Chapter 4
When they got to the office, he already had everything ready, once they started he noticed she was a bright student, “did you ever take a college course? Or did someone taught you before?”
“No, I wanted to study as soon as I graduated from high school.”
“What stopped you?”
“I had to work, my father died and I took a job to help support my family.”
He admired her, he remembered when he was a graduate he was only thinking about how easy it was for him he never thought, that someone could’ve had it harder than him.
Silence reigned, for a moment as their eyes met, Mr. Thompson looked away, and cleared his throat. Julie turned, back to her books nervously.
Thomas fell asleep on the sofa, and Cassandra carried him up stairs, to his bedroom, after placing him down she went to the kitchen, her mother’s speech was on kitchen table.
She sat and started to practice it, and she would until the day came, in their back yard they had a grand hall, where the grand opening was taking place. In that hall they had a large stage, with a microphone all set for the day.
It made Cassandra nervous to think of that day, the last time she went up on stage and made a speech was on her sweet sixteenth birthday.
But now she was going to stand in front of people she probably never even met, and it scared her to think about it, she had given up this kind of life when she got kicked out of her house, five years ago.
Now she was back with Thomas, for his own good. But wondered if it really was for his own good, sometimes she thought it was too much too fast for him, he was after all just a child, and she wanted to teach him humbleness.
Cassandra was witness, of what money could do to a person, and she didn’t want her child ever going down that path of arrogance.
Thomas was awake and playing in his room, it was Saturday morning, and he was taking advantage of that. He was running all over the house, while Mrs. Shultz was chasing him playing a game of hide and seek.
Julie was with her tutor in the library, she had been studying hard and she was excited about the grand opening she was assisting to in the up coming week. The door bell rang and their night gowns arrived, a special designer had made them for her, and they were going to wear them especially for that night.
According to Olivia, there was going to be at least a hundred people, and these hundred people might bring someone, the hired caters were busy. Cassandra had been busy practicing.
Olivia was helping her daughter, with her speech, “mother it has been so long since, I even made a speech, I never made a speech like this, and…”
“You’ll do fine, just relax, and take a deep breath before you have to go on stage, and the words are going to be displayed in that screen that you see over there.”
Cassandra was on stage, she could imagine herself, speaking to all the people, she remembered how it was for her to go up there and speak. It was just days away for their grand opening.
But it wasn’t just the grand opening she had to worry about she had to worry that neither Thomas, or his family would hear about her or her son, especially about her son.
More days had gone by and her grand opening would take place the next day, she was nervous because her mother told her that the magazines would be there, and to prepare herself because Thomas’ family would definitely hear about her.
Although years had passed, and she was totally changed, her and Thomas had been high school sweethearts, they were suppose to get married when she turned eighteen. Now she had let her hair grow, her style changed, and so had she.
So even if he saw her he wouldn’t recognize her, well it was too much, she knew that but at least she could wish. Cassandra had gone to the beauty shop she wanted to be a different person.
When she got home, her son was outside playing in the pool but he was alone, Mrs. Schultz wasn’t there. “Thomas get out of the pool, right now!”
Thomas turned to look at her, but he saw surprised him it was a lady dressed, differently then his mother. She looked more elegant, and her hair was a different color.
“Thomas listen to me, get out! I’ve told you before you can’t be in there by your self.”
Thomas looked wide eyed, “mommy, you look different what happened with you hair?”
Cassandra went to her son, “I changed the color of my hair do you like it?”
Thomas looked up at her, “yes mommy, but I didn’t know it was you, your different, I was playing here because I was bored.”
“I will take you to the park tomorrow, not today because mommy is busy today ok, I need you to go in the house right now and do your home work.”
Thomas looked down, “ok mommy,” disappointed he left the pool, and went to the house. Cassandra sighed, why would he be out here, by himself?
She went inside, where she saw the phone was blinking, she had forgotten her cell phone at home, when she left and she had a few missed calls, from her mother, her sister, and Mrs. Shultz.
She called Mrs. Shultz, first to see what had happened, she said she was running late because of the traffic. Then she called her mother, and her sister was there with her, they wanted to know if she was ready and they were arriving.
“I’m sorry mother, the sitter got stuck in traffic, and she says that she is almost here, I can’t leave Thomas alone, right now but, I’m practically ready.”
“Well, Mr. Swan, is here he is the designer and he is coming over to take a look at you, and him and his make up artist will help you, since you are coming out first, before the models. But you have to start right now.”
“Mother, he has to do the models, I will do my own make up and I will be ready on time don’t worry, I went to the beauty salon today and had my hair done.”
“That’s fine sweety, we are arriving right now,” the door bell rang, “We’re here, sweet pea, so just open the door.”
Cassandra was surprised, she needed more time, she told her son to go to his room, while she ran to the door. “mother, I didn’t know you were already here, but please come in.”
Her mother came in with her sister and Mr. Swan right behind her, “oh is this your daughter? She looks stunning, I think I can, do her make up right now, and I would like you to try on my dress.”
Cassandra was astonished, she had told her mother she would do her makeup, “Cassandra your hair looks nice, I didn’t know you dyed it.”
“Yes, especially for today do you like it?”
“Love it! Now go on, you have to go with Mr. Swan he is ready to work in you now.”
She didn’t have time to argue, she went and sat on a chair, and had Mr. Swan work on her, when they were done she had time to spear.
Cassandra went up to her son’s room, and made sure he did his home work, “mommy, are you going to do this every day?”
“No sweety, only once a week, but I can still be with you, I can still drop you off at school and pick you up, every day, now we can go have a cone of ice cream every day after school, ok?”
Thomas smiled at her, “ok mommy, and what about when it gets cold?”
“When it gets cold we will go to get a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows.”
Thomas smiled, “mommy can I watch tv with Mrs. Shultz she says she is bringing a movie.”
“Yes, you can,” the door bell rang, “she is coming so be good and listen to her ok?”
Thomas nodded his head, and hugged her, “I love ya!” Cassandra laughed and kissed him on the forehead.
“I love you most.”
Mrs. Shultz opened the door, “don’t worry, I’ll take good care of him.”
Cassandra left relaxed now that Mrs. Shultz was taking care of Thomas, and she was ready, she came down and saw Julie was ready, her tutor would be there with her. Julie ran to her when she saw her, “Cassandra you look beautiful!”
“Thank you, I just hope I look different, from the usual, I will be the one announcing the grand opening Thomas’ family might just get to see me, in the cover of a magazine. I don’t want them to recognize me.”
“I barely recognized you, but if Thomas finds you, you can’t run scared, you would have to face him, or he’ll know you’re hiding something.”
“I know I just hope he never shows up here, I don’t want Thomas to see him.”
“I told you once he won’t see you, if he ever came here, I would be answering the door. Not you, if he wants to talk to you he’ll have to do it some other way, not here with your son.”
“Cassandra! Oh there you are, come on hurry your speech is about to start,” her mother hurried her over to the back stage.
Julie smiled, “go on.”
“Thanks,” Cassandra ran off, to the stage and said her speech, everyone was there, the photographers that worked for the magazine were taking pictures. Mr. Swan came out as she announce him.
The models were going out in their dresses, suddenly Mr. Swan came running to Mrs. Hopkins, and they called Cassandra over, one of the models was sick and she couldn’t go on, but her dress was the grand finale.
Mr. Swan asked Cassandra to model the dress, for him “please, I’m desperate! I’ll owe you one and…”
“Al right,” she ran to the back stage, and the model was sick, she put on the dress, and went out, the photos wouldn’t stop, she walked up to the microphone with Mr. Swan, as he was talking about the dress.
“This dress, is a special night gown, with an open back, made out of satin. As you can see, she is carrying a necklace with her, that comes with the dress.” Her red dress, went well with the ruby necklace.
All the models went back stage, and Mr. Swan announce Cassandra for the closing speech. Cassandra went out to the microphone, and over the microphone she noticed all the people looking at her.
Julie her friend was there, and her family, she did her closing speech and everyone was welcomed to the party they had afterwards, they sat at the table and the caterers were busy serving everyone.
Everyone wanted to interview the designer of the clothes, and they wanted to interview Cassandra since they saw her model the dress. Cassandra was trying to stay busy, she didn’t want to be displayed all over the magazines.
“I’m sorry I’m not the clothing designer, and I am not a model either.”
“None sense, you modeled for me today, and it would give me great pleasure to have you model again, go on talk to them you deserve a little fame, tomorrow everybody is gonna see you.”
Cassandra wasn’t expecting for this to happen, she wasn’t a real model, why couldn’t he put another model to be displayed instead? “Mr. Swan, about that, I can’t be on the covers of the magazines…”
“It’s not my choice, but you really were the star tonight, and the people saw that, you should be happy.”
Cassandra tried smiling but now that she knew her face was going to be seen by everyone bothered her. She went back stage to the changing room, the models were all glaring at her.
“What makes you so special? We’ve been trying to get the spotlight to notice us but you come one day and then just take it away?”
“No! you don’t understand, I am not a model, but since they couldn’t find someone else to…”
“We are going to talk to Mr. Swan, he has to know you’re not a model.”
“He knows, but the magazines decided to take pictures of me, and I’m not interested in having fame, trust me…”
They glared at her even more, and they left, why was fame so important to them? Was it that much to even change your attitude? Well, it wasn’t her fault, she didn’t want to do it, to be famous. They left the room, leaving her in there alone.
Mr. Swan came in and saw her, “don’t listen to them, they’re really not bad people, it’s just that they have been trying so hard, but they think you are stealing their spotlight.”
“Well trust me, they can have it, I don’t need a spotlight to live,” she took off the dress, and changed in her night gown, when she came out the magazine photographers were waiting for her.
Mr. Swan came out, “she’s left home, she isn’t here,” they all left disappointed, he came back in, “you can go now, they all left.”
Cassandra smiled, “thank you, Mr. Swan,” she stood and left through the back door.
When she went to her house, Mrs. Shultz, was ready to leave, “he is asleep already tuck him in bed, and he did all his homework.”
Cassandra hugged Mrs. Shultz, “thank you so much, I’m sorry I couldn’t get out earlier, it’s just that…”
“I arrived late today, so no need to apologize, we’re even.”
Mrs. Shultz walked out the door and Cassandra showed her out, Julie was coming inside, with her mother and her father.
“Cassandra, what happened, you left early…”
“I hadn’t left yet, it’s just that the photographers weren’t leaving me alone, and we had to say that I left.”
Her parents said good night and her mother, said she would be there the next day, if she could but she would call first. Her dad wanted to congratulate her, on her job. And they left leaving her and her friend home.
Julie wanted to talk to her, she looked like she had a lot in her mind, “are they going to put you all over the magazines?”
“Yes, I’m worried, I thought I was suppose to blend in but I guess, I stole their spot light.”
Julie looked confused, “huh? What do you mean?”
“Nevermind, the models were jealous. I mean they actually thought I wanted the spot light, I was trying to run from it, but…”
“They caught you, and now you’re afraid Thomas might find you.”
“Exactly! Now what can I do?”
“Wait, what if he has a girlfriend? Or a wife? He probably already has a life and he won’t even look for you,” somehow she was hoping it were true.
“Ha, ha, ha I don’t know Julie, I don’t think so not with his parents, they didn’t even want me, remember? And we had been dating for a long time, I guess it was because we were too young, too stupid, but they were never going to accept me.”
“I don’t know I’m just trying to sound positive for you, but wait, guess who was asked out tonight?”
Cassandra and Julie were like this since high school, and this moment reminded them of those times, “who was it? Is he cute?”
“Well, I don’t know, I got a letter from him and he wanted to know if I could meet him tomorrow, he is a secret admirer, see I have the note right here.”
“Are you going?”
“I don’t know, I have to be here, to study but I think I might go it’s not everyday I get to meet my secret admirer. I can multi task, I’ll tell Mr. Thompson, that I want to take my classes out and, I’ll think of something.”
“Ah ok… but if you want you can take a day off from your studies, or an hour off while he is on break, you should meet him.”
“I love the way you think, now I have to go up stairs to get my beauty rest.”
Julie was practically in love with this admirer, she was going up stairs dreamily, as if to be dancing, as she merrily took each step.
Cassandra looked at her friend, and followed her she was smiling happy to see her friend in such a state of mind she never thought she’d see her like, “Julie you forgot your purse down stairs,” she handed it to her and she went her way to her son‘s room.
Julie was too happy she went inside her room and literally hugged the pillows from her bed, thinking about the next day.
Cassandra was thinking about the next day, but what she was thinking was not something she was looking forward to. She didn’t like the idea of having her face all over the front pages of the magazines. Now Thomas was definitely, going to see her. What would she do?
Thomas was asleep, without a care in the world, he looked so peaceful so innocent he had no idea that how fast his life was changing around him. She bent down and kissed him on the cheek, and he moved, but went back to sleep.
The next day she woke up early and got her son ready for school. He looked so happy, “mommy are you taking me to school everyday?”
Cassandra looked at him, “yes, I am sweety.”
Thomas looked up to her, and smiled, she smiled back at him. “Ok you behave and pay attention to your teacher now!”