| Chapter Twenty-Two It wasn’t until three days later that I found our where Kevin had gone the afternoon I saw him from my bedroom window. I was sitting on the back porch swing, my feet propped up per my sisters’ orders and sipping a glass of iced tea when I heard the low rumbling of a delivery truck coming down the lane. At first I thought nothing of it, we had things delivered to the ranch all the time and I knew Frieda was expecting a delivery from the produce man. When the truck pulled up at the back porch and I saw the truck’s logo I began to get suspicious. Then, a moment later, when Kevin stepped out onto the porch and greeted the deliveryman and signed the paper attached to the clipboard, I knew something was up. “You can bring that stuff right through here,” Kevin said as he propped the screen door open. “Bring what stuff where?” I asked, my eyes glued to the truck and what was being moved out of it and into the yard. “The stuff I bought for our child,” he said and then calmly led the way inside, showing the movers where to put the things he’d just purchased. “Kevin!” My voice rose as I read the label on the first box. Jenny Lind. I knew then that he’d purchased the crib I’d wanted for the baby and I began to suspect that the other boxes contained other things that I had circled in my catalogue; the catalogue that had been missing for three days. “You called,” he said as he reappeared at the door. “You know I did,” I said from between my clenched jaw. I watched as he pushed the screen door opened and stepped outside. He moved towards me with a lithe grace that I envied. Gently, he took my arm and led me back to the swing. When he had me settled the way he wanted me; my feet stretched across the length of the seat and a pillow behind my back, he knelt in front of me. “I know what you said about me buying or spending; but here’s the thing. The child you’re carrying is as much mine as it is yours. That means I can buy or spend whatever, whenever I want. I didn’t do this to upset you. I did it because I wanted to see you happy. I found the catalogue on the table and when I saw all the things you had circled I got excited seeing all the things for the baby and decided to buy them. I know you’re probably mad, and that’s okay. I haven’t done much lately that’s made you happy and this probably won’t be one either, but try and understand. I love our child and I want to take care of him, just like I want to take care of you. Not because you’re the mother of my child, but because I really love you.” Tears pooled in my eyes and as hard as I tried to keep them from spilling over I just couldn’t. A sob caught in my throat and escaped, making my shoulders shake. He really did love me. I could see it in his eyes. “Ah babe! I didn’t mean to make you cry,” he whispered as he pulled me into his arms and held me close. “Please don’t cry Cassie, you’re breaking my heart,” he pleaded as his hands swept up and down my spine. “I’m not upset,” I sobbed. “It’s just that what you did… what you said… its the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me. And you’re wrong, you did make me happy,” I said as I buried my head in the crook of his shoulder. “Then why the tears?” he asked as he gently pushed me off his shoulders and wiped the tears away with his thumbs. “Because you’ve made me happy, because you really do care and because I love you,” I answered him honestly, and I realized in that moment that all the denying I’d done was for nothing. I’d been in love with him from the beginning and my feelings in the past months had only grown stronger. “You do?” he asked, his face a mask of astonishment. I smiled through my tears and nodded helplessly as another gush of tears poured down my face. For the first time in months I felt free, freer than I ever had. It was as if someone had unlocked my heart and I could finally hear the music of life, of love, my love for him. And someone had, Kevin had. CCC Index Chapter Twenty-Three Main Page |