Page 78 of Better Day

“What if they need me and I’m not here?” Her words are voicing my same fear.

“Then Asha and Bull will cuddle them tight and tell them Daddy is bringing Mommy home to them very soon.” Gently placing my finger under her chin, I lift it so she is looking at me.

“But what if I don’t come home?” The question in her eyes is one I can’t answer but will tell her what I believe every single time she will ask this.

“You will. There’s no other option I’ll accept, Cassie.” I say it with all the confidence I can show her, while on the inside I pray it’s true.

We sat for a few more minutes, talking through everything Tate had told me and what the plan is to get her to Chicago and back. I had a message from Bull and Asha during the night that I showed her. They have promised to do everything we need, but most importantly, they both have professed they will lay down their lives to protect our children, something that gave us both inner peace. It just irritates me that they should have to. My family is my responsibility, not theirs.

The noise coming through the monitor alerts us that Eli is awake. Cassie jumps up off me to go to him. Normally I would go and bring him to her, but I can see the yearning in her to have him in her arms. Today is going to be a tough one for both of us. I’m not prepared to wait, and the sooner she has this MRI and we know what we’re dealing with, then the quicker I can bring her home to our safe haven. Giving her space with him on her own, I head down the hallway to the bunker and check in on everything else. It helps to calm my brain that is racing. I have the home security cameras up on the big screen so I can keep an eye on her. Watching her talking to Eli while she feeds him, I wonder what she is telling him. The love Cassie shares is endless, and our kids benefit from it every day.

She looks settled, so it’s time to call Ashton and get everything underway. I don’t care what it costs, I want that plane in the air today and Cassie in Chicago by tonight.

“Everything okay?” Ashton’s voice soothes my nerves.

“As much as it can be. Talk to me.”

We continue to lock in details while my attention is split between him and watching my wife, now joined by Bessy who is sitting at Cassie’s feet, talking away happily with a smile on her face. Which is in turn making her mother smile, which is what we all need at the moment.

To be positive and to find something to smile about, because it’s the only thing we have to cling to.

“We’re set to go. I’ll let you know once they land and are on their way to you.”

“Roger that. Later.” Disconnecting the call with Ashton, I can see that Cassie is dressing Eli for the day. I push off my chair and head back to her to help. From what Tate said, her energy level will be low today after the seizure, not that he knows my wife. Her determination to do something is next-level. There is no way she will let her body slow her down in front of the kids. Not that Eli understands anything, Bessy’s energy level makes up for the two of them and probably another child as well, if the truth be known.

Setting Eli in his rocker in front of the television, Bessy lies next him on her stomach. Elbows on the ground, chin cupped by her hands, and her legs up in the air, ankles crossed. Her favorite spot is next to her brother and chatting to him about what she’s watching.

With breakfast out of the way, it’s time to break the news to Cassie before Tate calls.

With my backside leaning against the counter farthest from the kids, I reach my hands out for her as she passes me, buzzing around the kitchen trying to distract herself.

Draping my arms over her shoulders, she is trapped and has to look at me.

“We leave at three pm today.” It’s all I need to say, and her face screws up, trying to hold in the tears. Worrying about what is happening in her brain must be scary enough, but what Cassie is going through, where she knows there are people out there being paid to kill her, I can’t even imagine her anxiety level.

Words are too much for her. A slight nod and her forehead dropping to my chest tells me all I need to know.

“Love you,” I say, kissing the top of her head. We both stand together, summoning the strength we find in each other.

Walking out that front door this afternoon will be one of the hardest things we will ever do.

But we will do it, and we will do it together. The same way we do everything.

It’s the only way we know.

ChapterNineteen

CASSIE

Ican do this, I can do this, I can do this.

If I say it enough in my head, maybe I’ll believe it.

Trying to explain to Bessy that Daddy and I are leaving for a few days was hard, but as soon as she heard Kurt and Asha were arriving to stay with her, she was screaming with excitement. What a way to deflate the ego, but it helps to see her talking so fast to Kurt, sitting on his lap. Asha is standing, rocking Eli to sleep. She asked if I wanted to do it before I left, but I knew it would be too hard to put him down into the crib. It was difficult handing him over to her, but it’s better if I do it quickly. Like ripping off a band-aid. It’s going to hurt either way, so I may as well get the pain over with quickly. Not that the ache that is already in my heart will stop until both of them are back in my arms again.

Feeling Ghost’s hand on the small of my back makes my heart thump harder.

“Cassie.” I don’t know if he says anything else to me because just hearing my name, I know what it means. It’s time to leave, and I can’t show my total heartbreak as we do it.

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