She turned to Marie, who studied her through wise eyes. “Thank you for seeing me,” Cassie said.
“Are you kidding? From the time Derek mentioned your name, I couldn’t wait to see what a fine young lady you grew into.”
Cassie blinked in surprise. “You really don’t … hold it against me? What my father did?”
“Honey, we aren’t responsible for the sins of others.”
“I’m so sorry. I’m also grateful you feel that way. You were a big part of my childhood, and it would break me if you hated me now.”
Marie grabbed her hand. “On to other things, really.”
“Okay. Okay.” She sniffed before she could break down.
“So Derek tells me you’re writing a series of articles about him.” She leaned back in her seat.
Cassie rubbed her hands together, her excitement over her choice assignment coming through. “I’m almost ready to start working on them. I just need your perspective on what he was like as a child, how he’s changed, if he has. Things like that.”
“Well, let’s see, he was a handful as a toddler, into everything.” Marie smiled at the memories. “But he was also a good boy. He wanted to please both me and his father. Always willing to help around the house and at work.”
Cassie took mental notes of everything Marie said. So far none of it surprised her. Derek was a decent man who took care of his friends and family, but he also had no problem digging into things he had no business doing … like her brother’s life.
She blew out a puff of air. Since he’d been truthful with her, she’d tried to be grateful for his honesty and not angry he’d gone digging. Especially since he’d had good reasons. Reasons that included taking care of her. Cassie had been, and still was, torn by that revelation. She shouldn’t have any loyalty to her family. After all, they’d shown her how little she mattered to them. But how did you throw away a lifelong belief of what family was supposed to mean?
Yet how could she blame Derek for anything he did before he’d been involved with her, or for looking into her brother’s past indiscretions?
“Cassandra, what’s wrong? You haven’t heard a word I’ve said.” Marie broke into her thoughts.
Cassie blinked and focused on the woman in front of her. “I’m sorry. I guess I have a lot on my mind. Let’s get back to Derek.”
The other woman nodded.
For the next twenty minutes, they talked about a variety of things. Derek’s grades—all As, his preference for math and the sciences, lack of athletic ability as a child, him finding the gym and boxing and building muscles as an adult. And his desire to give back now that he had so much. It was interesting to get his mother’s perspective on her son. She was obviously proud as she should be. She’d raised a wonderful man.
They talked about how losing his father had both hurt and defined him. He’d channeled the pain into a drive to succeed to make his father proud and provide for his mother to make up for the loss.
“He also nursed anger I wasn’t aware of until recently,” Marie said pointedly.
“At my father?” Cassie asked.
Marie nodded. “He believed that had we not been let go, we would have had health insurance and his father might have survived. What he doesn’t understand—or didn’t until I told him—was that his father was a stubborn mule. Who’s to say he’d have gone to a doctor in time?”
Cassie nodded. “I understand your point and it’s generous. Really.”
“Don’t get me wrong. I don’t appreciate being accused, blamed, arrested for something I didn’t do. I’ve lived with that pain and stigma all my life, but I’ve dealt with it. I think Derek is still learning.”
As Marie spoke, guilt and embarrassment suffused Cassie. “I’m sorry,” Cassie murmured again. It was all she could do.
The very thought that her father had lied ate away at her as Marie patted her hand.
Cassie was determined to find out why her father had lied and damaged a good woman’s reputation, even if she had to confront him herself. She knew her mother would never do it.
* * *
After leaving his mother’s, Derek drove by the high school he’d attended. As it turned out, school was closed for a Superindent’s Day, but the janitor remembered Derek and was happy to let them take a walk around. Cassie wanted to see where he’d spent his formative years, as she called them, and he figured why the hell not?
Although he’d been busy changing high hat light bulbs for his mom, he’d also spent time eavesdropping on the women. His mother had been her usual kind self, but she’d been honest, too, when Cassie mentioned her father. And though it was a fair conversation, Derek had felt Cassie’s discomfort, which way outweighed his mother’s pain. She had clearly overcome the past. Derek had made more progress recently.
For Cassie it was still raw. Nothing but time and, maybe someday, an explanation would help.