Soul Mates (22 page)

CASSANDRA TOOK a cab home from the bar, crying most of the way. She’d just lost her beloved aunt, but her tears were for Jace, for what might have been. Her friends would tell her she was better off without him. Her father would tell her not to worry; she’d meet someone new. But she didn’t want pat answers; she wanted Jace. Unfortunately, he didn’t want her.

Trevor would understand her pain. She was glad to find him alone in the garden. He looked up as she walked toward him. Rather than waiting for an explanation he met her with a hug.

“I take it things didn’t go well.”

“He doesn’t believe it can work; he doesn’t even want to try.”

“He loves you,” Trevor contended.

Cassandra frowned at her brother. “How do you know that?”

“I could see it in his eyes. He cares very deeply.”

“But I asked him,” Cassandra insisted. “When he said it wouldn’t work, I asked him if that’s what he really wanted.” Emotion welled up again. “Trev…he looked at me…he looked me in the eye and said yes.”

Trevor didn’t answer. He held her and let her cry.

The tears were a release; they served her in the moment, yet she needed to pull herself together. It wouldn’t be easy; life felt overwhelming. She willed for strength, the kind of strength she’d seen in her aunt. Sophia hadn’t let herself be beaten down by life’s pain and disappointment. She’d held on to what she believed and had found happiness because of it. Ultimately, Cassandra knew she possessed the same ability, and it seemed that life was giving her an opportunity to prove it.

AFTER CASSANDRA LEFT, Jace called Chad. By the time his friend arrived, Jace was feeling immune to the thoughts that had been tormenting him.

Chad sat down across from him and immediately inquired, “Are you okay, man?”

“A few more of these, and I’ll be fine,” Jace smiled as he downed the last of his drink.

“I think we should get you home.”

“No.” Jace shook his head adamantly. “I don’t want to go there yet.”

“Why?” Chad looked surprised. “What happened?”

“Sophie died.”

“Jeez, I’m sorry.” Chad sounded sincere as he tried to comfort his friend. “But…she was really old, wasn’t she? I mean…everybody’s gotta go sometime.”

“It’s not just that. Cassandra was there.”

“So?” Chad gave him a questioning shrug. “What happened? I thought you didn’t want anything to do with her after you found out she lied.”

Jace told him about their little tryst at the beach. Then he told Chad what he’d learned from his mom.

“Man,” Chad laughed. “That chick is messing with your head. You’ve gotta get over her.”

“I know.”

“You’re welcome to hang out at my place for a few days. The couch is yours if you want it.”

“Sure,” Jace smiled weakly. “Thanks, buddy.”

CASSANDRA HAD gained a measure of self-control by the time her parents arrived home, but relaying the details of Sophia’s death triggered the tears again. This time, however, they were tears of sorrow for her departed aunt.

“It was so sudden,” she sniffed. She and her father had found solace in the living room while her mother went to check on the household affairs.

“She didn’t suffer,” Richard offered. “We can be thankful for that.”

“I know. You’re right,” Cassandra agreed. “Plus, she’d want us to be happy for her, not sad. I know it’s selfish, but I was just getting to know her, and she was telling me all these wonderful truths. It doesn’t feel like we were done.”

“What do you mean?”

“When I first went to visit her, she said not to worry about her because she still had things to do before she went. Then she started telling me about five principles she lived her life by. She wanted me to write them down, but I only got to hear three of them.”

“Are you sure?” her father asked. “Could she have combined some of them?”

“She was quite clear about it and only ever mentioned one at a time. The first was at her apartment,” Cassandra reflected. “The second was here at the Town House. And the third was at the beach last week.”

She was quiet for a moment, contemplating, when suddenly it became clear. “Wait a minute,” she exclaimed. “In the ambulance…Sophia said she had more to tell me. I thought she was confused. I told her not to talk, to save her strength, but she insisted.”

“What did she say?”

Cassandra had to think. So much had taken place in just a few hours; it seemed like days. “She mentioned a guidance system. Yes,” Cassandra nodded. “She said we all have an internal guidance system. She told me to follow what feels good; that’s how I can know what’s right for me. That must be the fourth principle!”

Though the clarity of the revelation brought her joy, it was quickly followed by dismay. “But now I’ll never know what the fifth one is,” she sighed. “And without that, how will I know what I’m supposed to do with the information?”

“Maybe she left a clue,” Trevor interjected as he walked in on their conversation. “A letter or something.”

“Yes,” Richard agreed. “We might find something when we go through her belongings.”

Her apartment.
The thought of going back left Cassandra feeling raw. The memory of her aunt lying on the bed, barely breathing, was one she’d rather forget. And knowing Jace lived in the same building made her cringe inwardly.
Seeing him again would be too painful.
Without sharing her concerns she responded, “It’s possible, I guess. She might have left something there.”

“Besides, kitten.” Her father reached for her hand. “What you’ve learned from your aunt is invaluable. What you saw in her, the example she set. That makes it all worthwhile, doesn’t it?”

He was right. It was more than the words Cassandra had written down. It was seeing firsthand the example of a life well lived. Getting to know her great aunt in the past weeks had already changed her in countless ways. For that, she would always be grateful.

CHAPTER 15

JACE SLEPT until noon the next day. Waking up in Chad’s living room, he was disoriented for a moment, until the events of the previous day sifted back into his consciousness. He heard a noise and turned to see his friend in the kitchen.

“Want something to eat?” Chad offered. “I’ve got scrambled eggs and bacon happening here.”

Jace was hungry, but he’d learned from experience that Chad’s cooking wasn’t something to look forward to. ‘Scrambled’ was the only thing Chad knew how to do with an egg, and shells weren’t always excluded from the mix. Bacon usually came burnt or so saturated in oil that it was inedible. “No thanks, buddy,” he declined politely. “I have to get Sophie’s car.” He vaguely recalled leaving it at the bar and coming back with Chad.

“It’s here,” Chad replied. “I walked back and picked it up after you passed out.” He tossed the keys to Jace as he spoke. “What are you gonna do with it now?”

“I don’t know,” Jace frowned, realizing he had a dilemma. There was a chance Sophie’s family would collect her belongings, and he wanted to avoid seeing Cassandra. “She mentioned a guy that handles her affairs,” he recalled. “He’s the one that bought the car for her.”

“Do you know how to get in touch with him?”

“No, but Sophie must have written his number somewhere. I’m gonna see if I can find it.” Jace left with a plan in mind. He’d call the guy—she’d said his name was Peter—and arrange to give him the keys to the car and the apartment. Then he’d never have to deal with Cassandra or her family again.

Back at his building, his heart pounded as he ascended the flight of stairs to Sophie’s apartment. He’d dashed up the same stairs the day before, gripped by the knowing that something was wrong. Sadly, his intuition had been correct. As he fumbled with the key, the foreboding he felt was the result of having watched too many horror movies. Thoughts of disembodied spirits, objects moving of their own accord, and noises coming from empty rooms vied for his attention.

He quickly banned the troublesome thoughts and reminded himself why he was there. He hoped to find an address book or if he was lucky, paperwork with the name of the firm Peter worked for. A small desk sat in the living room. Jace noted the fancy moldings and rich wood finish and thought again about Sophie’s interesting past. It was hard to imagine her as anything but the sweet little old lady that lived upstairs. Opening the drawer he found papers, but nothing relevant.

As he moved to the kitchen to check more drawers, a sound in the hallway made him freeze. All of a sudden, Jace felt guilty for being there.
What if someone finds me here? What if someone sees me going through her stuff and thinks I’m helping myself?
He realized his plan had been impulsive, not to mention foolish. Now his fear was justified; he could be in real trouble if someone caught him there.

As the sound in the hallway faded, he took a deep breath and continued searching. Thankfully, Sophie had kept her apartment organized. A drawer directly below the telephone contained a coil-bound address book. Names and numbers were listed neatly. After flipping through a few pages, he found the name
Peter
beside what looked like a law firm. He punched the number into his cell phone, locked the apartment door, and slipped down the stairs unseen.

Back in his own living room, he sat for a moment to let his heart rate slow before he dialed the number. It was Sunday; he wasn’t expecting anyone to be there. Nevertheless, he intended to leave a message. He was caught off guard when a man answered.

“Harmon, Corruthers, and Scott,” the voice said absently. “Peter Corruthers here.”

“Um, Mr. Corruthers…,” Jace stumbled, not having planned what he wanted to say. “This is Jace Rutherford. I’m a neighbor of Sophia Langdon. I mean, I was. She…um…” Jace hoped he wasn’t the first to bear the bad news. “She passed away.”

“Yes,” the man replied, “the family notified me.”

Jace breathed easier. “I have some of her things.” He paused. “I wasn’t sure…um…who to call. I mean…I drove her car for her. But she let me use it…”

“Yes, Mr. Rutherford.” The man sounded professional, yet had a note of compassion in his voice. “Mrs. Langdon advised me of the details of your agreement.”

“Oh, good.” Jace released the rest of his angst. “I just wondered what to do with the car now. I have a key to her apartment, as well. I could…um…drop them off somewhere.”

“I’m in the office, today, going over the details of her estate,” Peter offered. “Why don’t you bring the car here? I’ll park it in the underground lot. Do you know where the Oceanview Professional Building is?”

“Sure,” Jace replied. “I can be there in about twenty minutes.”

THE FUNERAL WAS set for Saturday. Cassandra was amazed at the ease with which the details were coming together. Sophia had prearranged all the particulars. She was to be cremated and her ashes buried alongside her late husband. The woman had even planned the music that was to be played at her memorial service.

The family had yet to go through her belongings, but Cassandra was more comfortable with the idea now. Having taken the week off, she was confident that avoiding Jace was possible. Furthermore, she wanted to help. Not only did she hope to find a clue to the fifth principle, she had a genuine desire to learn more about her aunt.

On Monday morning, she and Trevor went to the apartment while their father met with Sophia’s lawyer. Cassandra expected to see the black Honda parked in front and was surprised when it was nowhere in sight. “That’s funny,” she frowned. “I wonder what Jace did with Aunt Sophia’s car?”

“He wouldn’t still be driving it, would he?”