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Chapter Twelve
Three weeks later
Cassie stood outside of the hospital room where her mother was being treated. Terminal cancer had caught her mother, and according to the nurse she had less than a month to live.
She had asked for Slade to wait in the car. This wasn’t going to be a trip that took long. When he’d showed her the letters the day after he’d confessed his love, Cassie had fought the decision of coming here.
At first, she’d said her mother could rot after everything she did. Now, she didn’t want to leave without getting some closure herself. The letter had answered a lot of questions, but she needed to see her mother for herself.
Entering her mother’s room, the bed was empty, but the chair near the window had a woman who looked nothing like Cassie remembered of her mother.
Gone was her hair, and she wore a scarf over her head. She looked frail, old, and … lonely.
Trixie turned toward her, and there was that moment where Cassie saw that her mother recognized her.
“Cassie,” she said.
Even her voice sounded weak.
For the longest time Cassie stared at the woman that she had hated for most of her life. Even after reading the letter she’d sent to her father, she hadn’t felt sorry for the woman. Her mother had written how sorry she was for being a shitty wife and that she hoped he’d found the perfect woman, and he lived a wonderful life.
Taking a seat in front of her mother, Cassie stared at the woman who she felt had ruined her life.
“I’m so pleased you came.”
“I don’t think I am,” she said. “In fact, I wish I hadn’t come.” Cassie shook her head, even as tears came to her eyes. “Was all this worth it? You’re alone, and you don’t know anything.”
Tears fell down Trixie’s face. “No, it wasn’t worth this.”
“You only regretted it though because you realize how alone you are.” Cassie laughed and shook her head, tears running down her face. She felt sad for the woman sitting in front of her, but this didn’t make her feel any better. There were no great revelations.
“Where’s Bill?” Trixie asked. “I thought … he’d come with you.”
“He’s dead. He’s been dead for over six years.” Cassie stared at her mother. “You left, and he spiraled. Lost his job, his reputation, and turned to drink. He became an alcoholic, picked a fight, and was killed.”
Trixie bowed her head, and Cassie wiped away her tears. “This was a mistake coming here. I’m sorry that you’re alone, and that you wanted forgiveness or whatever. Fine. I forgive you. If that’s what you need, then I forgive you.”
There was no connection, no love. If anything, Cassie was angry at her, and she couldn’t bring herself to hurt the woman who was dying.
“I’m sorry, Cassie.”
“I know you are. I’m going to be getting married,” Cassie said. “I fell in love with a deputy, you don’t know him.” Cassie smirked. The way she saw it, Trixie would have probably tried to sleep with him.
“Can you at least sit with me for a while?” Trixie asked. “I’d really like it if you’d do that.”
For the next month, Cassie visited her mother every single day. Slade would drive her to the care home where she would sit with her. They would stare out into the garden, and toward the end of her mother’s life, they’d even started the plans for Cassie’ wedding.
Her mother picked out the dress, and also handed her the gold band that Bill had gotten Trixie.
“You didn’t sell it?”
“I tried to sell it many times. I could never part with it,” Trixie said. “I’m ashamed that he died like that. I drove him to drink, and to being an awful father. I’m sorry I can’t make it up to you, Cassie, sweetie.”
One week later, Trixie passed away, and Cassie buried her body in the same plot that Bill was resting in.
Daniel was there, with Jessica, William, and Slade. They were at her back as she lowered her last parent into the ground. Resting her head against Slade’s shoulder, he wrapped his arms around hers, holding her close.
“I love you,” she said.
