Chapter 23

"Well?" said Cheryl to Cassie as they sat in the car in the airport car park after Cheryl had met her off her flight. "You look better, what happened?"

"For the first time in a long time," Cassie told her, "I have hope. I think there's a chance."

Cheryl squealed with pleasure, and hugged her friend.

"I told him about the abortion and he said he didn't hate me." Cassie told her when the hug subsided. "He said he wished I'd told him before he went away on tour, he would have supported me. He said he wants to talk when he gets back in two weeks. He smiled at me, Cheryl, and I'm sure I saw love there in his eyes. I'm so happy!"

Next morning Cassie lay in bed and recalled her friend's happiness at her news and then Brian's smile of satisfaction. She felt peaceful and happy, and realised she had not felt like that since Zak tricked her into thinking Ged had been unfaithful. Even being married to Zak she had felt as if under a cloud.

This blissful feeling was followed by a sudden worry that she had misinterpreted Ged's words; 'we will talk' didn't sound as if he were totally enthusiastic. Then she recalled that seemingly trivial action of his in pushing her hair out of her eyes. He had been gentle with her and it had felt like a caress. No, she felt a strong hope that in the end they would be together. It was almost a conviction, but not quite.

She returned to work the next day and others at work would comment on how much better she looked or how much more cheerful. She noticed that instead of looking uncomfortable in her presence, they would smile more readily when they met or passed her and that in turn lifted her spirits even further. There was a spring in her step, a ready smile on her face and she could be heard humming a tune. Now she longed for Ged's return.

It was like that for the two weeks. As the time for Ged to come home drew near she became nervous.

Then came the week he should have been home. Monday passed and he did not ring. Jet lag, she thought.

Tuesday came and by evening Cassie became distressed.

"He's not rung me," she told Cheryl. "He's had second thoughts."

"Don't jump to conclusions, darling," temporised Cheryl. "He may have had to stay in the States a little longer. Phone Catherine Styles and find out."

She did so and a sleepy Catherine told her that Ged had left on the Sunday evening and would have arrived early Monday morning. She suggested Cassie phone Ged.

"Don't give up kiddo," she said to Cassie. "Go after him. He'll be catching up on work, or getting some extra sleep; I worked him pretty hard in this last two weeks. You know what he's like when he's writing."

Cassie was about to dial Ged's number, but suddenly felt afraid of how Ged might react. She decided to go to the house the next evening after work and see him in person. In reality she was putting off the moment, and she knew it.

The next afternoon she steeled herself and drove to the house, but it was empty. On the doorstep she phoned his land line number, but she could hear the phone ringing, and it did not go to the answer-phone, nor did anyone answer. She wondered where he was, but did not think to ring Gus.

On Thursday she rang him on his mobile, and again there was no answer and it went to voice mail. She was tongue tied and rang off rather than leave a message.

On Friday she detoured on her way to a late start at work to visit the house again. The gate was open and there was a car in the drive. She was about to approach the house when the front door opened and she saw Karin emerge and go to her car and retrieve something from it. She was wearing a short bathrobe, her long legs were bare, and Cassie assumed she was naked under it. Cassie drove away.

She was now totally confused. She knew Karin had been with Ged before he went to the States, but had assumed that was all over. Perhaps Ged was not there and Karin was just staying. Her spirits sank. Perhaps he was there and they were still together.

She worked the day through like a zombie, and because of her late arrival worked some overtime. She phoned Cheryl as she left, her depression obvious even over the phone.

"I think he's decided to stay with Karin. She's at his house; I saw her; she was wearing a bathrobe. What am I to do now?"

"Come home," said the ever practical Cheryl. "Brian will hold the fort and we'll go out for a meal. You can tell me all and it'll make you feel better."

Cassie felt a little better and made her way back to Cheryl's, where she changed and the two made their way to her favourite restaurant. When they arrived, Cassie got out of the car and walked to the door, while Cheryl parked the car.

She walked in and was talking to the waiter, when she saw Ged and Karin at a table. They were talking intimately together. Cassie made her apologies and left, meeting Cheryl on her way.

"We're going," she snapped. "I can't go in there. They are there together. Very cosy. I've had enough. I'm going back home for the weekend."

"We could go in and talk to them," suggested Cheryl, but Cassie violently shook her head. "No Cheryl, I've had enough. I just want to get away."

"There may be an explanation--"

"Cheryl, he's been home for the best part of a week and hasn't even phoned. Now he's having a cosy dinner with her. Shows where his priorities lie. I've made my mind up."

Cheryl knew better than to argue and they returned to the house, where Cassie packed a bag and drove away.

On Saturday morning Ged was up early, and after a hurried breakfast he drove to Cheryl's house.

"Oh," Cheryl snarled at him, "so after a whole week, you've at last found time for Cassie have you? Well, you're too late, she's gone back home. She's sick of being messed around by you and your blonde bimbo."

With that she shut the door in his face.

Ged stood for a long while, trying to digest what the harridan at the door had shouted at him. His blonde bimbo? Messing Cassie around? At length he made his way back to his car and sat for a while.