Page 69 of Undoing

Of course, that’s not what Cass wanted—or needed. No, she needed to be with Rebecca when the results were read. Yet, she couldn’t help but feel bad.

“She insisted, Cass,” Rebecca reassured. She was trying very hard not to feel nervous about today. It was such a weird feeling to be scared of something you didn’t remember. “Besides, I’m the one who told Aunt Wills I wanted you there with me.”

Cass’s heart jumped at that admission. “Y-you did?”

Way to embarrass yourself, Rebecca. You might as well have just told Cass you were hot for her. Rebecca cleared her throat. “Yeah, I mean, you asked, and I…” She sighed, wondering why she was being so weird. “No, I meant it. I want you there with me. I may not remember everything — or anything. But you help me stay calm. I feel like I need that today.”

Cass risked rejection by taking Rebecca’s hand that rested on the console. “Thank you. I’m glad I can be a calming presence for you cuz I’m a freakin’ bag of nerves,” she confessed with an uncomfortable laugh. “I probably shouldn’t have told you that.”

Rebecca bit her cheek. God, she loved the way Cass said whatever came to her mind. Loved? Do we… love each other?

“I appreciate your candor, Cass,” Rebecca chuckled. “I’m a freakin’ bag of nerves, too, but I don’t think I really understand why. I… forget about the tumor. I have the stitches, I get the headaches, but I guess I still blame the, uh, other thing.”

Cass squeezed Rebecca’s hand, thankful that Rebecca didn’t pull away. “I can’t imagine what this is like for you.”

“The only way I can describe it is like I’ve time-traveled into the future without a roadmap from the past.”

“That’s…” Cass ran that analogy over and over in her head. “That gives me a better understanding, I think, by giving me a sort of visual of what it’s like.” She glanced at Rebecca again and winked. “Thank you for sharing that with me.”

Rebecca smiled coyly. “I don’t even know where that came from.”

“Sometimes the answers come when we stop thinking about it so hard.”

“Aunt Wills said something similar. But trying not to think about what you’re not supposed to be thinking about is almost impossible.”

Cass laughed. “You sound like me! Maybe that’s why I totally understood what you just said.” She pulled into the nearly empty parking lot, finding a place close to the front to park. “Note to self: nine am on a Wednesday is the time to come here.”

“Mmm.” Rebecca leaned forward to look at the building through the windshield. “Such a nondescript building to cause this much anxiety,” she muttered.

“Hey. This is going to be good news. I can feel it in my bones.”

Rebecca turned her head to look at Cass and smiled. “You can feel it in your bones?”

“Yep.” Cass hesitated for only a second before bringing Rebecca’s hand to her lips and placing a light kiss on her palm. “Whatever happens up there, Becca, I’m here. Always.”

Rebecca’s palm tingled where Cass’s lips touched her. The emotions she felt each time she was with Cass made her desperate to remember their lives together.

“Let’s do this.”

Cass grinned. “That’s my girl.”

Rebecca flipped through an entertainment magazine and frowned. “Who are these people?”

Cass leaned over to see who Rebecca was looking at on the page. There were a bunch of young celebrities that were ‘just like us’ coming out of grocery stores, drinking Starbucks, or going for a run. Cass pointed at one. “That’s Adele. She’s a singer, and you dig her. The rest,” Cass shrugged with a laugh. “No clue.”

“So weird,” Rebecca whispered as she continued turning the pages. “I guess people still care who’s dating whom.” She smiled when Cass merely grunted next to her.

“Mrs. Giles?”

Rebecca didn’t even look up at the receptionist who was calling her name. Because she doesn’t remember, Cass reminded herself. “Uh, Becca? That’s you.”

“Hmm?” Rebecca looked around.

“Mrs. Giles?” The receptionist called again.

Cass stood and held her hand out to Rebecca. “That’s you.”

Rebecca frowned but took Cass’s hand and followed her. Her brain was still trying to catch up. Who is Giles?

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