I pointed to his shiny new car and asked, "Aren't you a little young for a midlife crisis car?"
He groaned and ran his hand down his face."Seriously, Cass?I need your help.Can you not be a brat for two seconds?"
"I'll stop being a brat when you stop being an asshole.What did you do to my sister?"
He looked to the front door of my parents' place and then back at me."She didn't tell you?"
"Nice avoidance, what do you want, Mason?"
Mason was fidgeting, moving from one foot to the other, and that was so unlike the cocky, sure-of-himself guy I had known most of my life."I need you to convince Clara to drop this divorce stupidity and come home.I love her, Cassidy!"
I studied him for another minute while I grabbed my things from my car."What did you do, Mason?"
He looked at his feet, "Which version...what actually happened or what your sister thinks happened?"
"Nope, not helping Mason.You obviously did something horrible for her to walk away from you.She has loved you for as long as I can remember...You were her sun.So if she has decided she can't live with you anymore, she can't be married to you anymore.You did somethingbig...You hurt her in a bad way.And Clara is one of the best people I know.She has a massive heart, so if she can't forgive you..."
Mason looked like he was tearing up, "Please, Cass...I need her back...I am so fucked up without her..."
Before he could continue, Jackson was running down the driveway with his bags dragging behind him.Clara was standing on the front porch watching Jackson.
Mason took a step forward and asked."Clara, can we talk?"
She stood silently until Jackson was at our side, giving me a big hug.
Without even looking in Mason's direction, Clara went back into the house, and he groaned.
"Can you get into the car, buddy?I need to ask Aunt Cass something, and then we can go grab an early dinner and you can tell me about your game."
Jackson threw his bags in the back seat and climbed into the car.
When Mason was sure Jackson couldn't hear, he looked back at me with sad eyes, "Please, Cass, she won't even talk to me."
My phone went off again, and I looked down to see a message from Clara that said,"Tell him to talk to my lawyer."
I showed him the message, and he mutteredfuck.
Without saying anything else, I walked away, waving at Jackson and wondering what in the world Mason had done.And yet another crappy reminder of how far I had drifted from my family in this past year.My sister was going through a painful separation and didn't tell me why.
I made my way up the front porch and took in a deep breath, knowing that Clara would not let this go.That she would keep pressing until I told her what was going on with me.
I stepped through the front door and was hit with the smell of my mom's apple pie.
That sent was like a warm hug.
"Is that my baby?"Mom called from the kitchen.
I dropped my things in the mud room and made my way to the kitchen.
Clara was pouring herself a generous glass of wine, and Mom was pulling her pies out of the oven to cool.
Mom finally turned to me and gave me a big smile."There she is.My baby is home!"
The guilt hit me again.But it was replaced by comfort when my mom walked up and wrapped me in her arms.
I nuzzled in and let her scent wrap around me.She was wearing one of her favourite cashmere sweaters and a pair of jeans, barefoot as she would likely be until snow hit the ground.
She pulled back a bit from me, "Let me see my beautiful girl, it feels like too long since I have seen this face in person."Mom's smile was replaced with a frown."Have you been crying, Cassidy?"
