Chapter 27

Pat went and found a room that no one had staked out and he got in bed. Although Pauline had sent him to Brenda Pat felt self-conscious about facing her. His mind was working overtime and it was a long time before he fell asleep.

The next morning he walked into the kitchen to find that Anna and Pauline had fixed coffee. The two women were talking when he walked in but they both stopped talking as soon as they saw him. Pat saw that the shiner that Brenda had given Pauline had almost closed her eye.

Pauline tried to smile at him but her black eye was hurting her, "Shasta said that she has to talk to you this morning. She said it's important but she wouldn't tell me what it was."

Pat was relieved that Pauline seemed to have less of a problem with him bedding down others than Pat did himself. He couldn't get over the guilt that he felt. He loved Pauline and, in different circumstances, he would be one hundred percent faithful to her.

Pat sipped his coffee, "I'll see what's on her mind. Anything else going on?"

Both women shook their heads. Three of the girls walked into the kitchen and Anna asked them what they wanted to eat. All of the girls said that they would get something later.

Pat asked the girls if they knew where Shasta was and Hanna told him that she was sitting by the pool. Pat filled his coffee cup and walked to the pool area with his cup of coffee.

Pat walked to where Shasta was sitting, "I heard that you were looking for me."

The young girl looked up at him and he could see the concern on her face, "I think that you should talk to Cassie. She's talking about leaving the group and going out on her own."

Pat hesitated before answering her, "Any idea what brought this about?"

Shasta shook her head, "She never talks much and she won't discuss it with any of us. I don't think she's said twenty words this whole trip. She tells us to stay out of her business."

"I'll talk to her. She wouldn't last a week on her own. We've had it easy for the past couple of weeks. The foods that we've been eating aren't going to be so plentiful in the near future. When the refrigeration stops the food in the refrigerators and freezers is going to rot fast. We're going to have to rely on canned goods and what we can find on farms and what we can grow ourselves after we settle down in one place."

Shasta looked ahead like she wasn't even talking to Pat, "None of the girls know anything about her; she's always stayed to herself in school. Hell, we don't even know where she lives."

Pat put his hand on Shasta's shoulder, "Thanks for cluing me in. I'll check on it and see what's bothering her."

Pat walked back to the kitchen. Sarah had come down and was sitting and listening to Pauline and Anna talk. The women were fixing breakfast for a couple of the girls. Several girls walked by the kitchen with towels over their arms, heading for the pool.

Pat waited until the girls had gone into the restaurant to eat before speaking to the women, "Does anyone know if anything's wrong with Cassie? Shasta says that she's unhappy and I'd like to get to the bottom of it before it gets out of hand."

Anna spoke first, "She used to be a good student but the last couple of years she's been letting her studies slip. She's become very quiet and she's belligerent at times. I don't know if it's a faze she's going through or not."

"Have you ever brought this up with her parents at PTA meetings?" he asked.

Anna thought for a minute, "Her mother was in an accident and the father said that he was busy taking care of his invalid wife and couldn't come to the PTA meetings. I requested a meeting at his convenience but he never set up an appointment."

Pat thought for a minute before answering Anna, "I'd like to talk to Cassie. It's a bit serious and it has to be discussed with her now."

"I've tried to talk to her but she more or less tells me to mind my own business," Anna said.

"Get with Cassie and tell her that I'm going to get some supplies before we head out of here," Pat said thoughtfully, "Tell her that I need help and that you'd like me to go along to help. Don't tell her that I'm the one that requested that she go along with me. Be forceful and don't let her turn you down."

"Okay, when do you want to leave?" Anna asked.

"As soon as possible; I think that it's going to take some time to draw her out. Tell her that I'm checking out the vehicles and I'm ready to go."

Anna left to get Cassie and Pauline looked at Pat, trying to figure out what was wrong. Pat saw her looking at him and walked to her and drew her in his arms.

"Pauline, Cassie has been telling the girls that she's going to leave the group and go out on her own. She won't last a week on her own. Something's going on in her head but, apparently she's withdrawn from everyone and won't tell anyone what the real problem is."

Pauline leaned up to him and kissed him, "Always looking out for your flock, aren't you?"