Another Chance (35 page)
Authors: Ariadne Wayne
You will always be in my heart my love. There won’t be a single day I don’t think about you and miss you.
I love you.
Cassie
A tear dropped onto the paper as she wrote, and when she finished she closed the book and kissed it, closing her eyes and whispering “goodbye.”
Cassie was embraced by strong arms from behind, and Patrick put his head on her shoulder, kissing her neck.
“Love you, Cassie, I know this is hard.”
She nodded. “I’ll be fine, just saying goodbye.”
“Take your time.”
“I’ll feel better once it’s done.”
He went to the bassinet, picking up the baby. “Hello beautiful. You are going to be a replica of your mother. Exactly what I need, another redhead bossing me around. I bet she ends up with green eyes too.”
Cassie laughed. “As if I boss you.”
“Of course you do. I wouldn’t have it any other way either. I love all my girls to bits.”
They made their way to the bottom of the garden where Lauren stood with the box of ashes. Sophie stood beside her, wrapping her arm around her mother’s waist.
“Are you ready, Mum?” Sophie asked.
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
She reached for Lauren’s hand, squeezing it, and placing her hands on the box.
“Goodbye love,” she said. The three of them moved towards the hole that had been dug. They had already had the ground blessed for luck, and slowly they lowered the journal and then the ashes into the hole. Sophie took care of filling it while Cassie and Lauren hugged and watched.
Sophie took her younger sister from Patrick. “I’ll leave you to say goodbye properly Mum,” she said.
Lauren followed her after squeezing Cassie’s hand. “I’ll put the kettle on. Must be time for a cup of tea,” she said.
“Thanks Lauren.”
Patrick took Cassie in his arms and held her tight. “Are you okay sweetheart?” he asked.
“I’ll be fine, it had to be done. I like the idea of him being here and I love you even more for letting him be here.”
“He loved my girls and took care of you for all that time. I owe him a lot too,” said Patrick. “I’m so glad I got to know him before he died. I always felt as if I should be jealous of him for the time he got with you when I wasn’t there, but I can’t. You two were good together Cass, just as we are good together now and always will be.”
He took her hand in his and squeezed it. “Come on, Mrs Cross, let’s go make our life together.”
Cassie grinned and squeezed his hand back. “I love you, Patrick.”
“Love you too, let’s go.”
They walked back to the house hand in hand to join their children, nothing and no one would ever separate them now. At the door, he stopped to wrap his arm around her and kiss her. Together they looked into the house. Ethan sat with Lauren on the couch. Their first child was due in a few months, and it thrilled Cassie that Lauren had found a good man to settle down with.
Sophie had Charlotte in her arms still, clucking over her. Cassie grinned at Patrick at the sight of their children together. Everything was as it should be.
Cassie put Charlotte down for her nap when everyone else was gone. She yawned as Cassie set her down in the bassinet. “Have a good nap sweetheart. It’s been a big day for all of us,” Cassie whispered.
Downstairs, she found Patrick at the dining room table. He was using the internet, and she guessed catching up on paperwork as he sometimes did. “What are you doing?” she asked, kissing the top of his head.
“Something for you actually.”
“What?” she asked curiously, looking over his shoulder.
“Application form for Auckland University. It’s time for you to follow your dreams, Cassie.”
“I don’t understand.”
Patrick stood, turning towards his wife. “You gave up so much, Cass. Coping after the fire and with Sophie, having to keep your heads above water. You made the sacrifices. You dealt with the losses. I want to set that to rights, so whatever you want to do, go and study.”
“How on earth would I do that? I have you, Sophie and Charlotte to take care of.”
“It’s time we took care of you. We’ll work it out, find a way to juggle everything. Lots of other couples do it. You were always the smart one, Cassie, it’s your turn to shine.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Sit here, take a look at what’s on offer. A lot has changed since we left school, but I’m sure there’s something you’ll be interested in.”
He pointed at the chair, indicating she should sit. Cassie took a seat while they navigated the site together. “Check this out, Cassie, you should think about studying medicine. Maybe some day we could work together.” Patrick took over the mouse, clicking on the pages he thought she might be interested in.
Cassie leaned into her husband and watched as his excitement grew over what choices there were. She smiled at the concentration on his face as he went page to page.
“I’m going to go and have a shower before bed,” she said, moving aside for him to sit.
“You don’t like my idea?”
“I love your idea, but it’s been a very long day, and I would really like to get to bed. You take a look and tell me what you think in the morning, and when I get a chance I’ll go through it.”
She climbed the stairs, pausing at Sophie’s room. It had been a long day for her too, she was fast asleep still fully clothed on her bed. Cassie moved to the bedside and pulled up the blanket before kissing her good night.
The shower was warm, and Cassie closed her eyes thinking of the day that had just been. Surrounded by family and friends, her heart had never been so full of love.
“Any room for me?”
Cassie laughed. “Always,” she said, pushing the shower door open. Patrick grinned, stepping in beside her. “Close the door, it’ll get cold.”
“Can’t have that.” He laughed, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling Cassie into a kiss. “We’ve never done it in the shower.”
“I can’t imagine it would be very comfortable. We should have had a bath.”
“Now you’re talking.” He soaped up the sponge to wash her back. His hands were gentle, and Cassie closed her eyes again.
“It would be very easy to go to sleep, that is so relaxing.”
“Surely I’m not that boring.” He reached round her with the sponge, soaping up her chest and she laughed as he pressed himself against her.
“You’re not boring at all.”
“Glad to hear it.”
Patrick pulled the shower head down to wash off, before placing it back for Cassie to wash her hair. “All yours, I’ll see you in bed.”
He kissed her affectionately before leaving the shower again. “Don’t you take my towel,” she said.
“Don’t you give me ideas.” He grinned and grabbed a towel from the cupboard. “Love you, Cassandra Cross.”
“Love you too.” She laughed, shaking her head as he wrapped the towel around his waist and left the room.
Cassie washed her hair, and stood before the bathroom mirror brushing it out while she dried it. The green eyes in the mirror sparkled. With happiness for what had been, with excitement for what was to come.
About the Author
Ariadne Wayne loves books and lives in Auckland, New Zealand with her husband and two children. Having always had a prolific imagination she now writes the words down instead of storing them in her head where she can't share them. When she's not writing she works in Telecommunications, frequently banging her head on the desk with the random things that can happen to the ordinary phone line.
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