*
Cassandra was in the basement laundry room when the phone began to ring. “Would someone answer the phone up there, please?” she yelled up the stairway. When no one answered, she remembered that the twins went ice-skating with Adam and Sherry. She ran up the stairs, and when she reached the phone, the caller had already hung up. She looked at the caller I.D. It was Nick. He hadn’t left a message. Oh well, he’ll call back. She went downstairs to finish folding the last load of clothes from the dryer, and the phone rang again. “Oh, I give up.” She ran back up the stairs, turned off the light, and made a note to herself that she needed a phone installed in the basement.
“Hello,” she answered breathlessly.
“I caught you at a bad time? Sounds as though you just finished running a marathon,” Shannon said.
“Yeah, well I feel like it.” She laughed, and tried to catch her breath.
“Would you like to go out for lunch? We haven’t spoken for a week now. It’s on me,” she added.
“Sure, what time?”
“Thirty minutes sound okay? I’ll pick you up.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
She filled Mandy’s water dish and zipped up her jacket when Shannon pulled into the driveway. She thought of putting on her boots, but it wasn’t snowing, so she stepped out onto the porch in her tennis shoes. She closed and locked the door, then quickly hurried down the porch steps. When she reached the bottom, her tennis shoe hit a patch of ice and her feet flew out from under her.
She took a quick sharp breath and let out an exclamation of surprise. “Damn!” She hit the driveway, jarring her backside. In the same instant, she put out a hand to arrest her fall, and on contact with the pavement, her wrist sent out a very painful snap.
Shannon rushed from her car when she saw her fall and now squatted down beside her, her face full of worry. “Are you okay?”
“I don’t know,” she said, holding her left wrist. She winced. The pain was excruciating.
When Shannon looked at it, she shook her head and carefully helped her up. She knew by the looks of it, that her wrist was broken. “Come on, honey, I’m taking you to the emergency room. It really hurts, doesn’t it?”
She nodded, and gritted her teeth as Shannon opened the car door for her. “I thought the ice had melted,” she muttered. “I should have worn my boots.”
“It was only a small patch. You have a good aim, sweetie.”
“This is just wonderful. I have a broken wrist and a sore butt,” she said, trying to make a joke out of it as her eyes filled with tears.
When they entered the emergency room, one of the nurses hurried over with a wheelchair.
“I’m able to walk, I don’t need a wheelchair,” she said.
“I can see you’re in quite a bit of pain, sweetheart. You’ll be much more comfortable.”
Cassandra nodded and held her arm gently with her other hand while the nurse helped her sit, then brought her down the hallway for an x-ray.
*
Shannon entered the waiting room and pulled out her phone to call the kids.
“Hi, Adam,” she began. She didn’t want the twins to worry, so she decided it was best not to tell them anything about the fall. They’d find out soon enough when they returned.
“Cassandra and I are out for lunch, and then we’ll be going shopping. When you’re all ready to head home, bring the twins back to our house. They’ll all be staying for supper.”
“Cool, Mom, I’ll let them know.”
With that done, she called Dan. It was his day off and he’d taken his car to the service station for an oil change. She told him what happened, and he said he’d head straight home.
“That poor girl’s been through more than enough problems in the past twelve months. I’ll be home before the kids get there. Give her a hug for me.”
*
The twins’ mouths fell open when their mom entered the house.
“What happened?” they both asked at once.
“Oh, your clumsy mom fell down on her fanny and broke her wrist when she tried to stop her fall,” Cassandra told them with a faint smile.
“And thank God that was all you broke,” remarked Dan. “You could very well have broken your tail bone. It’s a good thing that you blocked the fall with your hand.”
“I’m feeling pretty tipsy right now from the drugs they gave me,” she said, and giggled softly.
“I’m glad this is the weekend, so we can take care of you, Mom,” Kayla said, and gave her a hug.
“Right now, just relax on the couch,” Dan said, and helped her into the family room. “Shannon’s making supper and then when you’re ready, I’ll drive you home. Or if you’d like, you can all stay here for the night.” He helped her lie down on the sofa.
“Oh, I don’t think that’ll be necessary, Dan,” she murmured and her glassy eyes slowly closed.
The twins glanced up at Dan, and he told them, “Don’t worry kids, by the looks of things, I believe you’ll be staying here tonight. We’ll go over and get Mandy after we eat.”
“Thanks,” Kyle whispered, then grabbed the afghan from the back of the sofa and draped it over her.
*
When they returned home the next day, Cassandra noticed the red light blinking on the answering machine. There were two calls from Nick and four from Sean. They both had left a message, asking her to return their calls. She planned to phone them later; right now, she was in too much pain.
It was Sunday and the twins explained that they’d decided to spend the day pampering her. They’d let her sit back, keep her arm still, and enjoy being waited on. She had no argument with that.
Kayla planned to make spaghetti and meatballs for dinner and Kyle would finish the housework, which Cassandra had intended to complete herself that is, before yesterday’s mishap.
She was lying on the couch in the den, attempting to read a good book, when she heard her cell phone ringing. Kyle entered and handed her the phone. He whispered, “It’s Sean,” then winked at her. She laughed, and watched him hurry out the door.
“Hi, Sean,” she said softly, then leaned her head back and gazed up at the ceiling.
“I tried calling you several times yesterday, Cassie. If I hadn’t been able to reach you today, I would have been worried.”
She told him what happened, and that they spent the night at the Millers’ house.
He was full of sympathy. “How does it feel today? Did they prescribe some pills for the pain?”
“It still hurts pretty badly, and yes I have pain pills. Kayla is making dinner, so I’m trying to hold off from taking my next dose until after we eat. They make me drowsy. The twins have been going all out to make me comfortable. Kyle even completed the housework.”
“That’s really considerate of them; you’ve done a fine job raising them. They seemed to be very friendly kids when I met them.”
“They are, and I’m very proud of them.”
“Well, here’s the reason I’m calling. How would the three of you like to go to see the ‘Monster Trucks’ next Saturday? That is, if you’re feeling up to it by then.”
“I should be, and I know the twins would love to go. I’ll ask them, but I’m sure they’ll say yes. We’ve never had the opportunity to see them. It sounds like fun.”
“Well, let me know. I’m able to purchase the tickets from work.”
“Just go ahead and get them. I’m positive they’d love to go, and I know I’d enjoy it. This would also be a good chance for them to get to know you.”
“Okay, you can tell them all about it over dinner. I’ll let you rest now. Would it be all right if I stop by to see you after work tomorrow? I could pick up dinner on my way over. The twins wouldn’t have to slave away after a hard day at school,” he said.
“That’d be great. The doctor said my arm will be quite sore for a few more days and the kids would certainly appreciate it.”
“Okay, I’ll give you a call on my lunch hour tomorro
w. I miss you, girl. I hope you’ll sleep well tonight.”
“I’m sure I will. These pills have done a good job of knocking me out, so far. I miss you too.”
After dinner, she took a “pain pill” and headed to her bedroom, carrying her book in her good hand. Kayla followed her in with a cup of hot chocolate and set it on the nightstand. She helped her change into a nightgown, and then helped her into bed.
When Kayla had her settled in, Kyle came in to say goodnight. She’d already become a bit groggy, and she thanked them both for dinner and for all of their help.
“You’ve treated me like a queen today,” she murmured with a smile.
“You are a queen, Mom,” Kayla said quietly, and then she smoothed out the blankets, kissed her on the cheek and turned out the light.
“Sweet dreams, we love you.”
Cassandra’s eyelids fell closed.
Chapter Twenty—eight
“Mom, is Sean coming for dinner tonight?” Kyle asked.
“He’ll be here around six. Have you finished your homework?”
“No, but I will tonight. I’m sure you and Sean will want some time alone, won’t you?” he asked, and his brows flickered a little.
She tried to suppress a giggle.“You really are quite fond of him, aren’t you?”
“Last weekend was a lot of fun, when he took us to see the Monster Trucks. He seems to be a great guy, Mom.”
“Yeah, Mom, I don’t think we’ve ever seen you this happy,” Kayla said when she entered the kitchen. “I’ll help you cook dinner. Just tell me what I should do. What were you planning to have?”
“Something easy, I guess. Would you like to chop up some smoked sausage and potatoes? That should be easy enough for us. You can do the chopping, okay?”
“Sure,” she said, and took a knife from the drawer. “Kyle and I both noticed that you do seem to be a lot happier with Sean. We’ve never seen you this bubbly-like before.”
“Bubbly-like?” Her smile turned into a light chuckle. “And just what does that mean?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” Kayla chopped the onion, when tears appeared on her cheeks.
“Are you crying, honey, or are those tears from the onion?”
“Just the onion, Mom,” she answered and laughed, swiping at her cheek with the back of her hand. “What I meant was, when Sean is around, you’re always smiling a special smile. Your eyes sparkle like we’ve never seen before.”
Cassandra laughed in sheer joy. “I’m so glad that you both like him. It’s been pure bliss for us to be reunited. I loved him so much, a long time ago before I met your father, and I guess I’d never stopped loving him.”
She told the twins about the time when she and Sean met. She stood at the stove, turning the meat, while Kayla added the potatoes, onions, and a few shakes of seasoned salt.
“What are you going to tell Nick, Mom? Kyle and I really think he’s got the hots for you, and we want to be able to go to the cabin and visit him this summer.”
She sighed in frustration. “I don’t know. I care a lot for him too, but only as a good friend. Don’t worry about it. We’ll still be spending most of the summer up there.”
At that moment, there was a knock at the door, and through the window she could see Sean with that infectious smile of his. With a tip of her head, she motioned for him to come in.
Once inside, he placed his jacket over the back of a kitchen chair and took in the luscious scent of food. “And just who is the great chef tonight? It smells delicious in here. My guess is that the chef is Kayla, since her mom is still pretty disabled,” he said, his usual teasing look in his eyes. “Very pretty, but unfortunately disabled, for the time being,” he added.
Cassandra couldn’t help laughing. He’d always had a way to make her laugh.
“Mom, I can finish up here,” Kayla said. “Why don’t you and Sean go into the den, sit down and relax, and we’ll let you know when dinner’s ready. You still need to rest that arm.”
“She sounds like a mom,” Cassandra murmured, and tried to keep a straight face while they walked into the den, filled with soft romantic music.
“Gee, isn’t Kyle the sly one,” she said when she sat down on the couch.
“Why do you say that?” He sat next to her, looked into her eyes, and gently brushed his cheek against her hair.
“I’m assuming that he was the one who turned on the music for us.”
He laughed softly, and placed his arm around her shoulders. “Are you comfortable?”
“Yes, very,” she answered, her wrist resting on her lap. She didn’t care to wear the sling while lounging around the house. She gazed up at him and he kissed the tip of her nose. His lips found their way instinctively to hers and when they met, they were warm and sweet.
She exhaled a long sigh of contentment. She felt like a breathless girl of eighteen, when suddenly Kayla called them into the dining room for dinner.
He threw his hands up in the air and sighed with a smile, then stood and helped her up. He gave her a gentle hug, and they walked together hand in hand, out to the dining room.
*
Cassandra sat at Shannon’s kitchen table while they reminisced their children’s school years.
“It just doesn’t seem possible that graduation’s almost here,” she said, and picked up a potato chip from the bowl. She looked at it, then changed her mind and put it down. She glanced at her wrist. She had the cast removed, just in time for the graduation ceremony. The skin was still white and crinkled, as though she’d washed an excessive amount of dishes. She hoped it would be back to normal in time for the twins’ big day.
“No, it sure doesn’t,” Shannon said. “Where did all of those years go? They’ve had their marching band, their track teams, and their baseball teams. It seems like only yesterday that they’d just started kindergarten. It felt like our own prom all over again, when we took the girls shopping for their dresses. That was so much fun.”
“And Dan took the boys for their tuxedos. Kyle had felt very proud, when Dan always included him when he did things with Adam. Kyle didn’t feel quite so alone, not having a father, when Dan did so much for him.”
“What are we going to do without them, Cassandra? When they leave for UCCS, our homes will be empty; our children will be leaving us, all at the same time.”
“At least you’ll still have Dan. The two of you will feel like newlyweds again.”
“Yeah, right,” she said, and they both laughed.
“Well, you’ll have each other.”
“But look at you. You have Sean here, and then you’ll go to the cabin, and you’ll have Nick up there,” she said, and grinned mischievously.
“That’s not even funny. I just don’t know what I’m going to do about Nick.” Her tone held a touch of sadness. “I don’t want to hurt him. He was so protective when I was going through that ordeal with Jeff.”
“I guess you’ll just have to decide who you’d be the happiest with, honey. You really do have a tough decision. They’re both wonderful men, but in completely different ways. If I were you, I’d wait it out for a while. You’ll know for sure when the time comes.”
“I guess,” she murmured, “but I’m certain that I love Sean. I always have. And Nick… he’s a good friend.” She stood up to leave. “I’d best be getting home and get those announcements addressed. Are you sure you want the party here?”
“Don’t worry about it. It feels to us, as though we have four children in the family graduating together. As we said before, they’re inseparable. Also, don’t forget that they all have the same friends, so there really wouldn’t be any more people coming than there would be if we had the parties separately.”
“You’re right, and since Auntie Em left us, there wouldn’t be any relatives for us to invite. I wish she was here to see their big day,” she said sadly.
“I know it’s hard on you and the kids at a special time like this.” She put her arm around Cassandra’s shoulders and walke
d her to the door.
While she slowly walked back home, Cassandra enjoyed the beautiful spring day. The sun felt warm and cheered her spirits. When she stepped into her yard, she saw that the two albino squirrels were back. They’d returned every spring for the past three years. She stood still and watched as they rushed high up into the pine tree at the corner of the yard. They were the most unusual, yet the most beautiful squirrels she’d ever seen.
As soon as the twins came home from school, she drove them to the mall. They wanted to purchase new clothes for their all-night graduation party, supervised by teachers and parents while kept under lockdown throughout the night. They’d have a popular band to perform until the early morning hours, along with plenty of food and games. They wanted new clothes to change into when their gowns would come off.
When they returned, Cassandra retrieved a message from Sean on the answering machine. He said that he’d be able to come to the graduation ceremony; however, he’d need to leave immediately afterward, to catch a late-night flight to Florida for a two-week business trip.
“Okay,” she said to herself with resignation. At least he’ll be able to make it to the ceremony.
“How would you like to head up to the cabin for two weeks after graduation?” she asked the twins.
“Sure,” they said at once. It had been three months since they’d been there. With those plans made, the twins went to their rooms to study for finals. Her arm was still a bit sore and she decided her bedroom would be a good destination. She picked up the book she’d been reading, and headed for bed.
*
Two days after graduation, they packed up the SUV and left for the cabin. Cassandra planned to stop along the way, to check on Auntie Em’s house; she also wanted to print out her incomplete novel. It covered two hundred pages of the first draft, and she intended to read it during their stay.
The weather was perfect when they arrived at the cabin. After unloading the SUV, the twins took Mandy out for a run while she put away the groceries. The twins had wanted to stop for hamburgers, so she wouldn’t need to make supper. They’d just have a snack later.
The Sunny Side of the Mountain Page 14