Chapter 81

Cassie

Sleep was such a great healer and when I woke up I felt better than I had in weeks.

So maybe it wasn't the sleep that had done me the world of good but the freedom. I had almost forgotten how it felt to be free. Just like I could barely remember what it was like before I had become Julian's wife.

Moving through the hallways I followed the sound of singing only coming to a stop at the bottom of the stairs as my eyes found my mother. She was busy in the kitchen with the sunlight illuminating her in a halo. She was cooking, the delicious smell of cookies filled my nostrils and I smiled before I could help myself.

She looked and sounded happy and that in turn made me happy. Not wanting to disturb her I made my way into the kitchen area and slid into one of the wooden stools.

"Morning sweet girl." She greeted me in her sing-song voice. Her back was to me but I knew she was smiling. "How are you feeling?" She turned to me. Sliding a china cup full of what smelt like herbal tea over to me. I wrinkled my nose at it. I didn't mind tea but that smelt rank.

"Drink up, it will help the babies grow big and strong." She nudged the cup  closer and I gingerly picked it up and took a sip.

"How long have you been awake?" Glancing around the room I took in the fresh bread and what looked like some kind of pie already cooling on the windowsill.

She gave me a one shoulder shrug that moved her frail frame. "A few hours. I've been asleep for years so I don't want to waste a single moment now."

For all of her words she still looked tired.

"You should have woken me up."

Spinning around she snatched up a cookie from the cooling rack. "You were exhausted Cassie and you needed to rest to make sure you are healthy for those babies." Her grin grew wider. "I still can't believe you are having twins. I'm going to be a grandma."

Her excitement was contagious and I laughed before I could stop myself.  "Yes you are."

"You need to eat as well. Here take a bite." She thrust of the still hot cookie and the chocolate chips exploded on my tongue. "Mmm, these are so good." Closing my eyes I took another bite and then another until the cookie was completely gone. "I used to love your homemade treats."

The moment I said it the smile fell from her face and tears sprang up in her eyes.

"Mama I didn't mean-" I began to say and she cut me off with a look.

"I failed you as a mother Cassie. I know that." There was so much pain in her voice that I jumped off the stool and moved around the kitchen island to hug her close.

"You didn't fail me. You got sick. I was fine. I am fine." I added quickly when she sobbed.

Running my hand up and down her back I tried to soothe her but she continued to cry. I hated that I had upset her because that was the last thing I wanted to do.

"Mama please don't cry , I am fine and you're healing." I fell silent. She was fine because of the sacrifice I had made. A contract I had signed and then gone back on. I had never broken my word before. But I couldn't bring myself to regret leaving Julian even though there was a weird empty feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Part of me, missed him I realised. But that would pass as well. There was so much to still do and I didn't know how we would live. I'd emptied my bank accounts but the little cash I had wouldn't last us long.

We needed a plan and to decide whether we stayed here or moved on but before that we needed groceries and if we were staying I would need a job.

"Don't be sad because of me Mama. I married him knowing that he wasn't my mate. I did it because it was expected of me and I would do it again if it meant I got you back but we don't ever have to worry about Julian. Not ever again. He is the past." I reached for another cookie and took a big bite.

I hadn't had much appetite recently but these were addictively good.

"What?" My mother's words were sharp. "Are you talking about ? Contract?"

Ignoring her I stared at the half eaten cookie in my hand like it was some sort of alien.

"Mama?" I cut her off. My head snapping up sharply. "How have you managed to do so much cooking?"

When we had arrived this place had been abandoned and covered in a thin film of dust. No one had been here for a while and I had no doubt that any food would have been long out of date.

So how had she managed to cook bread and cookies and the giant apple pie by the window.

For a second she stared at me, a puzzled look on her face.

"Was there food in the cupboards?" I asked although I already knew the answer.

She shook her head. "There was a basket on the doorstep with some essentials." She muttered and my heart sank.

"Mam." Rushing towards the sink I ran the tap and started gulping down the water in rapid swallows.

"Cassie stop , you are going to make yourself sick drinking like that."

I swallowed again. Glaring at her. "I need to be sick mum. We are running for our lives and you need to be more careful. Those things could be poisoned."

Her eyes widened in shock.  "You don't think-"

"I think you have to be more careful. No one is meant to know we are here and-"

My words were cut off as a loud knock boomed through the house.

No one was meant to know we were here but it was clear someone did because they were pounding the hell out of the door.