by Lydia Rowan
“Honey green tea latte,” Cassandra said to the barista.
“Four fifty-nine,” she replied.
After she finished her transaction, Cassandra moved to wait for her drink and a few minutes later, the barista called, “Honey green tea latte.”
Cassandra grabbed her drink and couldn’t help her sigh of pleasure at the first taste of the sweet, warm liquid. She smiled and then turned, headed for the stairs to the covered rooftop seating, but before she could take a second step, someone bumped into her.
“I’m sor—”
She looked up and met a pair of muddy blue eyes that seemed familiar, but Cassandra couldn’t examine that familiarity because a second later, a solid object was jabbed against her stomach.
Cassandra harshed out a breath but let the instinct to step back pass. Because in a blink, Cassandra saw the excitement and insanity in those blue eyes and realized there was a gun pointed directly at her.
12
Her stomach clenched, the sip of the drink she had taken threatening to come back up. That sickening feeling was intensified by the thoughts that swirled through her brain so fast, she could hardly process them. Shock had her frozen in place but her mind swirled. She couldn’t believe this was happening, that she was in her favorite café, holding her favorite drink, that a gun was pointed at her.
“Cassandra.”
The sound of her name broke Cassandra out of her stupor and she looked up at those blue eyes again, realized they belonged to a woman, one who knew her name and one who was threatening her life.
The woman’s long brown hair spilled over her forehead and into her eyes, down over a rounded face that again struck Cassandra as familiar.
“H-hi,” the woman said, her low whisper trembling, almost reverently, and vibrating with the madness Cassandra had seen in her eyes.
Cassandra’s lungs squeezed so tight she couldn’t gather breath, couldn’t move, couldn’t do anything. But the woman looked at her expectantly, waiting, wanting something from Cassandra. The object pressing against her stomach gave Cassandra the urgency that she had momentarily lost and allowed her to speak.
“H-hello,” Cassandra said, keeping her voice light, friendly, which was extremely difficult given the object pressed against her. The object she knew with sickening certainty was a gun. It had come to her in a blink, the realization of what the woman held, but despite the fear that threatened to crush her, Cassandra was glad she knew. Because whether she’d wanted it or not, whether she’d anticipated it or not, this wasn’t just a trip to a tea shop. This was a life-or-death situation, and Cassandra would have to rely on herself if she wanted to make it to see another day.
That awareness kept her going. She put the cup to her lips as if she were taking another sip of tea, though she wouldn’t dare risk it, and then smiled at the woman.
Her returned expression at Cassandra’s was the warmest, friendliest, most terrifying thing she had ever seen, far more frightening than the gun.
“You’re here. I didn’t think—I didn’t know—” the woman stammered, seeming almost overcome, and Cassandra stepped in to keep things calm, hoping that if the woman was talking, that might help. She also took the opportunity to move her body ever so slightly. A shot would still wound her grievously, but that subtle movement was at least a step in the right direction, and that direction was away from this woman.
“You like this place?” Cassandra asked.
She shook her head almost frantically, the motion bringing the gun back closer to Cassandra, making her hand press the gun harder into Cassandra’s side. “No. But I know this is your favorite place. Honey green tea latte, right?” the woman said.
Cassandra nodded and the woman beamed. “I knew it!” she said. The gun against her stomach had sent a chill down her spine, but hearing this woman talk about Cassandra’s favorite drink was as terrifying, more, even.
This woman knew her.
“So…so if you don’t like this place, why…?”
As she spoke, Cassandra moved her body in an attempt to put space between herself and the woman. However, it was only a brief respite, because the woman moved closer, again pressing the gun against Cassandra. Cassandra didn’t try to move away again, but if she had, she didn’t doubt the woman would do the same thing. She hadn’t blinked, hadn’t even really seemed to notice that she’d moved, but the desire to be near Cassandra seemed to fuel her.
“Why am I here?” the woman asked.
Cassandra nodded.
“You haven’t been back to your house in two days. I guess I just hoped…” She brightened. “And I was right. Here you are!” she said as she reached up with her free hand and grabbed Cassandra’s forearm.
Her palm was warm, clammy, and Cassandra thought she felt the woman’s hand tremble, probably from excitement and not the fear that again coursed through Cassandra.
“A coincidence…” Cassandra said, more to herself than anyone else.
Cassandra lifted her eyes to the woman. Not likely. There was nothing coincidental about this. If the woman hadn’t met her here, she would have met her somewhere else. Cassandra knew that with certainty.
“No, not a coincidence. A sign,” the woman said, nodding so hard her hair smacked against her neck. “Seeing you here was the sign I’ve been waiting for. It’s time, Cassandra. After all these years, it’s time.”
Cassandra didn’t give herself a moment to think about what it was time for or any other of the ominous portents in the woman’s statement. The specifics didn’t matter; Cassandra needed to do whatever it took to get away from her.
All of a sudden, Cassandra felt hyperaware of the woman’s hand tight against her arm, her fingers now digging into Cassandra’s flesh. That would certainly leave a bruise, though Cassandra would consider herself extremely lucky if a bruise was all that remained of this experience. She also became even more aware of the insistent press of the hard metal against her stomach.
The café, which had been loud, boisterous with the visitors, had now quieted, and Cassandra noticed the curious but thankfully not yet worried looks people were flashing her. They could tell something was odd but didn’t seem to be reacting yet, something Cassandra knew would change if anyone caught sight of the gun the woman held.
She took a deep breath, and then, moving slowly, carefully shifted ever so slightly to look into the woman’s eyes, looked past the madness, and offered a tentative smile.
“It’s been a long time,” Cassandra said calmly, not sure of what else to say but knowing she needed to keep this situation calm and figuring a nice conversation was the way to do so. Plus, it might give Cassandra a chance to try to figure out who she was.
Cassandra studied the woman’s features intensely and felt not even a faint spark of recollection. If pushed, she would have said she’d never seen this woman before, but Cassandra couldn’t let her know that. Whether Cassandra remembered her or not, it was obvious the woman thought she did, and now wasn’t the time to challenge that understanding.
“It’s been so long—too long,” the woman said, the words leaving her in a rush of breath that seemed to shake her entire body on the exhale.
“Why don’t we go catch up?” Cassandra asked, still speaking in the calmest voice she could muster.
The emotions that passed over the woman’s face moved so quickly, Cassandra could barely keep up. In an instant, she went from hopeful to suspicious to angry.
“You slept somewhere else. That man’s house.” The woman’s face twisted with anger that seemed to make it hard for the words to come out. “Aren’t you still busy?” she asked, her voice wavering between rage and bitterness.
Doing her best to keep calm, Cassandra smiled and then shrugged nonchalantly. “That’s just my boss. But we should talk,” she said.
The woman looked skeptical, confused. “But he’s been at your house. I know you were at his. I thought…I thought you were together,” she said, her voice now a whisper.
“It’s no
thing like that. We had a big project,” Cassandra said. Then, a moment later she added, “You know how crazy things can get with my job.”
The woman nodded. “They make you work entirely too hard. You don’t have time for anything else,” she said emphatically.
Cassandra’s blood turned to ice in her veins, and she couldn’t help but wonder how long this had been going on, how long she had been blind to this seemingly ever-present woman.
Instead of focusing on that, she chuckled, the sound nearly choking her. “You’re right about that,” she said, letting what she hoped was a friendly smile stretch her cheeks. “But I have time now. We should catch up. It’s a nice enough day. Want to catch up?”
The woman gave Cassandra a tentative smile. “I’d like that. Let’s sit,” she said, gesturing toward one of the empty tables.
Things were still calm, but Cassandra’s first priority was to get them away from as many people as possible. She shook her head, frowned slightly. “It’s a little stuffy in here, don’t you think?”
The woman shrugged. “I feel fine,” she said.
“Yeah, but it is a little hot, and it’s a nice enough day so the roof will be pretty. And we should talk without anyone being able to listen in on us,” Cassandra said, leaning in toward the woman conspiratorially.
Cassandra watched the struggle on the woman’s face and saw the precise moment when she’d made her decision and felt a slight moment of relief.
The woman’s face lifted in a smile, one that would have been pretty were it not for the pure insanity that radiated from it. Strangely, as afraid and confused as she was, that woman’s smile made Cassandra sad in a way she couldn’t quite articulate.
“Okay,” the woman said.
Cassandra tried to keep her expression neutral, which was hard given that she was sick with relief that the gun was no longer pressed against her and nervous about what would happen next, and began walking up the stairs to the rooftop, hoping that nothing in her posture gave away the fear that ricocheted through her. When she reached the deck, Cassandra looked around quickly, mercifully relieved it was empty. Cassandra walked to the farthest table, one shoved in a corner, and sat at the table, her back to the woman, who stood behind her.
Cassandra sat, waited, listening as the woman approached and then smiled when she wedged her body between the table and the high wall of the deck.
The atmosphere was thick, tense, but Cassandra tried to be as natural as possible and again lifted the cup to her lips. The woman gave her an indulgent smile and shook her head. “You love those things.”
From somewhere, Cassandra managed to muster a hearty laugh. “You know me too well,” she said.
“Of course I do. You’re my best friend. I know everything about you,” the woman said, smiling and nodding emphatically.
Best friends? Cassandra kept her eyes on the woman, trying not to leer as she again searched her memory for her. Still, she needed to keep the conversation moving.
“So…how have things been?” Cassandra asked, knowing she was being vague and her voice shaky, but she wasn’t sure what else to say.
The woman shrugged. “You know. Just regular. You know, I had to…take some time off. But I’m better now. I want you to know I’ve never forgotten you, Cassandra.”
The woman looked at her intensely, and Cassandra couldn’t do anything but nod.
“I didn’t forget you either, Tammy,” she said.
Tammy. A lab partner from college. The name and memory had just popped into Cassandra’s head, and from her reaction, she knew she was right.
The woman chuckled, her laugh soft, her smile genuine. “To be honest, I wondered. You never reached out to me. Sometimes I thought—”
Cassandra shook her head as fiercely as the woman had earlier. “I would never, ever, forget you, but I couldn’t find you. Besides, I didn’t know if you…” Cassandra trailed off and then looked away.
The woman sat up a little straighter, her brow furrowing. She blinked, her eyes wet with the sheen of tears.
“You thought…you thought I was mad at you?” she asked.
Cassandra nodded, and the woman blinked as if she could force the words away.
“I could never be angry with you, Cassandra. You’re the best friend I ever had. The only friend I ever had. Nothing could ever come between us. No one,” she said, putting emphasis on the last words.
Cassandra nodded faintly, the motion in no way reflecting the intensity of the feelings that crashed through her. This woman was clearly ill and clearly attached, and Cassandra did not want to find out how deep that attachment went, or what Tammy would do to protect it.
Tammy smiled, the expression brightening her face. “I’m glad you agree. I’ve been making plans, Cassandra,” she said.
“Tell me about your plans,” she said, not having to feign interest in this topic. Tammy’s plans were something Cassandra had to pay attention to.
“Everything’s so complicated. The world’s so complicated. But it doesn’t have to be that way. It would be so wonderful with just you and me together. So I’ve been building a place. It was a surprise.”
Cassandra lifted the cup she still held to her face, needing to do something so that she didn’t give away her emotions. She could scarcely believe this was happening, and while she had been afraid before, that fear took on a new dimension now. This woman was serious, very, and in that moment Cassandra couldn’t help but think of how many times she’d been watched, how vulnerable she’d been without even knowing.
How vulnerable she was still.
“I do love surprises,” Cassandra said.
The woman tilted her head, looked at her with a frown. “Really? I thought you hated them. Thought you’d be much more upset,” she said.
Cassandra frowned herself. “Why do you think I hate surprises?”
“Well, when that woman you worked with threw you a surprise thirty-first birthday party, you didn’t seem happy,” Tammy said.
Cassandra’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head, but she quickly recovered and thought back to that time.
A couple of years ago, right after she had started at Silver Industries, Sloan had gotten the entire team together for a birthday party in Cassandra’s honor, one she hadn’t bothered to mention until after Cassandra had arrived.
Cassandra had been shocked, and not entirely pleased, but mostly because Sloan had invited Lucian, who had shown up and then gone out of his way to make it clear how unhappy he was to have her at his company and had come close to making the entire evening an utter failure and probably would have if Sloan hadn’t kept him in line.
But all of that was nothing in the face of the realization that this woman, who Cassandra still thought of as a stranger, knew so many details of what Cassandra thought was a private part of her life.
“Oh,” Cassandra said, waving a hand dismissively, deciding to go with the truth, “that was nothing. My boss was there. And he can be…unpleasant.”
“Did he do something to you? Did he hurt you?” the woman asked, her voice taking on an intensity that hadn’t been there before.
Cassandra shook her head. “Oh, no. Nothing like that. He’s just difficult, a little annoying, you know?”
The woman nodded, but Cassandra didn’t think the woman was really here with her and actively suppressed the thoughts of what was making her react so intensely.
The woman met her eyes again, her face tight with rage, rage Cassandra worked to smooth.
“It’s fine. Really,” she said.
The woman’s frown deepened, but she nodded. “Good. Because I won’t let anyone hurt you, Cassandra. Not now, not ever again.”
Cassandra felt Tammy’s intensity, knew that she spoke of something that wasn’t necessarily about Cassandra, and Cassandra’s heart went out to her. But that didn’t change the fact that she needed to get out of here.
“Thank you,” Cassandra said emphatically. “It’s rare to have a friend like you.”
&
nbsp; The woman practically beamed, all the more heartbreaking for the joy on her expression.
“You’re the best friend I’ve ever had, and I’d do anything for you,” she said, her voice as strong now as it had been during their entire time together.
Cassandra believed her. And found that truth positively terrifying.
“Thank you. So where…” Cassandra trailed off and then snapped her fingers.
“What is it?” the woman asked.
“I’m so rude! I didn’t offer you anything to drink,” Cassandra said.
“I’m fine,” Tammy said.
Cassandra shook her head. “No. I’ll get you something. Honey green tea latte, just like me,” Cassandra said.
The woman smiled indulgently and then shook her head. “No. I’m fine, and we should get going. I have everything you need, all of your favorites just waiting for you,” she said.
“That’s so sweet,” Cassandra said as she stood and took a single step away from the table.
“That’s what friends do for each other,” the woman said, smiling shyly.
Cassandra tsked. “It is sweet,” she said, “and you shouldn’t discount yourself. You’re a really nice person who does really nice things. You should get credit for it and have people do nice things for you,” she said.
That wasn’t entirely a lie. Tammy had obviously been missing the care she needed, but as sad as that was, Cassandra needed to get away from her.
The woman looked away, seeming to blush. “No one’s ever told me anything like that before,” she said.
“Shame on them, then,” Cassandra said.
“I knew it would be like this,” the woman uttered, brightening. “I just knew it. I’m sorry I waited this long,” she said.
“It will be like this, and let’s start now. I’ll be back with your drink,” Cassandra said, risking another step as she spoke.
Tammy looked ready to protest, but Cassandra quickly moved to mitigate the damage. “It’ll only take a moment. I’ll be back before you know it and then we can go.”