Chapter 23
A week later Cassandra got a call from, Mr. Swan she would have to travel on the up coming weekend to do another fashion show, they were going to New York to host an annual fashion show.
Thomas was going to be there, and Cassandra wanted to leave her son but her family had things to do. Julie would also be busy. She could hire a babysitter, just for the two days. She’d have the sitter enjoy the city with him. It’s settled then.
Thomas met his new sitter and he thought she was nice, the new sitter was younger and she was getting along with Thomas.
When they arrived at the airport, she went to meet Mr. Swan. Mr. Swan, gave each of his models keys to their rooms and he called Cassandra he looked serious, “Cassandra you know Thomas will be here,” he looked nervous.
“I know but my son is not going to be anywhere near him, he is exploring the city with his sitter, Thomas won’t know where he is, he won’t be anywhere near him, other than that there won’t be any problems.”
Mr. Swan looked relieved, “good, we can work on getting ready then, you should get settled and…who is that with your boy?” He didn’t recognize the lady standing beside him.
“The old sitter retired, she’s my son’s sitter for today and tomorrow,” she noticed Mr. Swan acting strange, he couldn’t stop looking at her, “yes she’s single.”
Mr. Swan turned to look at her turning red, is it that obvious? “I was just…asking because I thought she was a stranger, that’s all.”
Cassandra couldn’t help but to smile, “ok when do I have to show up? Do you want me to meet you right after I settle in?”
“Of course, why don’t you settle in first and then you can we can talk,” Cassandra had gone to all the model training he had, especially for this event.
After getting settled, Cassandra went over to meet with Mr. Swan and the rest of the models. Thomas was there as well Barbara one of the models noticed how he’d steal glances when she wasn’t looking. It had been so long since he’d seen her, the last time was not what he’d expect at all.
Cassandra had argued and stormed out from Rebecca’s office. He was going to prove to her that he had never lied. He wanted to see his son. Mr. Thompson, told him about his birthday party and it was hard to believe that he missed so much. He wanted to talk to Cassandra…he was!
When Thomas noticed Cassandra was leaving he left before her, he would catch up to her outside. Cassandra sighed in relief when she saw him leave, but she didn’t notice Barbara watching her intently.
Barbara was determined to figure out her secret, she wanted to ruin her career she wanted the spotlight that she had so easily gotten. She went out and decided to hide and follow her, to see what would happen.
Her curiosity was fed when she finally saw Cassandra coming around the corner and Thomas blocking her way. She had a camera to ruin her, “Cassandra wait, I know the last time we saw each other it was hard but…”
Cassandra glared at him, “now you resort to spying on me! Thomas leave me alone, how many times do I need to explain myself to you? We have nothing to talk about.”
Thomas grabbed her wrist and he wouldn’t let her go, Cassandra turned to him and she tried freeing herself. “You’re not running this time, the last time there was an emergency, but you left before I could tell you.”
Finally he let her go, Cassandra was angry she turned and started to walk away, but Thomas took hold of her wrist again and he wasn’t letting her go, “leave me alone!”
Thomas was expecting this but for some reason he was shocked, “I hate loving you still, even after you don’t want to give me the chance to explain and defend myself. We were both deceived by Rebecca and you don’t want to see it.”
“I’m not an idiot I know quite well what I saw,” her eyes were getting watery, “I can’t believe you keep insisting…”
“I’m not lying to you, I never lied to you, Rebecca lied to us both and you are so stubborn that you don’t want t see it! I wish…” he look at her more intently, “I will prove it!”
“Oh yeah, how?” Obviously she wouldn’t believe him, “tell me how are you going to prove it? Are you going to make her say things you want her to say?”
“You can’t be defending her, are you? Cassandra I know that you find me hard to believe but I never stopped loving you…”
“I’m not defending her! But at least I know she was being honest I can‘t believe you‘d still defend your own lie.”
“I’m not…” he sighed relaxing his voice more, “I’m not lying to you.”
Cassandra couldn’t take it, she turned her face glaring at him. “I always use to wonder about you Thomas, I thought of calling you, and I was about to so many times…”
“What stopped you?!” Thomas‘ question was more of a reclamation.
Cassandra turned to look at him, “I didn’t want your pity, besides you knew. When I found out you knew I became angry because you didn’t just abandon me you abandoned my son. It was the only good thing of our relationship and I‘ll protect him no matter what.”
“When I found out you were pregnant I couldn’t stop thinking of you with the other man on the picture…well I thought it was you with another man. When I found out I was excited thinking you’d call me to tell me you were having my baby I was willing to take you back.”
Cassandra turned she didn’t want Thomas to se her wiped her tears, while Thomas embraced her she felt safe in his arms, for a moment she forgot and embraced this feeling, but what am I doing? “I don’t want your pity, Thomas!”
She pulled away suddenly noticing someone she walked with a fixed purpose. To see who was listening to their conversation.
Thomas was following behind her, wondering what she’d seen. When they found nothing Cassandra turned to leave, “Cassandra don’t leave.”
Cassandra kept walking without turning around her she brought her hand to her throat as she felt the lump in her throat. “The past doesn’t matter anymore, I don’t want to remember it! And talking about it, won‘t change the fact, that…”
“You’re running away from your problems, like you have been running from me since the day we met Rebecca, you left before I could explain.” He stood in front of her blocking her way to get in her car.
“I’m not running away from you, I just don’t trust you!” That came out more harsh than she meant.
Thomas looked concerned, “I went back to talk to you before but…”
“Of course, that explains…” she regretted saying that when she saw how Thomas glared at her, she felt her heart stop at once.
“So, you did as you said you would. You left!”
“You have no right to be mad at me, you left years ago, at least I’m not stalking you!” she glared back. Thomas seemed shocked, “now get out of my way.”
“I was going to get the truth from Rebecca I was finally going to prove myself to you, but you keep running away.”
Cassandra was glaring at him, “I learn it from you, I grew tired of being too generous, I never run! It’s you who runs from…you know what I’m probably just wasting my time.”
She got in and Thomas went around to the passenger side, Cassandra knew what he was going to do, Thomas knocked on the window, and she turned it down. “Hey open up, you can’t just…”
“I can, and I will…what? I learned from last experience to lock my doors, you were right I wouldn’t want a stranger coming in.”
Thomas shook his head as he walked hurriedly to his car, Cassandra drove away and Thomas decided to follow, she got away before but not again!
Cassandra noticed and she tried to cut him off, I can’t believe he’s doing this! She started cutting through traffic with the intention to lose him there, when she thought he was gone she came to a stop, she was at her parking back at the hotel.
Thomas drove up behind her, and he parked his car in front of her. Cassandra’s anger was very visible as she stormed out of her car and went towards him.
“Why are you doing this? I’m not letting you hurt my son, I know you want to see him, but you can’t not after…”
“I left, I know and you never let me forget it, I wish things would have turn out differently.”
“Don’t you think I wish that too? We can’t turn back time, you did what you thought you had to do…I’m not saying it’s totally your fault I also did what I thought I had to do, my son needs…”
“A father, and you think Charlie is it! I have a right to at least see him. Cassandra please I just want to see him, he doesn’t have to know it’s me. I just…”
“He knows how you look like, and he thinks you died, I couldn’t bring myself to tell him you left…”
“Do you think Charlie will be a father to my son?”
“Wait, what are you saying? Are you jealous? You have no right! Besides Charlie is…”
“You think he can just come an replace me? I have a right, Thomas is my son and you’re taking him away from me.”
“I’m not taking him away from you, you decided not to be there, remember? Don’t come telling me that you care now,” she turned to walk towards the door.
Thomas her son was coming down stairs after noticing his mother down stairs from the window. He stopped suddenly when the door opened, and hid. Cassandra walked in and Thomas was behind her, “listen to me, I didn’t leave our son I thought…”
“You didn’t trust me, if my son were to know how you…”
“I never abandoned him!”
“You knew I was pregnant,” her tears started falling, and she hated herself for crying in front of him, “with your son, but you never cared about him you think I can say that to him?”
Thomas stepped in front of her blocking her, “look I just want you to be happy, and it doesn’t matter with who but Thomas is my son.”
Cassandra took a few steps back, “don’t you mention that…you have no right! You’ll never hurt him!”
“Ok let’s talk,” he took hold of her and walked towards the chairs. They sat and they didn’t notice Thomas hiding behind the sofa he heard everything what was being said.
“Let me go, I have nothing to talk about…”
“That’s fine you can listen, that day at the airport when I saw you going back home I wanted to see both of you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“When I went to return your phone, I wanted to see you both so much that I wasn’t thinking when I ran through the passenger gate. I was just going to talk to you, but I wasn’t planning to take flight. I didn’t expect to carry him in my arms and we…”
“We didn’t do anything, that was an awkward moment I don’t know why…”
“Maybe you still…”
“No! don’t even say it!” she stood so suddenly that Thomas was shocked.
Her son stood up just as fast and looked at them both, “Thomas?” Cassandra said shocked that he‘d be there.
“My dad wasn’t dead? Mom, you lied to me!” His son looked hurt “why did you lie to me?” crossing his arms he wouldn’t look at them, “he was right…” he whispered without thinking.
Thomas heard what he said, “who was right?”
His eyes were filled with tears he didn’t answer he just glared at his father, “you never loved me! He was right! I don‘t want to see you, I just…”
Cassandra looked at her son, “Thomas! We talked about this you know it is not the truth.”
Thomas knelt down, “Thomas listen to me I would never hate you…” Thomas was looking down, “I love you son.”
Thomas sniffed, he kept wiping his tears, “no…” he looked at his mother, “you lied to me.”
Thomas looked hurt, “Thomas, did Charlie tell you this?”
“No, it was someone else someone from school, but he was right you never loved me because you never knew who I was.”
“Thomas we talked about this. That boy, he was the ignorant who didn’t know…”
Thomas started to cry, and he looked down as he almost whispered, “I want to leave.”
“Leave? Are you guys leaving again?”
“Thomas you have no right to stop me from leaving with my son, I’ll talk to him you should leave.”
“I’m not leaving! Not this time if you want to keep seeing Charlie that’s fine, but you can’t stop me from seeing my son. He needs me.”
“He needed you before! But…”
“I know, I left but you never told me we had a son I never abandoned him I just found out.”
“Oh, I guess Rebecca didn’t tell you, don’t play innocent with me you knew…”she stopped herself remembering where she was at.
Thomas was glaring at her, “I want to know exactly what did you tell our son?” he had a grip around her wrist, and he wouldn’t let go.
Thomas was still in shock he was mad, and he was too little to understand, why is this happening? He watched his parents arguing. Thomas started walking away, his parents were too busy to notice.
He walked to the door and before exiting he turned to his parents and said out loud, “I should have never wished it!”
Cassandra and Thomas looked at him at the same time, her son couldn’t be more embarrassed. “what did you say?” Thomas looked at him.
“His birthday wish, he wanted…”
“I wanted to see my father at least for a little bit, I shouldn’t have wished you back! I hate you both!” He turned red as he ran away.
Cassandra didn’t think twice as she ran behind him, “Thomas don’t…” Thomas kept running when he turned when he noticed the trailer charging towards him he froze shocked.
Cassandra ran up to him and Thomas ran up from behind her, “Thomas!” He screamed to his son, scared for the first time truly worried about. Cassandra was running towards her son in the middle of the road and pushed him away.
Thomas tried signaling the driver to stop but the trailer kept charging, the driver wasn’t paying attention, he was talking on his cell phone. By the time he came to a stop he hit her making her hit the pavement.
Thomas carried his son who was squirming in his arms. “Hey hold on I have to check on your mother,” Thomas tried not to sound scared he had to be strong for him. He placed his son down while he knelt down beside Cassandra who was unconscious laying on the floor.
His son‘s eyes started watering, “is she going to be ok? It’s all my fault, if I hadn’t ran, she would still be ok.”
Thomas looked at his son, “listen to me, this is not your fault you never wanted this to happen.”
“No, but I ran and, and now she’s…” he couldn’t take it anymore, as he started to cry.
Thomas looked at him, and he hugged his crying son, “she’s going to be fine, you’ll see…” Cassandra started to move her head, “Cassandra you’re going to be fine.”
“What happened?” She looked around and her son was looking back at her, “sweety are you ok?”
Thomas nodded his head, “I am sorry I don’t hate you,” he looked at his father, “and I don’t hate you either, but I thought…”
“No don’t you think that! I never hated you,” he embraced his son. Cassandra couldn’t help but cry, she’d been trying to protect her son from him before because she couldn’t trust him but now…he was showing how he cared for his son.
“Mom, are you ok?”
“Of course I am, I just…” she stood and she wanted to faint but Thomas caught her, “I’m fine. I just need to rest a bit but I’m fine.”
“The ambulance is coming don’t get up, you shouldn’t be moving,” they heard the sirens coming from the corner of the street.
They finally noticed the people around them they were all staring at them, the security was clearing them away, “you’ll have to move! The ambulance can’t get through.”
Cassandra felt like she was fainting again, Thomas was there with her, “Cassandra you should lay back down,” she noticed her son’s worried face, “sweety I’m ok don’t worry.” She fainted again.
When she woke up she was at the hospital, she turned her head to the side, Thomas was there with their sleeping son in his arms. “Thomas? What happened? Why am I here?”
Thomas looked worried, “Cassandra don’t you remember anything?”
“I don’t know, what happened?”
“You need to rest up, I’m going out for a bit. You were in an accident it was a hit and run, don’t you recall it?”
“Thomas? Is he ok I need to see my son! He was probably hit and…”
“He’s asleep, and he’s fine he wasn’t injured,” Thomas sat on the chair beside her bed to show her he had him. “I can take care of him, you can trust me. He’ll be alright.”
“My baby!” She caressed his face and he woke up.
“Mommy you’re up! You’re ok, I love you mom I don’t really hate you, I was mad but…I’m sorry.”
Suddenly it all came back the argument, and Thomas running and the accident, she remembered. Cassandra looked at Thomas, “where is his sitter.”
“She left mom, she said she was leaving because…”
“What? How dare she? I’m going and…” the doctor came in, he had a clip board and a pen, “doctor, good you’re here, I’m fine I want to know when I can go, my son needs me and I have a lot of work to do, please doctor I need to leave.”
Thomas wasn’t surprised he knew better than to be surprised yet again he couldn’t believe his son’s sitter just left, “Cassandra I’ll take him and I’ll bring him back tomorrow.”