Chapter 70 Cassidy
Chapter 70
Cassidy
How dare Jean-Paul De La Rue come in here and make demands involving her child ? He’s known Rosie all of five minutes; he’s no expert on her well-being. Which is almost a bit of a joke coming from Cassidy.
They don’t make a move to leave, so she says it again. “I’ll think about it.”
Her head throbs, and she presses the button for the nurse. When she arrives, the couple finally gets the hint and leaves, but Cassidy’s head still spins at Jean-Paul’s words. You scared the life out of that girl. You need to do better.
The nurse administers an extra dose of pain meds in her IV when the door swings open, and Rosalie appears. Cassidy waves her in, and her daughter pulls up a chair. They sit in silence before Rosalie asks, “Did they say when you’re getting out of here?”
Cassidy shakes her head. She’s studying Rosalie. It’s not her makeup-free face. It’s something less obvious. She looks relieved. Happy even. Jean-Paul’s voice strums and strums in her ear— You need to do better —and she remembers when her own mother got sick. How traumatic it felt to lose her. And how it changed her life.
“What’s wrong?” Cassidy asks.
Rosalie shakes her head, though Cassidy sees through it. Her daughter then reaches inside her bag and hands Cassidy a cream envelope. “This was under my door this morning.”
It’s an invitation of some sort, requesting her presence on the lawn at 4:00 p.m. “I’m not sure what it is,” Rosalie says. “Everyone got one.”
Cassidy isn’t interested in the card. “We should talk.”
Rosalie licks her lips nervously, stuffs the card back in her bag. “I’m sorry for what I did ... behind your back ... but I’m not sorry for finding him. They’re kind. It’s like ...”
“Family.” They say it at the same time.
The medicine kicks in. Cassidy feels weak and regretful. “I understand.” Then she pats the space beside her.
“I’m not staying long,” Rosalie says, fumbling with a ring on her pointer finger and twisting it around.
“You got your wish.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Jean-Paul.” She lowers her head. “I wanted you to have Addison Fitch. How was I supposed to know that man donated sperm and sent in a picture that made him look like a hot stud?”
“Mother, it’s Atticus—”
She smiles. “I know. Atticus Finch.”
“He’s not real.”
“He’s also someone I’d never have to worry about taking you away from me.”
“Jean-Paul said that?”
Cassidy doesn’t answer. “So you concocted this whole plan to come to this fabulous inn because you knew. I don’t know why I’m surprised. You’ve always been ridiculously smart.”
“Is that a compliment?” Rosalie half jokes.
“I still think he doctored his picture.”
The monitors beep.
“Was it really that bad?” Cassidy doesn’t wait for an answer. “That you had to go find him?”
Tears well in Rosalie’s eyes. The crystal-blue eyes she inherited from the man in the hallway. She nods.
“I can’t imagine what it must have been like for you to see me on that floor.”
Rosalie doesn’t look up. She simply stares at her ring. So many disappointments in that head of hers.
“I wasn’t always like this.” When this doesn’t get her daughter’s attention, she raises her voice. “I’m talking to you.”
Rosalie’s eyes shift upward. “I tried talking to you too.”
The accusation feels like a dart in her skin. Or maybe it’s the pain from her fall. Cassidy feels lightheaded and afraid. Jean-Paul’s request that she get treatment knocked something loose, and she steps outside herself. All the effort she spent trying to live was actually killing her. And she was taking Rosalie along with her.
“Your grandmother—”
“I don’t want to hear how close you and Grandma Ann were.”
The comment stings. But Rosie is right. She’s told Rosalie about their closeness, but she didn’t tell her how awful it was without her. In the beginning, she may have blamed Rosalie. Like it was an exchange somehow. She couldn’t have both. Maybe she resented Rosie. Maybe she was terrified she’d become like her mother. Sick. It’s all a jumble in her broken brain.
“I’m sorry, Rosalie.”
She eyes her suspiciously. “For what exactly?”
“For all of it?”
After Rosalie leaves, the nurse returns with an enormous bouquet of flowers. She hands the card to Cassidy, who tears the envelope open.
Cassidy,
Your Vis Ta Vie family is rooting for your speedy recovery. We’re here for you, and we’re here for Rosalie. You’re our family now.
Sienna, Lucy, Henry, Penny, and Leo
It takes less than three seconds for Cassidy to break into tears.