Authors: Paige Cameron
A lump formed in Cassie’s throat. “Yes.” She hoped she wasn’t lying.
“My wish is to see you happy and married.”
“I am happy, Mom.”
“Not totally. You should be married already and have little ones running around. But it’s not too late. I’m certain Nick and Lang still care for you. They’ve never seriously dated anyone from the ranch or town. They’d make you good husbands.”
“I know.”
“Then do something about it, soon. I want to see my daughter at her wedding.”
“The oldest of my brothers has married and given you a daughter-in-law. Isn’t that enough?”
Her mother gave her a glance like she did when Cassie was younger and spouting nonsense. “It’s not the same. You know it.”
“I can’t just marry to please you. I have to be sure.”
“You are sure. Whatever is holding your back, get rid of it.”
After several minutes of silence, Cassie saw by her mother’s soft breathing that she’d gone to sleep.
Get rid of what is holding me back.
If only she was certain the threat was gone, she would go on with her life.
* * * *
She left her mother in the nurse’s capable hands and went to the salon, as her mother had directed, and made a hair appointment. That done, she decided to look for rugs for Lang and Nick’s house. There was a Native American shop a few miles away where she often bought items for her store. She’d seen some rugs that would look perfect in the living room and the family room behind the kitchen.
Cassie wandered through the big store. She found several smaller items for her shop and two colorful rugs for the house. She also bought twin large vases to sit on either side of the front door of Lang and Nick’s house. Two of the men loaded the rugs and other items into the SUV.
It was time to get her mother. She got into the driver’s seat and started the car. A chill went down her spine. Glancing back as she pulled out of the parking space, she saw a blond-haired man gazing after her. Peter? She gunned the motor and turned right at the corner. Quickly, she wove around several streets until satisfied he didn’t follow. Her fear squeezed her chest tight.
Was it him standing there, or was her anxiety causing her to see him in every blond-haired man his height? And did he get the tag number? If he came nosing around her mother’s house, might he hurt her? She wasn’t sure what to do. She hadn’t planned to tell anyone about Peter, her obsessive, abusive former boyfriend. She’d still wait before speaking with her stepfather, Ralph. They were close, and she didn’t want to admit what a fool she’d been while she was gone. It was probably an overreaction on her part.
She’d been almost certain she was free of Peter. There had been no messages or sightings since she’d left San Francisco. But with his wealth and connections, he’d have resources to try and find her.
A headache started at the base of her skull. When she got to the hospital, she took a pill for it before going to get her mother. Dr. Castor stopped her as she started in the room where her mother got her treatments.
“I want to speak with you. Come down the hall to my office.” He led the way. Once inside he walked behind his desk and motioned for her to sit.
“She’s not doing well, is she?”
Dr. Castor shook his head. “Not as well as I’d like. Shall I ask her husband to come in to talk with me, or can you tell him that she’s not responding to the treatments as much as we’d like her to?”
“Are you ending the treatments?”
“We’ll see. If she doesn’t begin to show some benefit from them, we’ll have to stop.”
“I’ll talk to Dad. He’ll call if he has questions.”
“Good enough.” Dr. Castor stood and shook her hand. “She’s been happier these past few months since you’ve been home.”
“I know. Thank you, Dr. Castor, for everything. Taking a deep breath and forcing back the tears, Cassie walked slowly toward the room where her mother waited. The storm brewing around her these past few days had arrived, and inside her the pain and fear clutched tight.
* * * *
Her mother slept most of the way back to the ranch. She’d gotten her hair cut and in the process expended all her energy. Cassie parked the SUV and helped her mother inside to her bed.
“I’ll ask Dad to take the rugs I bought out to Lang and Nick’s new house. I’m going now, but I’ll be back later to check on you.”
Her mother reached up and touched Cassie’s cheek. “Don’t worry. I’m going to sleep. Ralph always comes home at lunch to see me.”
Cassie sat on the side of the bed. “You’ve been happy with Dad?”
“Of course.” She gave Cassie a weak smile. “I love Ralph and our sons. But you, my darling Cassie, are my only daughter. I want you to be happy. I’m sorry you felt like an outsider here. I never understood why. Ralph treated you like you were his own child.”
“He did, and I love him like he is my real father. I love my brothers. It wasn’t anything you or they did. I had a restlessness inside me that I couldn’t get rid of. I had to leave to find out who I was. I hope that makes sense to you.”
“Sort of. Are you settled now?”
“I hope so. Don’t worry. I’ll find my home just as you did. Sleep now. We’ll talk more when you’re rested.” She sat and held her mother’s hand until she fell asleep.
After she put the items she’d bought for the shop in her trunk, she drove to Rae’s house, hoping she’d be home. Rae’s cabin was close to her brothers’, the leaders, ranch house. Cassie saw Rae’s car in the drive when she turned onto the main street.
Rae met her at the door. “I heard your car. Come in. I’m working on the plans.”
“I found some beautiful rugs and left them in the SUV. Dad will take them out to the house.”
“Great. You look exhausted. How about a glass of iced tea?”
Cassie chuckled. “You remembered that’s my drink of choice.”
“I did.”
Rae led her to the kitchen, and Cassie sat and watched as she poured them tea and added sugar. Cassie leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes for a second.
“That bad?”
Cassie opened her eyes and saw Rae had sat across the small table from her. A tall glass of tea had been placed in front on her. She took a long swallow.
“Thanks, I needed that. Yes, it’s bad. They’re considering stopping the treatments for Mom. The doctor said they aren’t working.” Suddenly anger overflowed inside her. She frowned at Rae. “You all are so smart. Don’t you have anything to help Mom? You have some of the brightest scientists in the country working all day on whatever.”
“I’m not sure what all they work on, either. Let me talk to Mitch or Daren. They’d know. Most of the medical innovations have been done to adapt medicines and treatments for our people. One of the main problems has always been the difference in our blood. We can’t take blood transfusions from the usual supply. We have to keep our own.
“Even if we have a treatment that might help your mother, she’d have to be checked thoroughly first. Our doctors would want to see if when she was pregnant, she got enough of our cells in her system to accept treatment geared for us.”
“Doesn’t giving birth affect all the women the same?”
“No. Some are more adaptive and pick up more cells in transference between the mother and the placenta. But before I get into a more involved explanation let me talk to my brothers and see what they have to say.”
Cassie grasped her hand. “You’ve given me hope.”
“Don’t assume we have the answer to cure her. I don’t want you to be disappointed.”
“All right. I’ve got to get to the shop. Call me as soon as you talk with Mitch and Daren.”
During her drive, Cassie couldn’t stop hoping, and the uplifting feeling built inside of her. When she parked behind her business, she sat for a minute. She wanted to know more about the people she’d felt so alien to in the past, and to understand them. Instead of rejecting all their offers to include her.
Her friend, Caedmon, had encouraged her to come back. “
What you seek, you have left behind. Go find the knowledge and you will find yourself.”
She could hear his voice in her ear. And yet it had taken her another three years to finally follow his advice. Three years that had complicated her return.
* * * *
Mitch and Daren raised their heads from the map they were studying when Rae knocked on the open door. “Can I come in?”
Daren smiled and walked across to hug her. “You know we’re always glad to see our favorite sister.”
Rae wrinkled her nose at him. “I’m your only sister.”
“True, and you’re still my favorite.”
Laughing, Rae went to Mitch and hugged him. “He’s”—she nodded at Daren—“incorrigible.”
“I know. Sara tells him that often. Have a seat. What brings you to see us in the middle of the day? I heard you had a new, big job.”
“I do, and I’m getting paid. Actually I was working on the plans when Cassie came to see me. She’s my partner.”
“Partner?” Daren asked from where he’d slouched down in one of the chairs.
“I’ve decided to start a business in decorating and furnishing houses. Cassie can keep things going while I’m on assignment. She has an uncanny eye for color and design, too. We’ll work well together.”
“Congratulations,” Mitch said. “That’s a great idea.”
“Cassie is the reason I came by today. She just left my house. She has been taking her mother to the city for her cancer treatments. The doctor is concerned the therapy isn’t working. She may die unless we have something that might help.” She looked from Mitch to Daren.
“All our medical research is geared to our anatomy and physiology,” Daren said.
“Do we have medical care for cancer?” Rae persisted.
“Our scientists have made some breakthroughs, but the risk of using them on a regular earthling could be fatal,” Mitch warned.
“She may have some of our cells circulating in her blood,” Rae reminded him.
“Probably not enough. If she was like Sara and a descendent of the third tribe, then she’d probably do fine.” Mitch walked from around his desk and put his arm around Rae. “I know you want to help. You should talk with Jack. He’ll have more answers than me or Daren. Ask him to check her. He’s done a lot of studying about the differences in our two races. He’d be considered the expert among our doctors in that area.”
Rae started out the door. “Wait.” Mitch stopped her. “First talk with Ralph and Liz. See if they want you to check into this option for her. Explain the dangers.”
“You’re right. I was so anxious to find something, anything that might help, I forgot to include the patient and her family. I’ll go over to their house now. It’s past lunch, but maybe Ralph will still be home.”
She hurried to her car and drove quickly to Cassie’s family’s home. Ralph was just walking to his car. His shoulders were slouched, and his face looked drawn and worried.
“Ralph, I’m glad I caught you. I have something to discuss with you and Liz.”
“She’s so weak, Rae. I left her in bed.”
“Let me tell you my idea.”
Rae watched his face as she told him about her talk with Mitch and Daren. He shook his head.
“I don’t know, Rae. I doubt she’s strong enough to handle that. Even if she has some of our cells or antibodies, the treatment would still be more difficult for her than us.”