Chapter Forty-Two
Caine
Waking to the sound of Mikayla crying out in her sleep is not the most pleasant way to wake up first thing in the morning. At all. Ever.
I was terrified. My heart felt like it would burst from my chest. I thought she was being attacked.
I’ve never been a very vivid dreamer. Hell, half the time I don’t even remember what I dreamt.
But clearly Mikayla’s dream was very different.
In the months that we’ve been together, she’s never mentioned having bad or such gut-wrenching dreams. I hope for her sake this is a one-off because she was heartbroken when she woke.
I can feel her tension, and I’ll do whatever I can to bring her comfort. She needs me to be her anchor, and that’s what I’ll be.
We quickly use the restroom and dress before heading to the cemetery. The ride is fairly quick, just ten minutes from the hotel.
I take Mikayla’s hand as we walk through the gate and down the path.
She seems to know where she’s going because she just walks.
I stay beside her, taking in how pristine the cemetery looks.
Everything is immaculate, with the bushes trimmed, and the grass mowed perfectly.
Is it weird that I don’t think I could mow a lawn in a cemetery?
We turn left, and Mikayla stops short. She just stares out, her brows knit. She tilts her head but doesn’t say anything.
“Mick?” I ask, unsure of what to do or what she sees. Her face is blank.
“That’s my dad’s headstone.” She lifts her hand and points it to where two people are standing.
“Do you know them?” I ask, pulling her along.
“No,” she whispers, shaking her head.
The couple turns as we approach, and I realize they aren’t a couple at all. They look alike. My heart begins to pound as I realize both have Mikayla’s green eyes and dark brown hair.
“Oh my God,” the woman utters, her hand flying to her mouth.
“Maggie!” the man says. “Don’t freak her out,” he chastises.
“Oh my God!” Mikayla cries out, stopping in her tracks.
“You must be Mikayla,” the man says. His eyes dart to me. “I’m Walter,” he says, holding out his hand to me.
“I’m Caine, Mikayla’s boyfriend. May I ask who you both are?” I ask, as Mikayla seems incapable of speech. I pull her into me, seeing she’s close to tears.
“I’m Phil’s brother. And this is Maggie, our sister.” He lays a hand on his sister’s shoulder.
Tears glisten in Maggie’s eyes as she continues to look at Mikayla.
“Sweetheart,” I say when Mick makes no move to step forward.
“I…” Mikayla sputters before looking up at me. Her mouth hangs open slightly, and her eyes are pools of glass.
“Did your dad mention he had siblings visiting him today in that dream?” I ask her, quirking a brow in an attempt at levity.
I’d give anything to get her to smile or look at me like I’m a fool.
“What?” she whispers, shaking her head. “I didn’t even know he had siblings. Why didn’t I know he had siblings?”
The tears spill from her eyes. She needs to let her emotions out. As difficult as it is to witness this, I need to step back and let things happen.
“We can explain,” Walter says kindly.
“Would you two care to join us for breakfast?” I ask, hoping they’ll accept the invitation.
Something tells me this isn’t going to be a simple or easy conversation. And while I can see how much Mikayla needs this, standing in the middle of the cemetery doesn’t seem to be the place for this.
“We head back to Texas in about two hours,” I tell them. “But we have time for breakfast.”
“Oh,” Maggie whispers. “I’d really like that.”
“Just give me a sec,” I say to Mikayla.
I kiss her brow and walk over to the headstone and kneel down in front of it.
“You’re full of surprises, Mr. Masterson,” I say. “I’m Caine and I just wanted to let you know that I’m the man who’s going to marry your daughter. I hope we have your blessing.” I place my hand on top of the stone. “I love your daughter very much. And I promise to do good by her.”
I don’t know what I’m waiting for, a feeling of some kind, something to indicate he hears me. But all I get is a breeze that blows the leaves around me as I stand.
I walk back over and take Mikayla’s hand and squeeze it. I give her a minute with her dad before we make our way back to the car, her aunt and uncle walking behind us.
“You probably have a lot of questions,” says Walter after we order breakfast.
I had texted Jack to meet us at the hotel restaurant for breakfast when we walked back to the car. Now both Jack and Mikayla sit in shocked silence as they stare at the family they didn’t know they had, seemingly speechless.
“Why do they not know you?” I ask, since neither of them asks anything. They just sit there, staring.
“We don’t want to be disrespectful,” Maggie says. “I’ll just say we had a falling out after Phil got married.”
“My mother,” Mikayla whispers harshly. “She’s the reason you stopped speaking to my dad, isn’t she?”
Maggie and Walter look at each other, then back to Mikayla and Jack. Walter takes a deep breath and says, “We didn’t get along with Heidi.”
“We don’t get along with Heidi,” says Jack, moving his hand between himself and his sister.
“What?” Maggie asks, her eyes darting between the two siblings. “I’m sorry, you don’t have to answer that.” Maggie waves her hand in the air.
“Things with mom… that’s why we’re here, to get our stuff… it’s just better we don’t speak to her,” Mikayla explains without saying anything at all.
“She isn’t kind.” Jesus, now I’m doing it.
“Did you have a relationship with our dad? I’m sorry, I—I’m so confused,” Jack says, massaging his temples. Poor guy looks like he’s in pain.
“I called your dad after he got diagnosed,” Walter says. He swallows, clearly fighting back his emotions. “We reconnected before he passed. I wished we could have spoken sooner. But…” he shrugs. “Your mom hated us. And unfortunately, we weren’t welcome in your house.”
“And Dad just accepted that?” Jack asks. His brows draw and he shakes his head.
Our food arrives and we all lean back, allowing the waitress to place our food on the table.
“Phil hated conflict. And Heidi was always…” Maggie trails off, shrugging her shoulders.
“Where do you guys live?” Mikayla asks.
“Here, in Bellevue. Are you going on vacation?” Maggie asks. “You mentioned Texas,” she adds.
“We moved to Texas,” Jack says.
“We live on my ranch near Crystal Falls,” I explain.
“Would you like to visit us?” Mikayla bursts out.
“You’d like to get to know us?” Walter asks, his voice low, tentative.
“If you’d like to get to know us,” Mikayla says softly.
I can see the wall being erected. She’s scared. I take her hand and squeeze.
“I would love that,” Maggie says.