Page 49 of Cade

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Cassidy waited until Cade and the others were gone, then asked Mama Irene which cottage she placed Vivienne in. Winding her way around the paths to the furthest remote point of the property, Cassidy’s mind was racing at what might be wrong with the other woman. Maybe she was attacked as well. Or perhaps she’d been in an accident and disfigured.

She found herself picking up the pace, nearly racing toward the cottage. Like all the cottages on the property, it had a full wrap-around porch with beautiful hanging baskets of flowers. The front door was open. The dog-run hallway leads to the back of the house and the back porch. Cassidy knocked on the door frame.

“Hello?” she called. No one answered, and a sense of panic filled her. “Hello?”

“Cassidy?” called a voice from the back of the house. “One minute!”

Cass stood at the doorway, not wanting to invade the woman’s privacy. The heat of summer was finally fading, giving way to the cool breezes of fall. Cass closed her eyes, inhaling the fragrances of Belle Fleur.

“Hi,” said Vivienne. Cassidy turned, smiling at the woman.

“Hi, you scared me,” said Cass, hugging her. “The doors were open, and you were hiding. I thought something was wrong.”

“No, no, nothing is wrong,” she said, shaking her head. “Well, I mean, there is, but it’s nothing to do with Belle Fleur.”

“Let’s sit on the porch. It’s a beautiful day,” said Cass. Vivienne nodded, then stopped at the doorway. “What’s wrong?”

“Is he here?” she asked.

“Bodhi?” Vivienne nodded. “No, he left about thirty minutes ago with the others. They’re headed out on a mission. What’s wrong, Vivienne? I thought you and Bodhi were really hitting it off.”

“I know, I know,” she said, nodding her head as she sat in the big Adirondack chair. She grabbed the pillow, hugging it to her waist. “It’s nothing to do with him, really. It’s all the lies my father created, Cass. Lies upon lies upon lies.”

“Well, he was a criminal,” she smirked. “But they’re not your lies, Viv. They’re your father’s, and you’re not responsible for them.”

Vivienne nodded, staring across the property. In the grove, some of the older boys were playing football, the little ones chasing them around just wanting to be part of the game.

“My grandmother was alive, Cass.” Cassidy frowned at the woman. She’d said ‘was,’ not ‘is.’ “He never even told me she was alive. My own grandmother. How could he have done that?”

“I don’t know, honey,” she said, reaching for her hand. “Did you get to see her before she passed?”

“No,” she said, wiping her tears. “I got a call that she was in a home outside of Fresno. I’ve never even been to Fresno. They said she’d passed in her sleep. They called my father’s number and, of course, it was disconnected. Someone at the center did their diligence and found me. I got some of her personal effects and donated the rest. It was a terrible place, Cass. No one should spend their later years like that.”

“Oh, Viv, I’m so sorry. What can we do?”

“Nothing. She’s gone. I have some jewelry that belonged to her and a few photos, which is nice. She had a brother who died many years ago, but it was all written down on the photos and in a Bible she had. It’s not about her dying, not really anyway. She was old, ninety-six. It’s about how those poor people are living.”

“I know,” said Cass, nodding. “We’re so used to seeing people like Matthew, Irene, and Ruby spry and young. It’s hard when we see someone who is old and feeble.”

“Maybe this is what I do with my life, Cass. Maybe I become an advocate for the elderly or something.”

“Maybe. You could always just volunteer for a while in an assisted living center or nursing home. If you feel like it’s truly your calling or passion, believe me, Irene and Matthew would help, and I know that Bodhi would support it.” Cass looked out of the corner of her eye, waiting for Vivienne’s reaction.

“Is he pissed at me?”

“I don’t think Bodhi gets pissed at women,” smiled Cass. “He knows that he can be scary and would never want to frighten a woman. I think he’s hurt and disappointed that you didn’t tell him you were back here.”

“I know, I know. It was a mistake!” she said, standing to pace the porch. “I should have called him right away. He’s so wonderful, Cass. He’s so perfect and beautiful and handsome and…”

“I get it,” laughed Cass. “I’m marrying Cade.”

“You are?” she said excitedly.

“I am. I’ve had a rough few months myself,” she said, looking down. “I don’t know if anyone told you what happened with Carrie and me.”

“Some,” she said quietly. “You don’t have to tell me the details if you don’t want to.”

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