A second chance: Sequel of Against all odds (4 page)

My face brightened.

“
Are
you sure?” I asked.

“
Yes.
Cas, can I ask you something? But promise me that this won't cause
another row between us.”

“
Yes
of course tell me.” I encouraged him.

“
Can
you try and see David less? I mean I know you have to continue to
meet because of Kylie but can you make sure he doesn't come so often
at our house especially when I'm not there. Cassy I trust you, but it
makes me feel bad when he's near you.” I looked at him sadly, I
knew he was suffering.

“
OK.
I'll talk to him, but you don't have to worry about him. I love you,”
I said trying to reassure him.

“
I
love you too.” He replied gently and then he sighed.

“
Tyler
what is it? There is still something bothering you.”He looked
at me and from the expression I knew I was right. “So?”

“
He
loves you too, he still does, and that's what frightens me most,”
he murmured.

“
Tyler
I don't care if he does, you're my husband, not him. Please stop
tormenting yourself with silly worries. Just believe in my words.
We'll be happy together. We're having a baby; we'll be a real family
now.” He looked up in my eyes and nodded.

“
Yes,
we will,” he said tears in his eyes. At that moment, I realized
how much he had suffered during these years. I realized that my
attachment to David was killing him. I had to stop it. I had to try
and leave the past behind me. Yes, I would talk to David. I knew that
this was going to hurt him, and I felt bad already. I felt sorry for
him, but I had to choose again and between him and my husband there
was no doubt I had to choose the latter.

Tyler got up from his desk
and closed the door and looked at me with love. He came near me and
began to kiss me. We made love on the sofa in his office. I couldn't
remember when it was the last time that I had felt him so close to
me. We stayed in each others' arms for the next two hours ignoring
the continual phone calls. Afterwards, we went to take a shower in
one of the rooms of the hotel and had breakfast together. Poor Mary,
she had to deal with everything while we enjoyed each others'
company, but we really needed to pass some time together. It felt so
good to talk normally without arguing. I felt so happy. Would this
happiness stand in time? I wasn't very sure but right now I just
wanted to enjoy the moment.

Later in the afternoon I
went for Kylie at school. I knew David would be there. He seemed
surprised when he saw me coming.

“
Cassidy?
What are you doing here? I thought it was my turn to come for Kylie,”
he said puzzled.

“
Yes
it was but I changed my mind if that's OK for you. I have to meet
Lucy soon, and I want Kylie to come with us. We are going to go for
some shopping,” I explained.

“
Oh
OK. Sure no problem.”

Kylie was still inside, and
I thought this was the right moment to talk to  David.

“
Dave,
can I speak to you a moment?” His expression changed as if he
already knew what I was going to tell him.

“
Are
you going to tell me you're not coming on Saturday?” he asked.

“
No,
it's not that. I'm coming.”

“
Then
what is it?”

I held my breath for a
second and then said..

“
David
we have to stop seeing each other. I mean especially when Tyler is
not home.”

He looked at me, his face
was a mask of anguish. I felt miserable. I didn't want to hurt him,
but there was no other way to do this.

“
I
see,” he said quietly.

“
David
please try to understand. I keep arguing with Tyler because of you. I
can't keep going on like this. I'm pregnant; I have to be careful not
to worry so much. I'm so stressed. I don't want to lose this baby
because of...”

“
Of
me? Am I upsetting you this much? Cassidy I'm doing nothing wrong. I
suffered like hell in the past years. I missed Kylie, and I missed
you so much. But I was determined not to interfere in your life
because I loved you so much that I wanted to see you happy, even
though with another person.”

“
I
know. I'm sorry David. But I can't lose Tyler,” I said feeling
awful.

“
Why
should you lose him? My God, what did I do? Was it because of what
happened yesterday? Cassidy you asked me to hold you tight. I didn't
have bad intentions.” He cried.

“
I
know.”

“
Cassidy
what do you feel for me?” I wasn't expecting this question. He
had taken me off guard. I stared at him in disbelief.

“
I
don't think-.”

“
Just
answer me. Why are you so afraid to be near me? If you felt nothing
for me, it wouldn't make any difference to see me or not.”

I didn't know what to say...

“
David
I'm married and I love my husband. I knew this wasn't going to be
simple, but your presence is destroying my marriage. Tyler is jealous
of you.”

“
Jealous,
why? You are his wife, not mine. Cassidy I want that answer. Do you
feel something for me or not?” He asked again, his eyes never
leaving mine. My heart beat increased as he gazed searchingly in my
face. I drew a breath and was about to open my mouth when...

“
Dad!!”
Kylie shouted as soon as she saw us. David sighed and looked at me;
he wasn't happy with that interruption, but I was relieved.

“
Hello
sweetheart. How did it go today?”

“
Fine.
You know that I got an A in English, the teacher was very satisfied
with my homework,”she said happily.

“
Really?
Oh, that's fantastic honey.”

“
Mum?
What are doing here?” Am I coming home with you?” She
asked a little bit disappointed. I knew that she preferred staying
with him than with me.

“
Honey
we have to meet my friend Lucy today, we are going shopping and I
would like you to come with me.”

“
But
mum, Dad had promised me to take me bowling,” she grumbled.

“
We'll
go another time Kylie. Go with your mum.”

Kylie shot me a sharp look.
I knew she was going to react this way. She was too attached to her
father.

“
Kylie
I want to buy you a new dress, for Saturday,” I said hoping
this would cheer her up. Her face brightened as she turned to look at
me.

“
Really?
Oh then I'll come for sure.”

I sighed with relief; I
didn't want her to be in a bad mood especially since she was going to
meet Lucy.

“
Did
you hear that Dad? I'm going to have a new dress when I'll come and
see you at the competition,”She lilted.

“
Yes
I did.” He said smiling at her. Kylie hugged her father and
grabbed her bag and ran to talk to a friend.

“
Bye
Dave. I have to go now,”I said as I started walking away. But
suddenly something he said made me halt in my tracks.

“
Sooner
or later you have to give me an answer Cassidy. I won't insist that
you do it today since there's Kylie, but I have to know.”

My heart felt suddenly heavy
in my chest as I turned to look one last time at him before leaving.
Our eyes met briefly, and my stomach turned. I remained in silence as
I began to walk slowly towards Kylie, trying to ignore the way he had
looked at me.

That afternoon when I met
Lucy I wasn't feeling well. I had a bad headache, and I was so lost
in my thoughts that most of the time I wasn't paying attention to
what Lucy and Kylie were saying. Lucy noticed.

“
What's
wrong with you Cas?” Lucy asked while Kylie was busy looking at
two dresses.

“
Nothing.
I'm just tired,” I lied.

“
Problems
with Tyler again?”

“
No,
it's all right now, we have talked.”

“
Good.
So what's worrying you?” She asked again. Unfortunately, even
though years had passed, and we didn't meet so often, Lucy still knew
me better than I knew myself. I sighed; I wasn't sure if to tell her
or not but maybe it was better if I talked with someone. I needed
advice, someone to reassure me. Lucy was leaving the following day,
so this was my only chance to tell her.

“
Tyler
asked me to tell David to leave me alone, and to avoid meeting him,”
I blurted as I took a deep breath.

“
Well,
that's the best thing to do I think.” She wasn't helping, I
already knew that.

“
Yes
but..”

“
What
is it? You don't want to do that? If you really love Tyler you should
have told him to leave for good,” she said sharply.

I stared at her in
disbelief.

“
I
would never do that. Kylie needs her father,” I cried.

“
Are
you sure it's only Kylie who needs him?”

I didn't respond. I bit my
lips nervously as I looked down at the ground. I couldn't keep her
gaze.

“
Cassidy?”

“
He
asked me to tell him what I feel for him,” I confessed. I had
to tell someone, maybe talking about it made me feel better.

“
Oh,
and what did you say?”

“
Well,
I didn't have time to respond, Kylie came out of school and she
interrupted.”

“
OK..
but what would you have responded?”

“
Well
I.. I would have said that...”

“
Mum
I want this one, it's so nice and I'm sure Dad would love it.”
Kylie broke in upon our conversation. I looked distractedly at the
dress she was holding.

“
Yes
it's beautiful honey, let's go into the changing room so that you can
try it on,” I said while Lucy kept looking at me with a strange
expression on her face. I helped Kylie to put the dress on. It fitted
perfectly; she looked so beautiful.

“
Oh,
Mum look at me!” She shouted happily.

“
It's
perfect sweetheart, we'll buy it.”

My daughter danced in front
of the mirror. I looked at her and felt my heart squeezing. I could
never tell David to leave. No, I couldn't do it.

“
Cassidy
forget all about him, he will only cause you trouble.” I turned
around and saw Lucy's worried expression.

“
I
know.”

CHAPTER 5

During that week, I stayed
away from David. I avoided him as much as I could. This made Tyler
happy. We seemed to have found the harmony we once had. But my
daughter wasn't happy, she seemed angry with me all the time and more
often insisted on going to her father's place. Our time together was
reduced to just an hour or two, twice a week. I wasn't happy, but I
had to accept the situation. Kylie was very stubborn, and I knew she
hated me for not choosing her father. Lately, she had been happy that
David and I had came closer and probably believed that I could change
my mind and leave Tyler. It was Saturday, and she was with me. We
were getting ready to go to David's competition. She hadn't said a
word all day and had locked herself in her room to do her homework. I
had gone to her room often with an excuse, or another just to try and
talk to her, but she had stayed silent. In this, she was very similar
to David.

Now we were in my room, and
I was brushing her beautiful long hair and glancing at her face
through the mirror.