CHAPTER NINETY
CHAPTER NINETY
Cassie POV
It was starting to get late and neither Jericho nor Alex had made contact.
Alexis was making calls to see if she could find out any more about the 20 plus years Sarah had been away.
Leaving me here with my thoughts.
Which I can now see was not a good idea.
As I get up to head into the kitchen and see if Alexis has made any headway my cell starts to ring.
I look at the caller I.D.
It’s Jericho.
I answer almost immediately.
“Jericho.”
“Are you ok?”
“What’s going on.”
Nothing at first.
The other end is silent.
Cold even.
Then I hear sobs.
“I’m so sorry Cassandra.”
“I didn’t know I swear.”
I’m confused at this point.
What is he sorry for?
Didn’t know what?
I wait for an explanation, but it doesn’t come.
Just more sobs and apologies.
Alexis walks into the living room with a grim look on her face.
Had she found something out.
Would somebody please tell me what the fuck was going on.
I’m still on the phone to Jericho when I hear movement coming from the other end.
Someone has grabbed the phone off of him.
“Cassie.”
It was Alex.
“Yeah, I’m still here.”
“Alex what’s going on?”
I wait for him to explain.
“We’re making our way back to you guys.”
“There’s a lot to discuss.”
“Is Alexis still there?”
I look over to her.
I see her mouth something, but I can’t make it out.
“Yeah, she’s still here.”
“It is her house after all.”
I tried and failed tremendously at making the situation lighter.
“Good, she will want to hear this too.”
Now I’m more nervous about what was happening then I was before.
But all I can say is…
“OK.”
“See you soon.”
“Bye.”
I reply but Alex had already hung up the call.
I look to Alexis again.
“Well, that was strange.”
And she just shrugs her shoulders and heads back into the kitchen.
Now I’ve known Alexis for a long time.
I know when she knows something.
And she knew something, so I follow after her.
“Lex.”
“What aren’t you telling me.”
She quickens her pace.
“Nothing.”
She turns and says to me.
Still pacing towards the kitchen.
“Don’t lie to me.”
We enter the kitchen, and she heads straight towards the bar trolley.
“I’m not.”
She replies whilst pouring a brandy no mixer.
Not normally her drink of choice.
“What’s going on Lex.”
“You found something out, didn’t you?”
She downs the drink and begins pouring a second.
“I swear I don’t know anything.”
And then she downs that one as well.
“Alexis Winters, you tell me now, what you know.”
I’ve never had to use this tone with her before.
I felt like I was scolding my child.
And the look on her face told me that she felt like she was a child being scolded.
“Ok but you might want to pour yourself a drink and sit for this Cass.”
I look at her with my eyebrow lifted.
“That serious huh.”
She nodded at me.
“I should think so, yeah.”
I head over to the trolley and grab a drink before sitting down.
“Ok, I have my drink, and I am now seated.”
“What is so serious that you didn’t want to tell me.”
I ask her.
She doesn’t sit she just starts pacing.
“Ok, well…”
“Don’t shoot the messenger ok.”
I give her my best stern look.
“Just spit it out Alexis.”
“Whatever it is cannot be that bad.”
She stops mid pace.
Looks me dead in the eyes.
“Oh, it’s that bad Cass.”
“You know how Fred said Alex had a daughter with Sarah.”
Obviously, it was only a few hours ago.
Hence the reason we are sitting here waiting for him and Jericho to come back and fill us in on the situation.
“Yeah.”
I say.
“Well…”
I wait.
And wait.
And wait….
“Jesus Christ Lexi just tell me what the fuck you found out.”
“The daughter isn’t Alex’s it’s Jericho’s.”
She blurts out.
And in that moment, I fell my whole world disappear.
There’s nothing.
My heart starts to ache.
Crushed.
Broken.
Jericho has a child.
Jericho.
My Jericho has a daughter.
And it’s not with me.
“Cass.”
I faintly hear Alexis calling my name.
“Cassie.’
“Are you ok.?”
I look at her tears streaming down my face.
“I need to…”
“I can’t.”
She rushes to me.
“I’m so sorry Cass.”
“I didn’t want you to find out this way.”
“Shit I didn’t want to find out this way.”
I give her a grim smile.
“It’s ok Lex.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“It’s not anyone’s fault.”
“It’s good that I know.”
“Right.”
She offers a slight smile.
“Yeah Cass.”
I start to get up.
I needed to leave.
I didn’t want to be here.
I needed air.
I was starting to feel suffocated.
The walls felt like they were closing in on me.
“I need some air.”
She jumps out of my way.
“Let me come with you.”
I wave her off.
“No, I just need to be alone.”
“Clear my head.”
She knew I was at my breaking point.
She also knew that this was probably the only thing that could break me.
Jericho and I had only just started and now it felt like it was ending all at the same time.
I couldn’t believe this was happening.
Jericho has a daughter.
An adult daughter.
And I didn’t know how or if I wanted to fit into that.
I had wanted Jericho for so long that I never even thought he had a history.
Especially not one that seems so….
Messy.
But then do you really know anybody.
People aren’t always what they appear.
I knew that.
I mean look at Alexis.
On the outside you would think spoiled rich girl.
But really, she’s so sweet, kind and funny.
And I absolutely adore her.
So why am I finding this situation with Jericho so traumatic.
I knew exactly why but I wouldn’t let myself believe it.
I didn’t think I could ever be so selfish.
But here I was.
Thinking about how that should have been our child.
When instead I should be thinking about how he’s feeling.
But did I love him enough to.
I guess only I can make that decision.
And right now, I was in no state of mind to.
All I could do for him right now was make sure I stayed as far away from him as possible.
And hope that with time I could come to terms or even accept it.
You know what they say…
If you love something set it free and if it’s meant to be it will come back to you.
Hopefully that’s true for me and Jericho.
Because right now.
I wasn’t so sure.