One Summer Evening - One Summer Evening Part 7
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One Summer Evening Part 7

"Your mother's right," James interjected, his tone also scolding.

Before Cassie could reply, Joy appeared in the doorway.

"Excuse me, Ms. Cassie, but I'm baking some of your favorite cookies."

Her eyes twinkled.

"Would you be interested?"

Cassie laughed.

"You know better than to ask that."

"What about me, Mom? Don't I get any?"

"Only if you mind your manners, young man." "Shush, let the boy alone,"

James said, smiling at his grandson.

"Actually," Joy added, "I thought maybe Tyler might want to be on hand to sample the first ones."

"Can I, Mom?"

"Of course you may, silly." Cassie forced a light note in her tone.

"But don't you dare eat them all."

When he had followed Joy out of the room, a silence ensued. Cassie sat

stiffly with her hands clasped, feeling both sets of eyes on her.

Questioning eyes.

James pushed his glasses higher up his nose.

"You want to tell us what's going on?"

Cassie's gaze clung to them both.

"I--we're home."

"To stay?" James asked.

"That depends on if you want us to." Cassie hated it, but she felt

uneasy with her own parents. So much pain and many misunderstandings had preceded this trip home that she didn't know if their hearts could truly mend.

"Of course we want you to." James's gaze pinned hers.

"But having said that, you owe us answers to a lot of questions. Fiveyears without knowing your whereabouts is a long time."

"You're right, it is. But there's a lot of what happened that I can'tshare with you. It's against the rules of the women's shelter."

"I know they helped you, but still" -- "I hate those words," Wilmachimed in, her voice gaining in strength.

"How can you say that. Mother? The service they provide for abusedspouses is wonderful. It saved Tyler's and my lives."

Wilma frowned, something she had rarely done in the past for fear itwould cause wrinkles.

"I believe you, of course, but" -- "You don't understand," Cassie saidin a small voice.

"Nor do I," James said.

"That's because neither of you lived with Lester," she explained with asmuch patience as she could muster. She was trying to see their side andtrying to overlook the acute pangs of disappointment shooting throughher, but it was hard.

"For the life of me, I still can't understand why you married him.

But at the time, wild horses couldn't have kept you from doing so,"Wilma said in exasperation.

"Look, Mother, do we have to open old wounds that are better leftclosed? I admit I made a big mistake, that I should never have marriedLester."

"Which we tried to tell you," Wilma hammered on. "Not because he wasn'ta good boy. We thought he was and still do. But you were both too youngand irresponsible."

" Cassie's right, Wilma." James stood and walked to the fireplace, wherehe propped an arm on the mantel. "Now's not the time to dredge up thepast."

When Wilma didn't respond, Cassie looked from one to the other and said,"It's important that I have your support and your forgiveness."

"I forgave you a long time ago," James said, "but it's hard to believethat Lester was the man you painted him to be, or that he was involvedin the things you said he was." "I know," Cassie said, unable to temperher bitterness.

"If only you had come to us," James pointed out.

"Oh please. Daddy," Cassie countered.

"I reached out to you, but you never heard me. Your only advice was forLester and me to see a marriage counselor."

"And I still believe that was the thing to do."

Cassie lunged to her feet.

"Daddy, Lester was a gun fanatic and a member of a militia group.Tyler's life and mine were in danger every second we were around him.Why won't you accept that?"

"Because I still have room in my heart for forgiveness."

"Dammit, Daddy!"

James gave her a hard look.

"I suggest you get hold of yourself and watch your language, young

lady."

She was only twenty-seven years old, but Cassie had already learned a valuable lesson in the school of hard knocks. Some things in life never

changed--her parents, for one. They were steeped in traditional Southern values that would never waver, regardless of the circumstances.

But then, she hadn't really expected them to. That was not what her

return was all about. They would remain forever closeted in their safeworld, where violence and fear played no part. Where bad things happenedonly to people who did something to deserve them.

Well, she and Tyler had done nothing to deserve their fate.

Nonetheless, it had happened to them. They had experienced hell on earth

during the years of her marriage to Lester, followed by the years of hiding from him.

If it hadn't been for her son, she could not have endured.

James rubbed the back of his neck, looked at his wife, then at Cassie.

"You're home, and nothing else matters."

Oh, but it does matter, Daddy, Cassie cried silently. It matters more

than you can imagine. She wanted their unconditional love and their

support.

But she had known then, just as she knew now, that her daddy's job as a minister and her mother's family tree were more important than she or the truth. Clearly, they had been and still were embarrassed, and wanted to distance themselves from their daughter's dark past.

"Cassie."

Cassie blew out her breath and looked at her mother. "Ma'am?"

Wilma struggled to her feet and walked to stand beside her husband.

"Where is Lester now? Is he dead?"

Cassie swallowed hard.

"No."

"So why, out of the blue, have you decided to surface, to come home

now?"

Cassie's unflinching gaze included both Wilma and James.

"Lester's in prison."

V-^assie still glowed in the fact that she was home. In fact, she hadpinched herself when she first awakened to make sure she hadn't beendreaming.

But the sound of the birds and the sweet smell of the jasmine outsideher French doors banished the dream, and she hugged herself.

Now, as she left her room and walked the short distance down the hall toTyler's room, there was a definite spring to her steps.

Easing the door open, she peeked in and saw that her son was soundasleep.

That was another blessing. Many a night, while on the run, Tyler hadrefused to sleep by himself. She had taken him to counselors, and thelast one had helped him. Once again he was sleeping alone.

Cassie tiptoed to the bed, smiled down at him, then leaned over andkissed his cheek. He didn't so much as move. He was no longer a baby inyears, but he would always be her baby. She loved him so much it hurt;he was the glue that had held her life together, the only glue sheneeded to survive. She would die before she would let Lester or anyoneelse harm him.

Shuddering at the thought of her ex-husband, Cassie left the room andmade her way downstairs to the cheery breakfast room. She pulled upshort when she saw her parents already at the table, china cups in hand.

Not only was the aroma of coffee strong in the air, but the smell ofbacon frying was there, as well.

Joy was already up and at it, she thought with a smile. About that time,her stomach growled, and it dawned on her that she was hungry and howmuch she'd missed Joy's cooking.