22. Cassidy
Chapter 22
Cassidy
I ’m quietly sitting next to Joshua at the picnic bench on the park.
I gave the kids the rundown. That just for the weekend we were pretending they were my siblings. And that they’d be allowed to have as much ice cream as they want for the rest of the summer. Maddie loved the idea. She was more than excited.
Cole thought what I thought– this is stupid.
But I’d let Joshua deal with the potential fallout and the sugar rushes as a result of getting Maddie to cooperate, because that’s what he deserves at this point.
“So, how did you two meet?” Catherine pops a grape into her mouth and smiles at us from across the table.
“Yeah, I gotta admit. I was pretty surprised to see you living with Josh. I don’t think he’s ever had a relationship last longer than a weekend.”
“Gee, thanks Dad,” Joshua mutters.
“He has a reputation,” I shrug. “But once I got to know him, I knew he was much more than just a pretty face.” I squeeze his chin and shake it.
A little too hard.
So much more… because he’s also a big, fat freakin’ liar!
He makes a sound and gently pulls away, giving me a look.
“Aww,” Catherine says, grabbing Oliver’s arm and holding it to her, admiring her son.
“We had mutual friends that introduced us,” Joshua says, looking at me. “And I’m really glad they did.”
He’s a liar. But he sounds like he means that part. I don’t let it give me any hope.
I look around to see Cole drawing under a tree. Maddie and Parker are playing tag with some kids they just met. They’re laughing and giggling. But those kids look really familiar. I stand and put my hand up to eyes.
“Oh crap,” I say out loud.
“What’s wrong?” Catherine turns around and looks to the park.
“Nothing!” I say, taking my seat beside Joshua. “I just thought I saw someone I knew. False alarm.”
“Well, well, well… if it isn’t my sister!” I still, turning to face a voice I know all too well.
“Courtney! What are you doing here?”
“What am I doing here? Taking your spot apparently. Now that you’re out mom asked me to take the minions out." She spots Joshua, "Omg, is that him?”
I quickly jump out of my seat and push her away from Josh and his family.
“Yes, and you can’t be here. They can’t know that you’re my–”
“Sister?” I hear Catherine say to Joshua.
“She has a big family,” he tells her.
I look back and smile over my shoulder before turning back to my sister. “You need to go… now!”
“What? I can’t. I don’t have a car and dad dropped us off. He’s coming to get us after his meeting.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
My other brother CJ is talking to Cole. The younger siblings are playing with Maddie and Parker. And my cover is going to be so blown.
“Just stay away, okay,” I whisper to her. “And keep the minions away too.”
“Fine,” she scoffs, turning away and glaring at me over her shoulder. She hates when I treat her like one of the younger kids.
I go back to the picnic table. “Sorry about that. My other siblings are here too.”
Catherine looks around. “Goodness how many siblings do you have?”
“Eight,” I say, and it’s easy because it’s true.
Her eyes widen and Oliver spits out his soda, “Eight siblings? Wow, your parents sure had their hands full.”
“We take care of each other mostly. After three they just kind of got used to the madness,” I shrug.
“And what do your parents do, Cassidy?”
“My dad’s a carpenter and a pastor. My mom stays home and homeschools the youngest ones.”
“Oh… but you live separately?”
“Yes, after her parent’s divorced they split the siblings up half and half,” Joshua says.
“Oh,” Catherine says looking at me. “I’m sorry to hear that. Sounds complicated.”
“Yeah,” I turn to Joshua, looking at him when I say, “It is.”
“I’m thinking we should go hit up a ball game tonight,” he says, changing the subject. “I have a friend that works at Minute Maid–he can snag me some tickets. What do you guys think?”
“Yeah, that sounds fun,” Oliver says, “What do you think, kitten?”
Catherine smiles, “I’d love that. Remember when I tried to convince you to play baseball when you were little?”
Joshua rolls his eyes. “Yes! You were relentless. She bought me the whole baseball outfit. Cap. Gloves. A bat that could knock down a tree.”
“I really liked baseball players,” Catherine admits.
“Which is why it was so fun when she met Oliver and he just so happened to be a huge hockey fan like me,” Joshua says. “My saving grace.”
They bump fists over the table. And if I wasn’t so pissed at Joshua right now for making me into an accomplice in his little web of lies–I’d be able to admit that was pretty cute.
Catherine shakes her head at her men. “Anyways, yes. A ball game sounds great.”
“Let’s do it, then," Joshua insists.
Ten hot dogs, five drinks and several bags of peanuts later we’re making our way to the bathrooms, following the crowds heading out.
“That was pretty cool,” Maddie admits bouncing in the line.
“It was, wasn't it?”
“Not as fun as watching hockey but still fun,” she says.
I would agree. Though I won't be admitting that to Joshua anytime soon.
“Excuse, me?” A man stops me. “Are you here with Joshua Hicks?”
“Uh… yeah? Why do you ask?”
He picks up the camera strapped around his neck and snaps pictures. I grab Maddie and hold her to my waist. “What are you doing?”
“This will be worth a lot of money to the right people,” he winks and strolls away.
“Hey! Delete that!” I yell out. But he disappears into the crowd and the women standing in line start whispering around us. Some of them take out their phones and I can tell their looking us up.
“Maybe we should go,” I tell Maddie. She nods her agreement and we step out of the line and go in search of Joshua.
“What was that about?” Maddie asks.
“I don’t know, kiddo. But I don’t like it.”
“Me neither.”
“Cassidy?” A voice calls out.
“I turn and see a group of photographers waiting at the exit to the park.
“Ms. Jones–do you know about Joshua Hicks being traded to Georgia?”
“Ms. Jones, is that your kid? What’s your relationship with Mr. Hicks?”
“Is there anything you can tell us about Joshua Hicks and his move to the Thunderhawks next season?”
I grab Maddie and push my way through the gathered crowd.
“Where’s the car? Where is the car?” I mutter, looking around frantically.
A large black SUV pulls up in front of us and Joshua jumps out, sliding the doors open. “Jump in,” he says.
“What’s going on?” I push Maddie in first and crawl in behind her.
“Someone tipped off the paparazzi that we were here,” he says, shutting the door behind me.
I take the seat next to his mom on one of the captain’s chairs. I look behind me and Maddie is slipping into the seat between Cole and Parker’s car seat. Joshua jumps into the driver’s seat avoiding the growing crowd shoving mics and cameras into his face.
“Does this happen a lot?” Oliver asks.
“No,” Joshua says huffing into his seat and latching the seat belt into place before driving off.
Rina’s number shows up on his phone connected to the bluetooth. Something’s not right.
He answers, “Kind of in the middle of something here, Rina.”
“Have you heard?” her voice echos through the bluetooth in the car speakers.
“Have I heard what?”
“Thunderhawks just announced your trade.”
“I thought they were waiting on that.”
“Yeah, well they’re on their own timeline. We need to move up the press conference. The fans don’t like that they found out this way.”
He sighs. “I have family in town.”
“Monday then.”
“Fine. Monday.”
“Hold tight until then okay. Try not to go anywhere. Stay low,” she instructs him.
“Uh… a little late for that, Ri. We just left Minute Maid and got hounded.”
“Great,” she sighs. “Ok, I’ll handle it.”
They disconnect.
“Have you and Cassidy decided what you’re going to do when you have to move?” Oliver asks him.
“No, Dad.”
“Long-distance can be pretty hard,” Oliver says. “Not impossible, just hard.”
“Yeah… so is short-distance when you have the media after you,” Joshua says, looking at me through the rearview mirror.
You know what. I don’t care at this point. He leaves. He stays. He gives up on having a relationship with his siblings for the sake of keeping his mom in a state of blissful unawareness… that’s on him.
I need to move on with my life. The real world awaits beyond the walls of the Heatwave bubble I’ve cocooned myself in since taking on this position.
“So what are planning on doing after the summer, Cassidy?” Oliver asks.
I breathe in deeply. “I’m starting classes at U of H. Working towards a master’s degree.”
“Really? That’s amazing. I’m sure you’ll do it. You’re seem like a smart girl."
Debatable. Considering my current predicament.
“Catherine here got her MD while raising Joshy and paying her own way through medical school. She knows that hustle,” Oliver says, with admiration.
“That’s very inspiring. I’m paying my way too.”
“Admirable. Let’s hope this one here doesn’t derail your plans,” she leans forward and squeezes Joshua’s shoulder.
“I’m not worried,” I say with confidence.
“A woman that know what she wants. That’s good,” Catherine praises.
“Oh she knows what she wants,” Joshua says, holding back a smirk. I glare at him and look back at the kids. Parker and Maddie are passed out. Cole is staring at me like he has a million questions.
After that phone call… I’m sure he does.
I don’t think he knew that Joshua was leaving. And now that he knows–and that I’m not planning on coming with him. It looks like he’s putting together all the pieces.
He covers his face with his hoodie and turns toward the window.
That’s when I know… there’s about to be a meltdown.