‘I was speaking to Samantha .?.?. She came in to talk after you left last night.’
This did not sound like good news.
‘She’s very upset about us. And that’s without—’
‘Even hearing about Marisha and the baby, I can imagine.’
‘The thing is .?.?. I don’t think I can do it to her. She’s been through enough. It’s not that I want to, believe me.’
A wave of exasperation engulfed Cassie.
‘She’s manipulating you, forcing you to choose her or me, and you’re giving her that power.’
‘As a parent, I have to put my kids first. I’m sorry if that’s hard for you to understand.’
Ouch.
‘Well, fuck you for saying that. You do know it’s only Samantha who feels like this? She’s competing with me. The younger two were perfectly fine.’
But even as she said the words, she knew she’d already lost the battle. It was obvious some things went way beyond a convincing argument.
‘It’s not what I want.’
‘No, but it’s what you’re getting, Finn. Maybe I’m delusional, that is entirely possible. But from where I’m standing, this is not good. It’s not good for a fourteen-year-old to be given that much power. Whatever she looks like, she’s still a kid. I know, I’ve been a fourteen-year-old girl. I didn’t merit being given everything I demanded. Looking back, I know I needed to be protected from some of my own convictions. Not that I’d have taken a blind bit of notice at the time. But, OK, forget about me. Think .?.?. What about the next person who comes along in your life, and the next? Is she going to block everyone? You’re going to end up resenting her.’
Finn looked uneasy; she could see a twitch in his jaw under the pale, freckled skin.
‘I’m not going to be looking for anyone else. Look, I’m so sorry, I saw a future for us. I really did. But that’s just how it is, I can’t see any other way round it.’
With that, he put down his half-drunk coffee, stood up and left without another word.
Cassie was shell-shocked. It all felt so final. This couldn’t be happening.
It seemed that no matter which path she chose, her happiness was doomed.
* * *
‘That’s bull and you know it.’ Josie was eyeballing her as best she could through puffy eyelids. Apparently, the high pollen count was causing a devastating allergy, and because she couldn’t take antihistamine, it was running riot and she was blowing her nose constantly.
‘Well, that’s all I can see in it.’
‘He was bullied by his wife, now he’s being bullied by his daughter .?.?. it couldn’t be plainer.’
‘Samantha called me the wicked stepmother, Josie, and all I ever did was try and help. You know something, that whole stepmother thing is a pile of shite. Most of the time it’s just a woman in a bloody difficult situation doing the best she can.’
‘Hear, hear. I’m sorry, Cassie. I know you really liked him, but it was just so complicated.’
There was something about Josie talking in the past tense that stung her more than anything.
‘If I’d known what was coming, I mightn’t have given Gavin the bum’s rush so fast. He actually asked me if there was any hope for us, said that he hadn’t ever realised how good we’d been—’
‘Stop!Cass, I can’t believe I’m hearing this. No, justno.’
‘I can’t hate him.’
‘No one can hate him, he’s Gav. That’s how he can cajole crews and manage tours all over the world. It still doesn’t mean you should get back with him. You’re in shock, that’s what’s wrong. Just don’t make any sudden moves.’
‘I don’t think I’m capable of making any moves right now.’
