrived yet, but Anna Beth is here,” Cynthia said.
“By all means, send her my way.” Cassidy laughed. She and Anna Beth had become friends over the last year. They went to art galleries and museums together and had lunch occasionally.
Anna Beth rapped twice on the door then entered. “Hey. Do you have a minute?”
“For you, always.” Cassidy fished around on her desk for the art exhibit pamphlet she received in the mail the other day. “There’s a new display room at the museum called Cowboy Abstracts. I thought we could check it out next Saturday unless you’re busy.”
“You sure Channing doesn’t want to go with you?”
“He’ll be torn up.” She rolled her eyes. “He’s going golfing with the guys. Besides, he asked for a break after the basket-weaving class in D.C. last month.”
Anna Beth snorted. “I can’t see him going to all these events.”
Cassidy smiled. “He’s a good sport and a great husband.”
“I wish I were here to shoot the breeze. But I’ve come for professional advice.”
“OK. What’s going on?” She didn’t think Anna Beth had any domestic issues going on. Well, besides secretly seeing Corbett, of course.
Anna Beth took a deep breath. “My friend Amanda has a cousin who has a friend who’s going through a custody issue. It seems this young lady’s been in trouble before with drug use and she has a four-year-old son. She thinks child protective services is going to take him away again. Amanda asked if I knew someone, and I told her I knew the best family lawyer in Texas.”
“What’s this young lady’s name?” Cassidy grabbed her legal note pad and began jotting down notes.
“Joy, I think. I must admit I stopped asking for details because it was breaking my heart and I didn’t want to hear any more if I couldn’t help in some way.”
“I know the feeling.” Cassidy continued to scribble. “Is she clean?”
“I’m not sure.”
“There’s an easy way to figure that out. She’ll have to get drug tested. Anything thing else you know about her?”
“I’m afraid not.” Anna Beth winced. “She’s a barista in a coffeehouse. Sounds like she’s a little on the wild side. I don’t think she has the money for incidentals, let alone the money for an attorney. I think she may be having back-rent issues as well.”
“No worries. I take income into consideration whenever I take on a new case. I don’t just represent spoiled millionaires.”
“I’m afraid that’s all I really know about her. I could get Amanda on the phone and shake the gossip grapevine.”
“That won’t be necessary. I’d like to hear it from this Joy person. If anyone is going to tell her story properly, it will be her. Do you know where she w
orks?”
“The Jitterbug Café here in Dallas. The one near the new monument.”
“I know where that is.” Cassidy put her pen down. “I can’t promise a miracle, but I will go by her work and have a chat with her. If there’s something to her story, I will do whatever I can for her and her son. What’s his name by the way?”
“Isaiah. Amanda says he’s a bright little boy who was just saddled with a troubled mother.”
Isaiah. Cassidy sighed. It sounded like such a sweet name. It was simple compared to the daring names people gave their children today, but it was a good name, like the often-used Blake middle name Jacob.
“Whatever you can do, I really appreciate it,” Anna Beth continued. “I hate to ask. I feel like I’m infringing on our friendship and costing you money with potential clients. I could give you a retainer just for assessing the case.”
“Nonsense. That’s what friends are for.”
“I just wish I knew more about the situation.”
“You did the right thing.” Cassidy rounded her desk and gave Anna Beth a hug. She looked like she needed one after just going over the sketchy details of the scenario. “Everyone deserves good representation. And I’m flattered you think so highly of my skills.”
“You’re the best. And I’ll be happy to see that new exhibit with you at the museum.”
“It’s a date.”
As Cassidy walked Anna Beth to the reception area, Emelia Grayson was walking through the door. Cassidy promised Anna Beth she’d let her know what was what after the meeting and then escorted Emelia to her office.
Still, all through the afternoon she couldn’t get Isaiah’s case out of her mind. She’d dealt with child abuse and neglect cases before and she hoped it was nothing like that. She knew child protective services would be keeping a close eye on someone who’d had their child removed from a home once before because of a drug issue. The name Isaiah continued to weigh on her heart. She hoped he was OK. She needed to check out the entire story and make sure he wasn’t in any danger. She’d get Channing to drive her to the coffeehouse after work.
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