by Becky Harmon
“Thanks again.” They walked off with Ana between them still talking.
“I like them.” Dillon stepped up beside her.
“Me too. I think I was testing their limits more than Ana’s though. We’ll see if they let her ride again before they leave.”
* * *
Cassie was successful at keeping herself busy all day, but her evening phone call was never far from her mind. Once Dillon and Shelley left for the day, she fed the dogs and made herself a salad. She planted herself in front of the television, determined to wait until at least six before calling Kathleen. At five forty-five her phone rang, making her jump.
“I was making myself wait until six to give you time to get home from work,” Cassie said without offering a greeting.
“I didn’t go into the office today and I had to make myself wait until your day was over,” Kathleen said with a little laugh.
“You didn’t have to wait, you know. Anytime you want to call is fine with me.” She paused for a second. “I’ve missed you.”
“Me too.”
The silence weighed heavy between them. Cassie had rehearsed a billion things she wanted to say but the words wouldn’t come out.
“How has your week been?” Kathleen asked.
“Okay. The beds were delivered today, so we arranged the rooms. I wanted to ask if the girls know they’re coming here. Are they okay with it?”
“Oh yes. I’ve talked with them several times since you were here last week, and they’re very excited. By the way, I loved the picture you took of Zoey and Pandy. It was a pleasant surprise.”
“I hoped it might be.” Cassie hesitated. “Do you think you can come up this weekend?”
“I’m so sorry. That was going to be the first thing I told you when we got on the phone and I forgot when I heard your voice. This weekend is the open house and I have to work it Saturday and Sunday.”
“That’s a bummer,” Cassie said, trying not to sound too disappointed.
Kathleen sighed. “It is, but maybe a little space is good too.”
When Cassie didn’t respond, Kathleen continued. “Not good but necessary. Does that make sense?”
“I guess so.” Cassie took a deep breath.
“I just thought we might need a little perspective.”
“Okay.” As long as perspective doesn’t mean not seeing each other, Cassie thought. “I still want to see you again.”
“Me too,” Kathleen said quickly.
Cassie wanted to ask when, but Kathleen was already saying goodbye. She swallowed her question and tried to sound cheery as they hung up without any specific plans on when they would talk again.
Cassie stared at the television and thought about their conversation. She hated not knowing when she would see her again, but what bothered her more was the perspective she was supposed to be getting. The kids would arrive in a week and a half and then she wouldn’t be able to leave during the week. She would talk with Shelley on Friday about taking Monday or Wednesday off next week to go to Pensacola. Her mind seemed to be whirling but after dozing off several times she finally went to bed.
* * *
Kathleen stared at her phone laying on the coffee table. She wished she could explain to Cassie how unreal life at the farm seemed to her now. The farm had been quiet and peaceful and comfortable. All the things she longed for in her life but hadn’t been able to find on her own. The way she felt around Cassie was something she had only read in romance novels. The desire to be with her still emerged anytime she wasn’t consciously working to force it away.
Cassie’s quiet and gentle demeanor had shined a light on her past. A past she had not chosen to share with anyone as an adult. She had learned to deal with her issues of anger and abandonment in the gym. Punching a bag or running on the treadmill until exhaustion released any pent-up feelings that arose, but it did nothing for the loneliness. She was surprised that she didn’t feel any regret for opening up to Cassie, and she was hopeful she would be able to share more should the opportunity arise.
She knew at some point, Cassie would ask for details about the brat pack, and Kathleen wanted to be honest. The parallels between her past and theirs made it hard for her to talk freely. She remembered the night Kaitlyn’s call woke her and the way her heart beat wildly as she raced to her car. Kaitlyn was hungry and scared and she wanted off the street. Thankfully, Kathleen had given her a card with her cell number on it when they had met briefly weeks before. For a moment, Kathleen had felt the frigid Chicago sidewalk beneath her instead of the leather car seat. Pensacola was a lot warmer than the streets Kathleen had wandered as a teenager, but the things that lurked in the shadows were the same.
Kathleen wanted to believe Cassie would understand the paths she had chosen—the decisions she had made that caused their lives to intersect. She wanted to be fearless and share herself with optimism, but she knew the soft brown eyes filled with compassion that danced in her mind each time she closed her eyes weren’t real. They couldn’t be. Life wasn’t like fairy tales. The proper perspective would help her explore a relationship with Cassie without all the hype. She couldn’t hope for more than that.
Chapter Twenty-One
Cassie was surprised when Anita came by the office on Thursday and scheduled a horseback ride for Ana on Friday morning. She had talked with Dillon, and they agreed to have three horses saddled in addition to Cheyenne when Ana arrived. On Friday morning, Anita and Roz looked almost panicked as they approached.
“I thought you guys might like to give it a try since you leave tomorrow,” Cassie said, giving them a reassuring smile.
“I don’t…I don’t know.” Anita slowed her approach.
“Sure,” Roz said, laughing at the shocked faces around her.
Cassie didn’t give her a chance to think about it. She showed her the wall of helmets and helped her adjust one on her head. Cassie knew if she could get Roz comfortably settled on a horse that Anita might give in too. Some people simply didn’t like horses, but Cassie believed Anita and Roz had likely never been around them before. Dillon walked Bly over to the steps and held the reins as Roz swung her leg over settling into the saddle. Dillon handed her the reins and walked Bly away from the stairs. Cassie left him to talk Roz through some basic instructions.
Cassie watched Anita pace nervously. She was holding her camera as if it was a life preserver. Ana already had a helmet on and was standing on the steps. “I’m riding my own horse today, right?”
Cassie grabbed the reins on Greta and brought her to the stairs. Dillon left Roz and came over to steady Greta while Cassie climbed the stairs and assisted Ana. Once settled in, Ana eagerly took the reins and walked Greta over to where Roz was waiting.
Cassie looked at Anita again. “Want to give it a try?”
Anita shrugged, looking at her family. Cassie put an arm around her shoulders and walked her over to the helmets. As they selected the right size and fit it to Anita’s head, Cassie talked softly to her so the others couldn’t hear.
“Dillon and I will help you get in the saddle. Give it a feel. If you don’t like it, we’ll help you get down immediately. Riding isn’t for everyone, but if you’ve never tried, you don’t know if you like it or not.” Cassie smiled reassuringly at her.
Anita nodded.
Dillon brought Angel over to the steps and gave Anita the reins as soon as she was comfortable. Cassie watched her face, and though she seemed tense she was smiling. Cassie mounted Cheyenne, and Dillon opened the pasture gate, which they had closed earlier to keep the other horses out until everyone was comfortable. Dillon whistled for Dakota and quickly haltered him before swinging onto his bare back. Cassie saw Anita and Roz watching him.
“He’s been riding since he was a baby.”
“He makes it look easy,” Roz said.
“Where are we going?” Anita asked, still looking tense.
Cassie moved closer to her, stepping in front of Angel and bringing her to a stop. “Take one hand off t
he reins and wave at me.” Cassie held up her hand and wiggled her fingers. “Like this.”
Anita followed her instructions. “Now switch hands.” Cassie demonstrated again. Anita looked puzzled, but she did it.
Cassie smiled at her. “You can relax the death grip you have on the reins. Angel will follow and stop when we do. She doesn’t like to run if she doesn’t have to, so she won’t take off on you.”
Anita laughed.
“Remember this is supposed to be fun.”
“Got it.”
Cassie moved back into the lead and pointed to the wooden platform. “See the platform. We’ll go to it and then come back. Everyone good?”
Making sure she received nods from everyone, Cassie nudged Cheyenne forward. She looked back several times to make sure everyone was okay. Dillon moved back and forth between them, helping out and telling jokes. Soon Cassie could hear chatting among them and she knew they were enjoying the ride. For first-time riders it was important to keep the ride short. Just as when training animals, you always wanted to end on a good note.
Cassie and Dillon helped everyone dismount saving Ana for last as she continued to ride Greta around the paddock.
“That was so much fun!” Ana exclaimed after she had dismounted.
“We’re glad you enjoyed it.” Cassie gave her a little hug as she unbuckled Greta’s saddle and handed it to Dillon.
With the horses secured to hitching posts, Dillon passed around brushes and everyone followed his instruction. One at time, Dillon released the horses into the pasture. Ana and Roz stood at the fence and watched them.
Anita approached Cassie. “Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome. I hope you enjoyed it.” Cassie smiled. “Just a little bit.”
“I did. We all did. It was really great to share that with Ana. Sometimes it seems like we tell her no so much. She’s always eager to try new things. I guess Roz and I are stuck in our ways.” Anita smiled self-consciously. “I always swore I wouldn’t act like my parents when I had my own child.”
“I’m sure it’s hard not to when you only want them to be safe.”
“That’s it exactly.” Anita seemed relieved that Cassie understood. “It’s so easy to act like an adult and forget the thrill of being a child.”
“That’s what happens when we get older.” Cassie laughed. “We always want to make sure our guests have fun, but safety is a priority. So it’s double nice for us when we get both things.”
Cassie walked her back to the fence where her family waited and then she and Dillon headed back to the office for lunch.
* * *
It was late Friday afternoon before Cassie remembered she wanted to check on Greg. All of her spare moments and thoughts had been spent on Kathleen. She had talked with Shelley about taking Wednesday off and was trying to decide if she wanted to call Kathleen and warn her or simply show up. Both options had an advantage. She dialed Greg’s number and he picked up on the first ring.
“Hey, Ms. Cassie.”
“Hey, I’ve been meaning to call you all week. I felt like you had something you wanted to say when you called last time. Is everything okay?”
Greg was silent for a while.
“Greg?”
“Yeah, I’m still here.”
“What’s wrong, Greg? You can tell me anything.” Cassie sat down on the porch steps and alternated between petting Zoey and then Pandy.
“It turns out my dad has another kid. He’s nine and in foster care too.”
“Oh, Greg. That’s terrible. Did you track him down?”
Again Greg hesitated. “Yeah, but things aren’t good for him.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s the only kid with this foster family, and there’s been some trouble.”
“What kind of trouble? What’s going on?” Cassie asked. She didn’t like the way Greg was being vague, and she could tell he was keeping the worst from her.
“Look. I can’t really talk right now. I’m at work.” She could hear someone calling him in the background. “I’ll call you tomorrow when I get off. Okay?”
“Okay. Take care of yourself. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
Cassie hung up, feeling a lump in her chest. Greg had never been secretive or evasive with her before. Whatever was happening with his half-brother had him very upset. She ran her fingers through Zoey’s soft belly fur until Pandy pushed at her hand. Her dogs had such a tough life. Pandy looked up at her with questioning eyes, and Cassie was sure she was asking when Kathleen was coming back. Pandy had moped around more than she had after Kathleen left on Sunday.
“Let’s call her,” she said to Pandy. The situation with Greg was a good excuse. Maybe Kathleen could look into things and give her an idea of what was going on.
“Fosters, Inc. Tiffany speaking, can I help you?”
“Tiffany. It’s Cassie Thomas. Is Kathleen around?”
“Oh hey, Ms. Thomas. Hold on a sec.”
She heard soft elevator music for a few seconds and then the warm voice she was missing answered. “Cassie?”
“Hi. I needed to talk with you about something. I hope it’s okay that I called you at work.”
“Of course. What’s up?”
“I just got a call from Greg. Well, actually he called on Monday and seemed weird when we hung up so I called him today. He’s tracked down his deadbeat dad and discovered he has a little half-brother.”
“Wow, that’s a lot for a kid to take in.”
“He says there’s been some trouble at the foster home where his brother is. I tried to question him further for details, but he became evasive and said he would call me tomorrow. Is that something you could look into for me?”
“I can see what I can find out. Do you know his name?”
“I guess that would have been a good question to ask, but unfortunately I didn’t. I do know he’s the only kid with this foster family.”
“Well, if he’s with Fosters that should be easy to find, but if he’s with the state I might not be able to locate him.”
“Greg is supposed to call me tomorrow so I’ll try to get more details from him.”
“Okay. I’ll search from Greg’s end and see what I can find out.”
“Thanks, Kathleen.”
“You’re welcome. I might not be home until seven or eight tomorrow. Can I call you then?”
“Sure.”
Cassie leaned back on the stairs and thought about Kathleen in her borrowed jeans crossing to the pasture. It was hard to believe a week had passed since she had shared a burnt marshmallow with her. Tonight’s cookout wouldn’t be as exciting for her, but she could always hope next week she would have Kathleen’s company again.
The brat pack would arrive on Friday too. She couldn’t help being excited. She was also a little relieved to know Dillon and Shelley would be around to help out. The girls were too old to need instructions for their daily life and they probably wouldn’t appreciate it anyway. Cassie needed to find a middle ground to give them structure and freedom at the same time. Not an easy task in the narrow window she would have to work with, but she was looking forward to the challenge.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Saturday passed in a blur. Anita, Roz and Ana checked out around ten a.m. and Jon and Sarah followed close behind them. Cassie spent the afternoon cleaning their cabins in preparation for the three families that would check in later in the day. This would be the first week of the summer where all four cabins were filled. Pete and Rory had extended their stay to see the brat pack arrive on Friday so at least one of the cabins would be easy guests.
Two of the families were checked in by six, and Cassie stood on the porch watching several kids chase each other on the beach. Both families had two kids, one with two boys and the other with a boy and a girl. The girl was young enough she still wanted to play so she followed the boys everywhere they went. The last couple to arrive would be checking into Cabin One late that evening.
Cassie wa
sn’t sure what time Greg was supposed to get off work so she gave him until seven to call her. When she still had not heard from him, she called his cell and left a voice mail. She checked in the new couple and had barely settled into her recliner when Kathleen called.
“How was your day?” Cassie asked.
“Exhausting but successful. How about yours?”
“Not as exhausting as yours, I imagine.”
“Any word from Greg?”
“Nope.”
“I was hoping you had.” Kathleen sighed. “I reached out to Greg’s foster family. Luckily he was excited when he found his brother and had shared details with them. Apparently after he met with him, he became quiet and evasive. They didn’t know any details, but they knew his name. Unfortunately he’s in Alabama. His record shows he’s been passed around a lot, but it doesn’t appear that he’s ever been a problem. It’s just the foster system that’s crappy. This family has had him for about a month and last week the husband was killed.”
“Killed! What the hell happened?”
“I couldn’t get all the details, but it sounds like maybe the family was involved in something illegal. Maybe drugs.”
“How in the world do people like that end up with foster kids?” Cassie asked, not necessarily expecting an answer.
“They want the money and they’re able to look sane when the state visits.” Kathleen sighed. “And there are so many kids that need to be placed and not enough workers to supervise them on a regular basis.”
“Oh, man. That poor little boy. No wonder Greg is upset.”
“They’ve moved him again and I wasn’t able to find out where, but I’ll keep looking.”
“Thanks, Kathleen.”
“No problem. I hate to hang up so quickly, but I’m very tired and I haven’t eaten yet.”
“And you get to do it all over again tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
They said their goodbyes, and Cassie tossed her cell phone on the coffee table. She had forgotten to ask Kathleen for Greg’s brother’s name. She tried Greg again and left another message for him to call her when he could, no matter the time.