your grief. Listen to what I’m saying, Laura. Liam knew he was dying. He knew his time was limited. Don’t you think he’d have wanted to spend every minute with his wife and daughter? And if not with me, then at least with Nicole?” She paused. “So why didn’t he?”
Laura paled a little, but she remained firm. “You wore him down until he gave up and left, that’s why.”
“No.” Cassandra held the other woman’s gaze, refusing to accept responsibility for something she hadn’t done. She understood why her mother-in-law couldn’t let go of the past right now. Laura hurt too much in losing her son, and she needed someone to take that hurt out on.
Her.
“Laura, would you have given up on spending the last few months with your son?” She saw the shock on the other woman’s face as the words hit home. “No, you didn’t, did you?” she said gently.
All at once Laura looked stricken. “But…I don’t understand. Why would Liam want a baby so much, then walk away from her in the last few months of his life? It doesn’t make sense.”
Cassandra exhaled. She was finally getting through. “Everybody reacts differently.”
“I know, but…”
“I can only guess he didn’t want Nicole to be affected by everything going on with him. I’m sure Liam wanted his daughter, but I think in the end he became too scared to love her.” She took a shaky breath. “He knew he was leaving her, you see.”
Tears pooled in the other woman’s eyes. “Oh, my God, I do believe you,” she whispered, then spun away and buried her face in her husband’s chest.
The relief of being believed was so strong, Cassandra’s knees wobbled. Until this moment, Liam had been between them, blocking her mother-in-law from seeing the truth. As painful as it was, Laura had accepted it now.
She felt a hand on her shoulder then, and realized Dominic was steadying her. She looked up at him beside her…with her daughter still in his arms…and suddenly she had to know something. He’d finally believed her last night about her loving Liam when she’d married him. But did he believe her now? Did he believe that she hadn’t pushed Liam into going home to die? That she had been willing to look after her husband until the end? She needed to know. “Do you believe me, Dominic?”
The question hung in the air. Then, “Yes, Cassandra, I do.”
For a moment her heartbeat stuttered as love swelled within her.
And then as quickly a pain-filled looked entered his eyes.
His mouth opened—
Just then, Laura left her husband’s arms with a short sob and hugged Cassandra. “I’m so sorry for the way I treated you.”
Cassandra hugged Laura, but her eyes were on Dominic. She’d seen him give a jolt and his mouth closed, the moment broken. She had the feeling he’d been about to say something to her. Something important. Could it be regret for the way he, too, had treated her?
Disappointed that this would have to wait, she hugged her mother-in-law. “Laura, I understand.”
Laura eased back. “But I’ve been terrible to you. Really terrible. I’ve even shocked myself at how horrible I’ve been to you.”
“It was your grief talking, Laura. Not you.”
Her mother-in-law’s face softened. “Thank you, darling. You’re such a lovely person. I’m so proud now that you’re married to Dominic, and that you’ve given us such a beautiful granddaughter.”
Cassandra’s heart rose in her throat. “No, thank you for letting me be a part of your family again,” she said huskily.
They smiled at each other.
“Right. Now that’s out of the way,” Adam said in a joking manner. “Can we please decorate the tree? I’d like to get fed this side of Christmas.”
Michael said something lighthearted then, and Laura gave a watery laugh, but Dominic said nothing and Cassandra thought he looked a little strained around the eyes. She wanted to tell him not to worry, that she forgave him, too, but Adam called to him and Dominic turned to follow his brother.
She gestured to the couch. “Why don’t you both take a seat,” she told her in-laws, “while I go check on dinner?”
“Do you need any help?” Laura asked.
“No thanks. It’s all under control.” She spun away as the tension from the last few minutes suddenly got the better of her and tears welled in her eyes.
Once in the kitchen she stood for a moment, needing time to herself to absorb everything that had happened this evening. She hadn’t let herself admit until a few minutes ago just how