“Hi, Mrs. Knight. How are you doing?” I asked sympathetically.
Sometimes in the darkness, it was hard to remember I wasn’t the only one who’d lost her. I may have lost the love of my life and the woman I planned on spending forever with, but she’d lost her daughter. And Kellie had lost her sister.
“Hayden, I told you to call me Marianne.”
I chuckled. “Okay, Marianne. How are you?”
“Some days are better than others,” she admitted and I could hear the pain in her voice.
“I get that. More than you know.”
“I’m sure you do. How are you coping, Hayden? You’re not working yourself to death are you?” she scolded, sounding like my own mother.
“I’m… keeping busy,” I offered, hoping it was enough.
“Is there…”
“No news at this stage. But I’m working on it. I promise you, I’m going to find them.” That was one promise I had no trouble making. I wasn’t going to rest until the asshole was behind bars with a black eye, one I’d very much enjoy giving him.
“Oh, okay.” Marianne deflated and my heart sank. I guess it wasn’t just me who was desperate for answers.
“Is there anything you need? Anything I can do…”
“You’re already doing it. Get justice for our girl and make sure you take care of yourself. Cassidy wouldn’t want you… she wouldn’t want you burning yourself out over this. You know that.”
“I do. But I can’t just let it go.”
“No. I don’t expect you can.”
“I’m moving out of the house,” I blurted out, not knowing how to break it to her gently. “I can’t stay there. There’s just too many… it’s too much…”
“I understand.”
“You do?”
“Yes, Hayden. I do.”
Marianne surprised me. We hadn’t known each other long and we weren’t close, but I was able to believe that she meant what she was saying. She was hurting and she understood she wasn’t alone, and thankfully, she wasn't judging me. At first, I thought she’d hate me. I’d failed her. I’d failed her daughter and let them both down in a way I could never make right. But Marianne didn’t blame me. She hadn’t yelled at me and she hadn’t cussed me out. Instead she’d hugged me tightly, reminded me, how much Cassidy had loved me and promised she’d always consider me family.
“I’ll pack up her things…”
“I can do that,” Marianne offered gently.
“It’s okay. I won’t throw anything out. I can ship it all to you…”
“That would be great.”
“Okay then.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll let you go. I’m sure you’re busy,” I added, needing to end the call, still not sure what made me pick up the phone in the first place.
“No worries.”
“I’ll talk to you later.”
“Hayden?”
