Chapter 21

It took a good deal of begging before Cassie's publishing house allowed her yet more time off. She wondered if her job would still be there when she returned. They had granted her two weeks unpaid compassionate leave, and without delay she had booked a flight to San Francisco flying out on Monday and returning Saturday.

She gave the address to the cab driver, who seemed to know it. Cassie realised that Catherine was a celebrity, and she felt fear. How would Ged's American girlfriend react to her. She had not tried to contact the woman beforehand. She would arrive and then see how things went. There were plenty of hotels if things went badly.

The cab drew up in front of the house, and Cassie gasped. It was a mansion. Beautiful gardens with architectural trees and bushes surrounded a house the beauty of which took Cassie's breath away.

"Would you wait please?" she asked the driver.

"Sure, ma'am," came the reply. "Love the British accent!"

She gave him her most brilliant smile and approached the front door, upon which she knocked. And waited. And waited. Then the door opened.

"Well, hello there," said the pretty woman standing before her with a wide welcoming smile. "May I help you?"

"Hello," said Cassie, though she was trembling. "I'm Cassie, Ged's--"

"The Cassie?" the woman asked, wide eyed. "Ged's Cassie?"

"Not any more," Cassie replied. "He doesn't want me anymore," and her eyes filled.

"I'm Catherine," the woman said. "Where are you staying, honey?"

"Nowhere yet," said Cassie. "I'll find a hotel later; I hoped to talk to Ged -- I've something to tell him that he wanted to know."

"Oh, you must stay here with me," Catherine said. "Ged's away for the week, but you can visit with me while you wait."

"You're very kind," said Cassie. "But I can't impose--"

"Nonsense," said Catherine. "I'm on my own, working on some songs. You'll be good company for me. Let's get your bags."

Cassie paid the driver and Catherine collected her bags. Catherine took her straight to a guest bedroom, and put down her bag.

"Now," she said. "You're my guest until Ged comes back in four days. We're going to have the greatest time."

They did. Catherine had the knack of getting Cassie to tell her whole story, and made no comment, but accepted everything. She took Cassie to see the sights, and to meet some of her friends.

Cassie asked her about her songs, and Catherine played her some, and sang some for her. She asked Cassie for her poems and was clearly moved by many of them, recognising those that Ged had set to music.

"Cassie," she told her, "We'll work on Ged together. I'm on your side, kiddo. He doesn't deserve you. What's happened is not your fault."

As the day approached for Ged to arrive, however, Cassie became more and more edgy and apprehensive. Catherine did her best to cheer her, but really there was nothing to be done. Cassie had been rebuffed too many times.

On Friday evening there came the text from Ged and Catherine's reply. They sat at the kitchen table and waited.

"Hello Ged," said Cassie.

"Cassie? What are you doing here?"

"I've got something to tell you."

"So much for you 'leaving me alone' and 'waiting for me to come to you'. You're stalking me. It won't work Cassie."

"Hi, Ged," Catherine interrupted. "Welcome back!" Her voice had a note of irony and Ged saw it immediately.

"Sorry, Catherine," he said, "but Cassie is hounding me."

"You are being real stupid, Ged," Catherine replied. "Cassie has been here a few days and we've had some good times. She's already my friend, buddy, and you're not giving her a chance. We talked a lot and I know what she's been through. Now, you listen! Sit down."

Ged was surprised at Catherine's outburst, and did as he was told.

"Now Ged," said Catherine, "Cassie has something to tell you; something you wanted to know. She loves you so much she's come all the way from Britain to tell you, and it's going to cost her. She's afraid that what she tells you will finish you as a couple completely, but she wants to tell you anyway because you want to know. You've got some woman here, Ged."

"OK," said Ged, moodily. "What is this great truth you have for me Cassie? It had better be better than your previous efforts."

He saw Cassie flinch and Catherine bristle, and he immediately regretted what he had said, though he said nothing but gritted his teeth.

"You don't make it easy," said Cassie plaintively. "This is hard enough for me, without your carping, but anyway I'm leaving tomorrow, and I'll be out of your hair for good. So."

She took a deep breath. "You wanted to know why I react so intensely when a man lets me down. I went home and Dollar was around and she told me why. She was there when it happened and she stood by me when no one else did.

"When I was fifteen in High School, I started going with a boy called Douglas, or Doug for short. He was so fit, and good looking. Captain of the football team, captain of the cricket team, medals at athletics. And he wanted me.

"I was so besotted with him, I'm embarrassed about it now. He was two years older than I was – seventeen. He was so ... masculine – so strong. I couldn't see how selfish he was; for me, he could do no wrong. And he wanted me."

Ged gave a snort of derision. "I don't see what this--"

"Button it, Ged," said Catherine sharply. "You aren't helping, and this is totally relevant."

Ged shrugged, and gave her a petulant look. Catherine scowled at him.

"Go on sweetheart," Catherine said to Cassie, reaching out and covering her hand with her own.

Again, a deep breath. "Anyway, he seduced me. We'd made out for weeks, and it happened one evening at his parents' house while they were out at some function. He took my virginity. After that we had sex a few times, and..."

Here she stopped and looked down at the table. Then she continued, staring at the table top, as if each sentence was wrung from her.

"I got pregnant." She shivered then continued.

"I was so frightened. I told him and he shouted at me for being a 'stupid bitch' (I remember the words exactly), and not being protected.

"Why he assumed that I would be on the pill at fifteen, I don't know. He never used a condom and I was too naïve to realise.

"I couldn't tell my parents on my own, and so I begged him to stand by me, while I confessed to them.

"Well, he gave me an ultimatum. He'd get money from his parents for an abortion and I mustn't tell anyone. I told him I couldn't take the life of my unborn child. So he told me that if I didn't have the termination, as he called it, he'd have nothing more to do with me, and I could face my parents alone.

"If I had the abortion he would stay with me and we would get engaged. He said he wanted me to be his wife, but a baby so early would make everything too difficult at our age. He told me a clinic would do it without telling my parents. He was right.