Betrayal (67 page)

Alex searched Cassidy’s eyes as her tears fell silently. She had expected Cassidy’s words to amaze her. Now, it was her turn. She breathed out audibly and felt Cassidy’s grip tighten in encouragement. “Cass…I am not a poet. I planned what I was going to say. I even practiced it. But then I listened to Dylan and I realized I could never really plan what to say to you. And those words, well,” she took in as much air as her lungs could hold and closed her eyes to gather herself. She opened them and looked lovingly at the woman before her.
“There isn’t anything more important in my life than you and Dylan. Not one thing. A lot of people don’t believe in love at first sight. I didn’t. I’m not even sure I knew what love was. I remember when you opened your door that day in New York. I can’t really explain it. I didn’t think much about it then, but I have thought about that moment every single day since. If you hadn’t opened that door. If I had never been sent there…You said everything changed when I came into your life. The truth is Cass, my life began the day we met. Everything before that is like a shadow. With you, well…”

Alex began to choke up and Cassidy smiled. “I know,” she whispered.

“You are my life, Cassidy. I can’t say I couldn’t love you more because I seem to love you more every single day. I would do anything to keep our family safe and happy. I know sometimes I am not the easiest person and I know sometimes I might fall short. I promise you this, you have all of me. Every part. And, you make me better just by being in my life. I listened to Dylan today and I could hear you. It’s no wonder he is so bright and so loving. That’s you. I see you in him every day. I know I will see you in all of our children. And, I want you to know that I think about our life all of the time. I never thought I would need a family, but now, being with you, building a family with you and Dylan, it’s all I want. I love you, Cassidy. I’ll never be able to tell you how much, but I promise I will try to show you for the rest of our lives.” Alex reached across and wiped away Cassidy’s tears. She caught a glimpse of Barb who was smiling, but she could see the tear stains on her sister-in-law’s cheeks.

“Do you have a symbol of your commitment that you would like to share with Alex?” the reverend asked Cassidy.

“I do.” She accepted the ring from Barb and turned toward Alex. “Alex, I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and fidelity. As a reminder of the laughter, the pain, the challenges and the joys we will share. It is a perfect circle. It is endless and unbroken. My love for you is endless and my commitment can
never be broken.” Alex swallowed hard as Cassidy slipped the simple, platinum ring on her finger.

“Alex? Do you have a symbol of your commitment you would like to share with Cassidy?”

“I do.” Alex took the ring she had chosen with Dylan’s help from Nick. She turned to Cassidy and paused. Cassidy’s eyes seemed to dance in the sun. “God, you are beautiful,” she said aloud, receiving a chuckle from all present. “Well, she is,” Alex proclaimed. Cassidy bit her bottom lip gently, amused and touched by Alex’s candor. Alex cleared her throat softly. “Cassidy, I spent a long time wondering what kind of ring I should get you. I walked back and forth and I couldn’t decide. Dylan pointed to this ring and immediately I knew. It sparkled, just like you. I said you are beautiful; you are. I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and fidelity. It is a perfect circle. It is endless and unbroken. My love for you is endless and my commitment can never be broken.” Alex slipped the ring on Cassidy’s finger with shaky hands. “I love you, Cass,” she said simply.

“I love you,” Cassidy answered, forgetting that anyone else was present.

The reverend smiled and lifted his hands. “Alex and Cassidy have declared before you and before God their love, devotion and commitment. May they be blessed with the richness of family and friends to love and support them on their journey. Now, before you all and before God, by the powers vested in me by the State of Connecticut, I declare you legally wed spouses and partners for life….That means you should kiss your wife, Alex,” he nudged.

Alex grinned and took Cassidy’s face in her hands. They stood silently for a moment looking at one another, neither caring who was present or how long they waited. This was a moment for only them. It would pass quickly and both felt the need to commit it to memory. A smile overtook them both and Alex guided Cassidy’s lips to her own. She closed her eyes and
inhaled the emotions coursing between them. “How’d it feel to kiss Cassidy Toles?” Cassidy asked quietly.

Alex kissed Cassidy again. “Like coming home,” Alex whispered.

lex pulled out Cassidy’s chair and was ready to take her seat when she noticed a small bottle on her chair. “What’s this?” she asked. Cassidy shrugged. Alex set it on the table and studied it for a second.

Cassidy giggled. “It is a beach wedding, Alex. It’s a message in a bottle. Maybe you should open it,” she suggested.

Alex raised her brow and pulled out the cork. She fished inside to pull out the rolled parchment. “Did you put this here?” she looked to Cassidy. Cassidy just shrugged again. Alex unrolled the parchment and read the inscription. She read it several times and then turned to her wife. “Cass?”

“Yes?” Cassidy smiled flirtatiously. She expected her note would get an interesting reaction from her new wife.

Alex leaned over for a searing kiss. “Get a room.” Barb laughed as she passed by. Alex ignored her and pulled away slightly only to kiss Cassidy again.

“Remind me to leave you notes more often,” Cassidy laughed.

“You just make sure I am the only one you ever leave a note like that for,” Alex said.

Cassidy spun the ring on Alex’s finger. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about.” She kissed Alex on the cheek.

“Mom?”

“Hey, sweetie.” Dylan wiggled in between his parents. “Thank you for what you said today Dylan,” Cassidy said. “What made you think of giving us necklaces?” she asked curiously.

He made his way onto Alex’s lap. “I didn’t. It was YaYa’s idea. I was thinking of what to say. They let me practice…when she and Grandma took me to pick up my clothes. You know?” Cassidy nodded her encouragement. “Well, I don’t have anything to give you or Alex. So, I said I would give you both my heart. Then I said you could have the part that takes care of me and Alex could have the part that protects me. YaYa said that was beautiful and it gave her the idea.”

Cassidy saw the wave of emotion in Alex’s eyes. “It is very beautiful, Dylan, and it was a wonderful idea.”

“Yep,” he said proudly. “Grandma and YaYa thought so too, so YaYa said she would talk to her friend. And you know what too?” Cassidy shook her head. “She got a really cool bracelet there. You should go see it!” he said excitedly.

Alex was curious. Her mother always wore jewelry and Alex never paid any of it much mind. “Why is it cool?” she asked him.

“Cause…it has a stone for you and Uncle Nick, Aunt Barb, Mom, Cat, and me….and YaYa says she’ll have one for Cat’s brother or sister…and mine too someday.”

Cassidy pulled Dylan onto her lap, kissed his forehead and looked at Alex. “Go see your mother.” Alex nodded and started to leave. She stopped and rolled Cassidy’s note back up, placing it back in the bottle and raised a brow at her new wife. “That’s later. After the vanilla cake you promised,” Cassidy winked.

Alex chuckled and bent over to kiss Dylan on the cheek. “Save me a dance?” she whispered in his ear.

“Sure thing,
Mom
,” he said playfully.

Cassidy started laughing at the expression on Alex’s face. Alex huffed jokingly and Dylan gave her a toothy grin. “Oh God.” Cassidy rolled her eyes. “Twenty minutes married and already you are sporting her grin. You really are a Toles,” she said as she ruffled his hair.

“There’s a problem,” Viktor Ivanov said.

“What are you talking about?” Admiral Brackett asked over his secure line.

“The protocols are not complete.”

Brackett ran his hand over the top of his head. “Impossible. Perhaps you should talk to your nephew, Viktor. He did send my daughter home, assuring her he was in control.”

“Are you suggesting that Dimitri is somehow involved in this?” Ivanov’s voice dropped.

“He is the one who retrieved the disk.”

“From your ambassadors,” Ivanov bellowed. “This will not stand.”

“Are you threatening me?” Admiral Brackett asked.

“Threats are words. This is beyond threats. Your people have compromised us again.”

“Watch yourself, Viktor. You don’t know who is responsible. I would advise you to use caution,” Brackett warned. “You should be careful who you recruit and mindful of who you attempt to intimidate.” Ivanov laughed at the admiral’s assertion. “Viktor,” the admiral cautioned. “Calm down. We must proceed carefully. The future of our work is…”

Ivanov interrupted the admiral. “The future of our work lies in the past.”

“What are you saying?”

“Tried and true, Admiral. We will return to our roots.”

“Viktor!” There was no response. “Viktor!” Admiral Brackett dropped the receiver and placed his face in his hands. He understood the implication in Viktor Ivanov’s words. The fracture was complete. The past had returned. What had taken years to fully cultivate now lay in waste. The worst of it; Ivanov was not wrong. This new world needed a new order. History often repeats itself for someone’s specific reason and Admiral William Brackett was certain the past would now return to haunt them all.