A second chance: Sequel of Against all odds (27 page)

 “
I
am.”

 “
I'm
going to return to my studies, I don't have time to work, I already
told you.”

 “
You'll
work in the evenings three times a week. I'm being quite fair I
think?”

 “
Fair?
You must be joking.”

 “
Listen,
you've signed a contract when you started to work with me, even
though this happened before the accident, it is still valid, be
reasonable.”

 “
I
guess I have no choice right?”

 “
Not
really. Glad you understood. See you tomorrow Cassidy. Have a nice
day.”

 
I
hated him; I hated his impertinent smile which before I had found
sexy. I hated the way he looked at me with possession.

 “
Oh
Cassidy...”

“
What?”

“
You'll
be mine again, I can assure that. No one take what's mine.”

Saying that, he left. I felt
tears welling into my eyes. He had ruined my day. I went inside
trying not to cry. As soon as I opened the door I found my mum
sitting on the sofa waiting for me.

 “
Hi
Mum.”

 “
Cassidy
what was that shouting outside? Was that Tyler?”

 
I
nodded.

 “
What
was he doing here? And how come you arrived just now, weren't you
suppose to come hours ago?”

 “
We
slept there, there weren't any ferry boats during the night.” I
explained.

 “
Slept
there? You slept with David?”

 “
Ahm..
no mum at least not in the way you're thinking. But we have a
relationship. Mum I love him and he confessed that he loves me as
well.”

 “
Oh
and that's the reason Tyler was so angry, he knows you're together?”

 “
He
saw me with David and I didn't phone him to tell him  I wasn't
going out to dinner with him.”

 “
What?
Why? Cassidy you shouldn't have done that. It's not fair on Tyler.”

 “
What?
Mum I can't understand you sometimes. You said you like David, and
now you're sorry for Tyler, who are you rooting for I'm confused.”
I asked with a tone of anger. 

 “
For
none of them OK. I just want you to be with whoever you think it's
best.”

 “
Great,
David is the best I can ever have OK.”

 “
OK
honey. Just be careful, Tyler is not one who surrenders easily.”

 “
I
noticed. I have to start to work for him. Mum why didn't you tell me
that I used to work with him?”

“
He
told you?”

“
Yes
he did, what else are you hiding?” I said angrily.

Just at that moment someone
interrupted our discussion.

“
Oh
Hello... you're back!”

Kylie came running into my
arms and hugged me.

 “
Did
you have fun? Where's Dad? And how did the concert go and-.”

 “
Hey,
one question at a time.” I said laughing. She was so adorable,
a little chatterbox.

 “
Yes
sorry, Daddy always say that I shouldn't ask too many questions. So
where's Daddy?”

“
He
had to go home. At 8.00 he has to be at work. Today I'll take you to
school.” I said smiling.

 “
Really?
Oh, that's wonderful. I'll go and get dressed.” She said all
excited.

“
Great,
do you want me to help you?”

“
Yes
please especially with my hair. Can you make me pig tails today?”

 “
Sure
honey, let's go.”

 
I
glanced at mum, our discussion had to be paused for now but sooner or
later she had to tell me the truth. I went with Kylie upstairs. She
kept talking, telling me how much she had had fun at the circus and
that they had gone out to eat pizza. I tried to listen to everything
she was telling me, but my mind was elsewhere. I kept thinking about
the things Tyler told me. Now I could understand  a lot of
things, the stares that the workers had given me. The commotion of
Mary the secretary, they all knew me while I didn't remember any of
them. I felt sad. How many things I still had to discover.

“
Cassidy...
Cassidy... mum?”

“
Ah...
yes?” 

“
Are
you OK? You look sad?”

“
Oh
no, sweetheart I'm fine.”

“
Are
you and daddy going out together now?” she asked then.

I looked stunned at her.. 

 “
Well...
I...”

 “
I'd
be happy if you do,” she continued.

 “
Really?
Why?”

 “
Because
I need a mum,” she said all serious. This little girl was
incredible.

 “
Oh
sweetheart, but you have a mum already.”

 “
No..
I want a mum and dad that are together and married perhaps.”

 
I
was left speechless...

 “
Kylie.
I love your Dad.” I said then regretting it immediately. I
didn't want her to make illusions. Although I wanted to be with David
with all my strength I wasn't sure if this was going to happen.
Sometimes he acted so strangely. I wondered if he will ever be able
to forget Kylie's mum.

“
Really?”

“
Yes..”

“
A
lot?”

 
I
nodded, and she grinned. She had a sweet smile. David's smile.

 “
Oh,
I'm so happy.” She said jumping around.

 “
Kylie
can I ask you something?”

 “
Yes.”

 “
How
is your mum?”

 
She
looked confused at me, not knowing what to say. She seemed reluctant
to respond. 

“
Well..
she's beautiful but  she made my dad suffer a lot. I don't want
her anymore. I want you now.”

 
She
hugged me tight and at that moment I realised that from now on the
decisions, I was going to take were going to affect her as well. I
didn't want to make her her suffer. She was getting so attached to
me. This made me happy because if I ever had to marry David she would
be my stepdaughter but it also frightened me. I didn't want to hurt
her if things didn't work out between David and me. I would never
behave like her mother did that was a promise.

Later that day after I took
Kylie to school, I decided to visit some of the schools there were in
the city. I took my certificates with me and went to talk to the
different principals to see if I had any chances to be accepted. I
was going to be a mature student and school had already started. I
liked all the schools I visited but there was one that I preferred.
The headmistress, Mrs Jacobs was very nice, and she encouraged me a
lot. Finally, I decided to choose her school. They had the courses I
needed. The headmistress told me that I could start from the
following day if I wanted to. I was so happy, I couldn't wait to tell
David.

CHAPTER
22

I spent the day going around
buying things for college. I needed a new bag, new stationary and
some new clothes. I felt so excited. When I returned home mum wasn't
there, so I prepared dinner and did some cleaning. I couldn't wait to
see David. I had missed him so much. Just then the phone rang. I
picked it up, and my heart flattered when I heard David's voice.

“
Hello
sweetheart. How are you?”

“
David!
Oh, I'm fine thank you. You?”

“
I'm
dead tired. This night I didn't sleep. I couldn’t,” he
admitted.

 “
What?
You didn't.”

“
No,
I kept looking at your face, kissing your forehead and hugging you
tight to me. Cassidy you can't understand how much this night has
meant to me.”

“
Oh
David.”

 “
Cas,
tonight I don't think I'll make it. I know I had promised to come to
visit, but I still have a lot of corrections to do and I also have to
prepare a lesson for tomorrow.”

I felt a little sad, but I
understood.

“
Don't
worry David we'll meet tomorrow, I don't want you to have an accident
or something.”

 “
Thanks
sweetheart. I miss you. It seems like we have been away from each
other for longer than just a few hours.”

“
Yeah,
I know what you mean, I miss you too.”

Just then I heard Kylie
calling him.

“
Dad,
can you help with the homework, please... Dad.”

“
Just
as second honey I'm talking to Cassidy.”

I could hear them converse,
and I couldn't stop laughing. Kylie kept talking nonstop.

“
Cassidy,
I'm sorry, but I have to leave you, you know how Kylie is.”

“
Yeah,
no problem Dave. See you tomorrow.”

“
OK.
Goodnight.”

“
Dave?”

“
Yes.”

“
I
love you.”

There was silence for an
instant. I could hear his breath. I wish I could see his face right
now.

“
Thanks
for that.. I love you too.”

He hung up, and I went to
eat. Mum was late; she phoned later saying that she would stay
overtime. I felt so lonely. I decided to go out for a walk. I needed
some fresh air, and I needed to think. Tyler's words still echoed in
my mind. He said we were more than lovers, what could that mean? I
walked for about an hour, thinking about the last events. About how I
was going to face Tyler at work. How was going to deal with him? It
wasn't going to be an easy task passing all those hours with him. He
made me nervous and I could barely think in his presence. Although I
hated to admit it, he managed to make me feel weak at the knees every
time I looked at him. But it was just attraction nothing else. I had
to try and stop to think about him; my mood changed when I remembered
how arrogant he was. I returned home and took a shower and decided to
take an early night. I needed to rest so that the following day I'd
be fresh and ready to face my first day in college. I still couldn't
believe it. I felt so excited. It was stupid since I had already been
to college, but everything for me seemed to be the first time. I
smiled and prayed that everything would go well.

The next day at 7.00 I was
already up  having a shower and getting ready. I went downstairs
and found my mum preparing breakfast. She smiled at me..

“
Good
morning dear.”

“
Good
morning mum. Why are you smiling?”

“
Nothing,
it's just that it's like going back in time. You're going to school
and I'm preparing your breakfast.” 

“
Yeah,
I guess.” I said looking blankly at her.

“
I'm
sorry sweetheart, I know you don't remember this.” she said
than sadly.

“
No
problem, I'll make new memories,” I said in a happy tone.