“Is this unusual?”
Issa makes a face but says nothing, and Jessica acts like she’s thinking it over before finally responding, “For child abusers, yes.”
I’m saved from having to respond by Issa’s phone going off again. She turns it over then points the screen at me, showing an address. “Guess that means it’s showtime.”
“What if I don’t wanna leave the fort yet,” I whine, truly not sure if I want to learn anything more about this stranger who gave birth to me. Maybe I don’t need to know. Maybe I’m better off not knowing.
“We’ll stay in this fort all day if you want,” Issa answers.
I smile even though I know this isn’t a real option. Ren and Declan have gone to significant effort to locate her, which means then making them wait would be inconsiderate and rude. Not that I believe either of them would care or give me a hard time about it.
I also realize that the longer I put it off, the more difficult it’ll become to face it. So, I sigh dramatically, shake the makeshift blanket cloak off my head and onto the floor. “Alright, I’m ready. Where we going?”
Issa taps the address, squints at her screen. “Why is this address the damn airport?”
My stomach drops, and I have an urge to wrap myself back in my blanket cloak and hunker down in my blanket fort forever. Issa and Jessica are both watching me, so I focus on my breathing, relieved when my heart rates slows, and I respond, my voice steady, “What better place for it to end, than at the beginning.”
They don’t ask me to explain any further, each scurrying out from under the blanket. I follow suit, crawling out that narrowing opening and dragging myself to my feet. Jessica moves to pull the blanket off the chair and I put a hand on her arm, stopping her. “Leave it.”
“Really?”
“Yeah,” I respond with a short laugh. “I may need it later.”
She smiles and wraps an arm around my shoulders as we walk toward the door. Issa walks out ahead of us, and I pause, allowing Jessica to go ahead of me.
Glancing back at the fort of blankets, I smile.
Relieved that I’m not alone anymore.
40
INTO THE DARK
CASSIDY
Issa drivesout on the tarmac stopping in front of a small private jet. I get out of the car and walk toward the stairs only to find my father standing at the bottom of them. "What are you doing here?"
"Did you think I would let you face this alone?"
Suddenly overwhelmed by emotion, I press my lips together, shake my head as I take in a few calming inhalations through my nose. Then I clear my throat. "Where are we going?"
"Back to the beginning."
Even though I assumed this, I still take a small step backward, the butterflies in my stomach suddenly turning into a ball of painful nerves. My father steps closer, drawing me into his embrace, and after a moment I relax, pressing my face against his shoulder. Familiarity envelops me, the firm pressure of his palms along my back soothes me. He lowers his head and he whispers, "I got you, princess."
A sob breaks free, immediately followed by a rush of tears only meant for the safety and security of a loving parent'sembrace. It pours out of me like poison, decades of fear and heartbreak, it all spills over like a violent storm that can no longer be contained.
My father holds on, an impenetrable fortress holding me steady. And then there's warmth at my back, arms overlapping, cocooning me in a new kind of security. Family by blood, and family found.
I allow myself to free fall, dragged down by that plummeting anchor of despair. I rest there at the bottom, wrestling with demons born of childhood until, exhausted, I slowly begin to rise back up. A calm equilibrium where chaos can no longer touch me.
As if sensing the shift, Issa and Jessica step back. My father eases his hold on me, his hands moving to my upper arms where he gently sets me away from him, lowing his head so he can look me in the face. "You don't have to do this."
Sniffling, I manage to nod while I attempt to form words. I take the tissues that are suddenly under my nose with a watery smile and then, after doing my best to clean myself up I finally say, "Yes, I do."
My father continues to study my face and after a moment he says, "But it doesn't have to be there."
I lift my chin, straighten my shoulders so I'm standing tall. "Yes. It does."
